How to Fix a Headphone Jack

If you are new to the world of personal audio devices, you may wonder how to fix a headphone jack. Even the best headphones, after all, can fall victim to headphone jack repair issues, as they are fairly finicky. So what do you do when your headphone jack falls out of favor? First of all, don’t sell your Yamaha EPH-M200 High-Performance in-ear headphones! There’s still hope for your headphone jack. Keep reading to find out.

Earphone Jack Repair

Unfortunately, there is no universal solution to the headphone jack problems, as there are many different causes and many different makes and models of headphones and audio devices. In other words, before you can start any repair projects, you have to perform some basic troubleshooting steps. Of course, if you are comparing Bluetooth vs wired headphones for radiation or use case scenarios, you’ll note that the former doesn’t even need headphone jacks.

In any event, here are some basic troubleshooting steps.

Test With Another Device

The first thing you should do is plug your headphones into another audio listening device. If the headphones work fine on this new device, then, yeah, the headphone jack on the initial device likely has an issue. If you still encounter a problem, however, then the headphones themselves need repairs, not any headphone jack. Headphones can fail over time, so when that happens you’ll want to consider an upgrade like you’ll read about in our Planet PS400 stereo headphones review.

Check for Size Differences

Regular use of headphones can subtly change the headphone tip over time, increasing the size, and the same is said of the headphone jack. These jacks can become smaller, or even larger, with regular use. While you are at it, check to make sure your headphone tip did not become bent or experienced any other deformation issue during use.

Clean the Jack

One quick troubleshooting step that also includes repair is to check on any debris, dirt, and dust located within the headphone jack itself. When these jacks get clogged up with gunk, it is difficult for them to function normally. Use a can of compressed air or a dedicated headphone jack cleaning kit to disperse any loose debris and suck it out of the jack. It’s amazing what gets stuck in there over time.

Check the Case

Sometimes, a smartphone or tablet case can get in the way of the audio jack, leading to an interruption in use. Remove the case entirely, plug the headphones in, and give everything a try.

F.A.Q.S