Causes of Broken Headphones
Common headphone failures include:
An electrical short in the wires that transmits sound.A malfunctioning earpiece.A defective jack plug.Problems with the audio jack.
Before you can fix your headphones, you must identify the source of the problem. Here are some troubleshooting tips to help figure out why your headphones aren’t working:
Plug the headphones in and listen for audio: If the sound cuts in and out, bend the cables as you listen for feedback. If you hear audio when you position the cables in a certain way, there’s an electrical short, and you need to repair the headphone’s wires. Gently push the plug into the audio jack: If you hear sound, you might need to fix the plug. Use another pair of working headphones: If you hear nothing, you may need to fix the headphone jack. Use a multimeter to test the wires: The multimeter beeps if no breaks are detected. If you can’t get it to beep, you must repair the wires. If one side has no audio at all, you might need to fix the earpiece.
What You Need to Fix Broken Headphones
Depending on the underlying problem, you may need the following tools:
Scissors or a sharp bladeWire strippersElectrical or duct tapeA lighterA third hand with alligator clipsSolder and a soldering iron
How to Fix Headphones Without Tools
If the problem lies with the wires, you may be able to fix your headphones without cutting them open.
How to Fix a Short in Headphones
If the above method doesn’t work, you’ll have to repair the broken wires. Identify the site of the short by either manipulating the cables or using a multimeter, then follow the steps below.
How to Fix a Broken Headphone Plug
If your headphone’s plug is damaged, purchase a replacement at an electronics store or online. Choose a metal plug with a stereo connection and a spring that’s the same size as your current plug.
If you have a cable that looks like two cables glued together, each contains an insulated wire. One carries the signal, and the other is the ground wire.Other headphones have a single cable housing two insulated wires for the left and right signal in addition to one or two ground wires.
To replace a broken headphone plug:
What to Do When One Earbud Is Not Working
If one earpiece isn’t working because of a short in the cable, fix that portion of the cable. However, if the problem lies with the earpiece, the fix is more complicated. If your headphones are no longer under warranty, try the following:
If There Are No Loose Connections
If there are no loose connections in the earpiece, the headphone driver may be defective. To replace the driver:
