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How to Fix Earbuds
Troubleshooting earphones that won't work
By Brenna Miles Brenna Miles Writer The University of Phoenix Brenna Miles is a technology writer with a B.A. in Business Management and HR Management. She's been writing about technology for 6+ years. lifewire's editorial guidelines Updated on June 19, 2020 Tweet Share Email Tweet Share Email In This Article
Expand Jump to a Section Causes of Broken Earbuds Check the Audio Cable Fix Earbuds That Won't Work When One Side Doesn't Work Fix Crackling Earbuds If Your Earbuds Still Don't Work Listening to your favorite music with broken earbuds is frustrating, if not impossible. This guide teaches you how to fix broken earbuds. The troubleshooting steps in this article apply to most earbuds, including earbuds that use Bluetooth to connect to a device. The Causes of Broken Earbuds
Due to the mechanical nature of earbuds, there are many reasons why your earbuds might not be working. Some of the most common causes include: Debris is stuck in the earbud.A cable failure.A cable jack failure.A failure to properly connect. Check the Audio Cable First
Regardless of the issue you have with your earbuds, ensure the cable is in good repair (if you're not using wireless earbuds). Check for frayed cords, broken or split plastic coating, and other issues. If this is the issue, repair the cable or purchase new earbuds. If this isn't the issue, you can move forward. How to Fix Earbuds That Won' t Work
When you don't hear any sound coming out of the earbuds, follow these steps to troubleshoot the problem. Turn on the earbuds' power source. Some earbuds have power sources. If yours does, turn it off and back on, then listen to an audio source. Turn on the audio source or turn up the volume. Sometimes, things happen, and the volume can be accidentally turned down or off on the device. Clean the earbuds. There may be debris in the earbuds. A build-up of dirt or other debris inside the earbuds can result in loss of sound. Clean the earbuds gently. Unplug and reconnect wired earbuds. Just like turning a device off and on solves many tech issues, disconnecting and reconnecting the earbuds might trigger the sound. Check the audio cable jack connection when you reconnect the earbuds. Push the cable jack gently to ensure it's connected to the audio jack. If it isn't, you may not hear audio. Check the Bluetooth connection with wireless earbuds. If your earbuds use Bluetooth to connect to devices, make sure Bluetooth is turned on. If you have Bluetooth earbuds, unpair and re-pair the earbuds to the device. Connect the earbuds to another audio source. If you hear sound from another audio device, the current device may need to be repaired. How to Fix Earbuds When One Side Doesn' t Work
When only one earbud works, follow these troubleshooting steps. Unplug and reconnect. This could fix the one-sided sound issue. Clean the earbud. A build-up of debris can cause a lack of sound. Reconnect Bluetooth. If the earbuds are wireless, disconnecting and reconnecting Bluetooth resets the sound, which may fix the sound issue. Check the side balance on the device. Make sure the device doesn't have the side balance setting set to left or right. How to Fix Crackling Earbuds
If your earbuds crackle, take these steps to troubleshoot the problem. Unplug and reconnect the earbuds. This might fix the issue that causes the crackling. Check the audio cable jack connection on wired earbuds. Gently push it to ensure a proper connection between the audio cable and the device. Clean the device's audio jack. Debris build-up can cause crackling sounds. Blow into the audio jack to remove any dust or debris. You can also use compressed air to blow away debris. Disconnect and reconnect Bluetooth on wireless earbuds. If you have Bluetooth earbuds, disconnect and reconnect to see if that fixes the crackling issue. Moving closer to the device may solve crackling and other sound issues, such as sound that comes and goes. Change the EQ settings. If your device has EQ settings, ensure the bass or treble isn't set too high. Sometimes, this can cause crackling when the sound is maxed out, primarily if the earbuds aren't meant for that level of output. In terms of audio output, reducing the volume of the audio may clear up the crackling. Your earbuds may not be meant to handle the level of sound you're attempting to play. If Your Earbuds Still Don' t Work
If none of the above solutions fix the earbud issue, and your earbuds aren't Bluetooth, the device's audio jack may need to be repaired. Although you can fix it yourself, it isn't recommended. Reach out to the company who made the earbuds to see if the earbuds are under warranty and what you must do for a repair. If they aren't, then it's time to buy new earbuds. Was this page helpful? Thanks for letting us know! Get the Latest Tech News Delivered Every Day Subscribe Tell us why! Other Not enough details Hard to understand Submit More from Lifewire 9 Ways to Fix It When AirPods Are Too Quiet The 9 Best Wired Earbuds of 2022 How to Fix It When an Xbox One Controller Headphone Jack Isn't Working How to Fix the Microphone on AirPods How to Fix It When Spotify Is Not Working How to Fix It When a Laptop Microphone is Not Working No Sounds on Windows 11? Here's How to Fix It How to Fix iPhone Stuck in Headphone Mode How to Fix It When Your Headphones Aren't Working on Windows 10 How to Fix It When Your iPhone Microphone Isn't Working How to Fix Vizio TV Black Screen of Death 8 Ways to Fix It When an iPhone Speaker Is Not Working How to Unlock a Keyboard That's Locked 10 Ways to Fix a Wireless Adapter or Access Point Error Message How to Fix the Canon B200 Printer Error How to Fix It When an Xbox One Controller Won't Recognize the Headset Newsletter Sign Up Newsletter Sign Up Newsletter Sign Up Newsletter Sign Up Newsletter Sign Up By clicking “Accept All Cookies”, you agree to the storing of cookies on your device to enhance site navigation, analyze site usage, and assist in our marketing efforts. Cookies Settings Accept All Cookies