How do I hear my own voice (sidetone) in my headset?
Short answer: Install the free USB2x Toolbar app for Mac or Windows. It turns on sidetone in one click, can use voice-activated VOX so the headset stays silent until you speak, and lets you set mic and speaker levels separately. Adapters sold before May 1, 2026 may not support sidetone.
In the airplane, the intercom plays your own voice back into your headset — that’s sidetone, and it’s what makes radio calls feel natural. Computers don’t do this by default.
The free USB2x Toolbar app for the USB2GA and USB2Lemo adds it:
- Sidetone on/off in a single click
- Smart VOX (voice activated): sidetone follows your voice, with adjustable squelch so the headset stays silent until you speak
- Sidetone volume control (Windows)
- Separate microphone and speaker levels, right from your computer’s toolbar
It runs natively on macOS (Apple Silicon and Intel) and Windows 10 / 11, detects your adapter automatically, and can load at startup. On Windows it’s available from the Microsoft Store or as a direct .msi download.
Note: adapters sold before May 1, 2026 may not be compatible with sidetone support.
Applies to: USB2GA, USB2Lemo, USB2x Toolbar — Free Download for Mac & Windows
More questions
- Why won't my aviation headset microphone work on my computer?
- Will the USB2GA or USB2Lemo work with my aviation headset?
- Do you make an adapter for Lemo (panel-power) headsets?
- Do you make an adapter for helicopter (U-174) or XLR (Airbus) headsets?
- Does the adapter need batteries?
- Does it work with an iPad, iPhone, or Android device?
- Which flight simulators and apps does it work with?
- Can I connect two adapters to one computer?
- Why is the adapter a mountable box instead of a cable?
- What are your shipping and return policies?
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