How to Fix Headphones

If you’re a gamer or even an avid music listener, few things are as frustrating as when your headphones stop working mid-game or mid-song. Sound can really make the difference between you winning or losing a game and no one wants to be interrupted while singing along.

It’s even more disheartening if the broken headphones are your favorite pair and can’t easily be replaced because they’re expensive or the manufacturer no longer produces the specific model. However, you don’t need to despair, throw in the towel, or hunt for a new pair. Through the use of the following guide and a little DIY, you can actually fix your headphones yourself and save a couple of bucks.

How to Troubleshoot and Fix Your Headphones

There are different types of earphones and headphones built for different ears and needs. On a driver and speaker level, most of them function using the same technology.

For instance, wireless headphones are growing ever more popular but just because they are wireless, it doesn’t mean they’re safe from connectivity and sound issues. Therefore, it was crucial for us to make this guide as comprehensive and inclusive as possible. You should be able to find a solution here, regardless of what type of headphones you’re using.

Troubleshoot and Fix Your Bluetooth Headphones

The most common types of wireless headphones you will find these days are Bluetooth headphones. Even some of the best wireless gaming headphones can face some of the very same issues that wired headphones face but they also have their own unique set of problems. In this section, we will explore some of these issues and some fixes you can implement yourself

Fix Bluetooth Headphone Pairing and Connectivity Issues

1. Ensure that your headphones are in pairing mode.
   If you are pairing to a new device for the first time or re-pairing to an old device whose settings may have been lost due to an update, pairing may be a little tricky. Most earphones/headphones have a pairing mode. Refer to your headphone’s documentation to ensure that you understand the pairing process.
2. Make sure that your sound device’s Bluetooth is on.
   It may sound obvious but sometimes we miss the simple solutions.  If you want to connect your wireless Bluetooth headphones to a computer/laptop, console or phone, you need to double-check that your device’s Bluetooth is on.
3. Download drivers for your Bluetooth headsets.
   This is specifically for people who are connecting their Bluetooth headphones to computers.
   Sometimes your device requires you to download drivers for your headphones, especially if you can connect them through a USB as an alternative. Refer to your headphone’s documentation or visit their site for more information
4. Switch off your output device’s Wi-Fi.
   Wi-Fi may interfere with your Bluetooth signal (and vice versa), so if your sound output device has Wi-Fi and it’s on, this may be the root of your connectivity issues
5. Turn your headphones on and then off again.
   I’ve found that this fixes the issue when I’m pairing my Bluetooth headphones with my laptop
6. Turn Bluetooth off and on again.
   Turning the Bluetooth off and on again on my sound output device (phone) is another fix that I find works to resolve my connectivity issues.
7. Reset Your Bluetooth headphones.
   Most headphones come with a soft or hard reboot feature. For most wireless headphones, this is how you reboot your headphones:
   1. Turn your headphones off completely
   2. Hold your power button for 10 seconds and then release

This will fix charging and connectivity issues for most wireless Bluetooth headphones. For more information about how you can reboot/refresh your headphones, read its documentation or visit the product page on the manufacturer’s website.

1. Make sure that your headphones are fully charged.
   Before connecting or pairing your device, make sure that it has enough battery life. In addition to this, it is also important to ensure that the device you are connecting your headphones to also have ample power.
2. Make sure that the devices you are trying to connect/pair are in close enough proximity.
3. Delete the headphones from the list of Bluetooth devices on your computer/phone/console and then try to pair your headphones again.
4. Avoid or move away from any Wi-Fi enabled device, such as a router.
   As we have mentioned before, Wi-Fi can interfere with your Bluetooth signal.
5. Make sure that the devices you are trying to connect are compatible.
   There are different versions of Bluetooth and because you trying to connect a device with the latest version of Bluetooth to an old device with an outdated version of Bluetooth, it may not work.
6. Clearing the Bluetooth cache
   On Android devices you can clear the Bluetooth cache by resetting the network settings (Settings>Backup and Restart> Reset network settings)
7. Update your output sound device’s firmware.
   For instance, if you are using a Smartwatch, updating its firmware along with its Bluetooth software can fix connectivity issues.

Fix Bluetooth Headphones with Only One Side Working
“Fun isn’t something one considers when balancing the universe” – Thanos

The most common issue that headphone users face is an imbalance of sound, where one headphone stops working. In this section, we will explore a few fixes you can use to bring back balance to your headphones.

1. Try connecting your headphones to a different device
   This way you can test if the sound output device is the issue or headphones
2. Try playing a different track and make sure the track you’re playing is stereo (not mono)
3. Restart your headsets
4. Completely reboot your headphones
   (Refer to step 7 from the previous  section)
5. Use an aux cable (if possible) to hear if there is a difference
6. Move away from any interference (Wi-Fi)
7. Check the speaker balance.
   Most devices have equalizers and sound settings where you can balance the sound output from your left and right speakers. Ensure that the sound is balanced properly between your speakers.

If none of these suggestions worked for you then there may be a fault with one of the speakers. We will give you tips on how you can fix the speaker in the next section.

Troubleshoot and Fix USB headphones

USB headphones are the only types of headphones that can deliver a sound that is superior to analogue headphones with 3.5 mm jacks. In addition to this, truly great USB headsets come with a secondary sound processor for virtual surround sound and an additional headphone jack.

