Audio jack not working? Here’s how to fix

If you’re unable to hear any audio from your headphones, or there’s a constant crackling, or perhaps the left and right channels keep cutting out, it’s possible that there’s something wrong with your audio jack. You can try the following to deal with common issues, but note that anything more serious will require a trip to the nearest service centre.

Clean the port

The audio jack, especially a 3.5 mm jack, is relatively large compared to lightning or USB-C. It’s very easy for lint or other debris to enter, which can cause issues.

We’d recommend using something hard but non metallic like a toothpick to poke around the inside of your headphone jack. Be gentle but use enough pressure to verify that there’s nothing jammed up in the port.

If there is, try gently prying out the debris or gunk with the toothpick. You can also used a compressed air blower or canister to attempt blowing out the air. You might be tempted to blow inside the jack yourself, but note that any liquid inside the jack can cause electrical issues and further damage, especially on devices that aren’t weather-sealed.

If that doesn’t work, try squirting in some glue from a glue gun. This can stick to the dirt and extract it when the glue is pulled out. Note that when poking around the inside of your audio jack, you might inadvertently damage it. If you’re not sure about what you’re doing, take the device to an expert.

Physical damage

Insert the headphone cable into the port and check if audio is normal when pressure is applied at a certain angle or when the cable is wiggled while in the port.

If so, it’s likely that the pins inside your audio jack are damaged or broken. If this is the case, the only option is to replace the jack, which can be done on most laptops and phones provided the service technician is familiar with the model.

Change your case

You’ll be surprised how often this happens, but sometimes just swapping or removing a case can fix audio issues. Some cases are too narrow or thick and can prevent the headphone plug from being inserted fully. The separation might be very small, but just enough to prevent good contact.

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If your headphones work without a case, get a new one with a larger opening around the audio port.

Verify output device

On laptops, you might need to verify that the correct output device is selected. Do this by heading to the TaskBar and clicking on the volume icon in the system tray. On a Mac, you can click on the volume icon in the menu bar to list audio devices. From the list that pops up, select your headphone jack as the output device.

You will of course need to verify that the correct drivers are installed, which you can do by heading to the device manufacturer’s website and downloading the requisite driver package.

Audio issues are easy enough to fix and don’t usually involve a trip to the service centre. If there’s physical damage, however, or a risk of physical damage, it’s best to enlist the services of an experienced technician.