However, they are not unfailing. If you are experiencing poor sound quality, an imbalance of sound (where you are only receiving sound from one headphone) follow these suggestions:

Troubleshoot and fix USB Connectivity and Sound Issues

1. Disconnect your headphones and perform a complete reboot.
   Shut down Windows completely and turn it on so you can ensure that Windows has released all drivers and flushed out all cached volatile memory.
   Reconnect  your headphones and see if this has solved the issue
2. Make sure that you have connected the headphones directly to your PC, not docking station, hub or adapter. Make sure that you connect the headphones to a USB 3.0 port if they are compatible or a USB 2.0 port if they are not. If you are using the headphones on a desktop computer, try to connect the headset to a rear USB port.
3. Make sure that your headset is set as the default output and input device under sound settings.
   1. Right-click on the sound icon in your quick launch area the select Sounds
      
   2. Click on the Playback tab
   3. Pick your USB headset from the list and set it as your default playback device
      
   4. Then click on the Recording tab and do the same

1. Make sure that applications have exclusive control of your playback device
   1. Right-click on the sound icon in your quick launch area the select Sounds
      
   2. Click on the Playback tab
   3. Right-click on your headsets and select Properties
      
   4. Click on the Advanced tab
   5. Make sure that the ‘Allow applications to take exclusive control of this device’ checkbox is ticked
   6. Click on OK
      
   7. Do the same under the Recording tab

If the issue persists, then there may be a hardware malfunction. I suggest that you visit the manufacturer’s website for further technical assistance.

Troubleshooting and Fixing Analogue Headphones

Analogue headsets that use a 3.5 mm jack are still the most commonly used headsets among gamers and audiophiles. One of the reasons for this is their affordability and sound quality. If you are hunting for great budget gaming headsets, you will notice from your pool of options that the majority of them are wired headsets with 3.5 mm jacks.

Three things can go wrong with analogue headsets:

• The connector/jack
• The wire
• The speakers

All three of these parts require their own set of remedies and fixes

Before you attempt to troubleshoot or fix your headphones, make sure that you test them on different devices first. Maybe it is not the headphones that are the issue. Maybe it is the port or software on the device you are trying to use them on. If you are sure that the problem lies with the headphones, then the rest of this section is for you.

Testing Your Headphone Jack/Connector

First, try to figure out where the issue lies. Plug your headphones into a sound output device like your phone, MP3 player, computer etc. Twist your connector around, push it in and try to plug it in halfway. If you hear a change in sound, where both your headphone speakers are working then this means that there is something wrong with your headphone connector.

Testing Your Headphone Cable

Connect your headphones to a sound device. While you listen to music, try to bend and twist parts of the cable until the sound is coming through both headphone speakers. Alternatively, you can use a multimeter to test if there are any breaks in the cable. If this test works, then it means there is something wrong with the cable.  Make sure that you mark the site of the break with a razor or marker.

Testing Your Speakers

If the previous tests yielded no results, then through the use of Occam’s razor, we can almost be certain that the problem lies with your speakers. If it is possible, pop the speakers open to see if there is a stray wire that is disconnected from the speaker driver.

In order to fix your headphones, you will need:

• Dexterous hands
• Soldering iron and solder
• Wire Cutters
• Scissors or razor

Fixing Your Jack Plug

1. Purchase a new jack from a hardware or electronics store
2. Cut the old jack plug off at where the wires connect to the plug. Don’t cut too close to the jack
3. Remove an inch of the insulation using a wire stripper to reveal three wires. One for the left ear, one for the right and a grounding wire
4. Organize the wires according to their colour. Typically, the red wire is for the right earpiece while the white/green wire is for the left one. The copper or black wires are ground wires
5. Use your wire cutter to strip the ends of the wires (at least a third of an inch)
6. The new headphone jack you bought earlier should have a sleeve. Unscrew it from the jack and slip it onto the wire
7. Thin the wires by adding a drop of solder to the end of each one
8. Solder the wires to each pin of the jack’s housing
9. Tie the sleeve onto the headphone jack

Fixing Your Cable:

To fix your cable without cutting and soldering the pieces together, do the following:

1. Twist your cable around (where the break is) until you hear sound coming through both earpieces. Alternatively, you can bend it there too.
2. Secure the twist or bend with a strong piece of electrical or duct tape.

Remember that this is a temporary fix. If you want a more permanent fix, then you will have to cut them open and re-join the wires.

Fixing Your Speakers

To fix your speakers, you will need to solder any stray wires back on. However, before doing that, make sure that you clean out the old solder. This can be tricky if you are trying to fix gaming earbuds because of the space you have to work with.

Final Words

If you have never soldered before and have some very questionable fine motor skills then maybe you should take your headphones to a specialist. Especially if you cannot afford a new pair or if they hold some sentimental value for you.  If not, maybe it is time to upgrade them.

Swap them out for a brand spanking new pair of awesome noise-cancelling headphones. If you do not feel that you are out of your depth, then I hope the tips in this guide help you fix your headphones or at least find out what is wrong with them. Happy listening and thank you for reading.