Headphone jacks from 2.5 mm
Headphones of various sizes and types are used in many electronic devices, including iPods and cell phone headsets Modern multifunctional devices are equipped with outputs (jacks) for connecting speakers and headphones. At first glance, I inserted the device and it works. But it is not so. The point is in different connectors. The headphone jack is called jack, mini-jack, micro-jack, these names are used in most multimedia equipment. The most common connector is a mini-jack. In headphones, speakers and microphones, it comes across more often. The jack connector is more often used in professional devices. Micro jacks are used in portable technology. Of all the jacks, it is the smallest (2.5 mm). Recently, headphones with a USB connector have appeared. This connector input is similar to a conventional charging connector.
Reasons: why headphones don't work
Using headphones allows you to listen to music or watch movies at the desired volume using your smartphone without causing problems for others. But there are situations when the headphones stop playing files with high quality or do not work at all.
Sometimes careless handling leads to the failure of the connector, which is responsible for connecting the headphones to the device.
The reasons may be as follows:
- Damage to the wire (if you move it, the sound disappears, then the headphones are reconnected - it stops periodically seeing the device).
- Damage to the plug (when listening, you have to constantly maintain it).
- Noises or rustles (poor or broken contact).
- Damage to the speaker (one of the channels works, or does not work, does not play at all).
- Damage to the jack on the playback device (stuck, does not read, does not insert, does not turn on or it is difficult to turn on or off, go away, do not fit, you can check this by connecting the headphones to another device - if they work, the problem is in the jack).
In the first 2 cases, it is not such a problem to fix defects. We re-solder the plug or wire. If there is no specialist nearby, you can try to do it yourself. Collapsible plugs are on sale, and the network is full of circuits. Speaker damage is much more difficult to deal with. If the price of the headphones is not high, it is easier to throw them away. Damage to the socket on the device without a specialist is definitely indispensable. Everything is arranged there is not simple, and you do not need to clean them yourself, so as not to damage the membrane.
Why the phone does not see the headphones
The phone does not see the headphones often for 2 reasons - incompatibility of the headset with the mobile phone, damaged connector or jack. To understand what is the reason, let's first check the health of the headphones themselves.
The reasons for loose contact can be different. Dust or lint from clothing can get caught in the headphone jack
What are the ways out of the situation:
- Let's try to insert them into another device.
- Headphones reproduce sound without problems - then it is not about them.
- The reason for not working can be a mismatch of resistance. To make sure of this, we connect other headphones.
- If they work, the headset simply does not fit the mobile phone.
It happens that the headphones suddenly stopped working. Most likely, dust and dirt got into the connector during operation. You can try gently cleaning the connector with a cotton swab and rubbing alcohol. The reason for the inoperability of the headphones may lie in the phone software. It is recommended to update the software. Probably, there was an error in the program. Some smartphones detect the headset only after restarting the phone with the headphones connected. The headphones are not detected during normal connection. This situation often arises with the connection of headphones whose company name is Lenovo. When connected, no reaction occurs, only a reboot helps. The Android operating system cannot always see the fact that the headphones are connected, this happens for various reasons. You can change the situation by resetting the settings to the factory settings, or by flashing. You can reset the settings yourself. If it does not help, take it to the repair for a flashing.
The audio output on a tablet or phone from frequent use can be loosened (the contact has moved away, the output has loosened). If you have sufficient knowledge, you can check the contact by disassembling the device. If you can't do it yourself, bring it in for repair.
Malfunctions: when headphones do not work on a laptop
The problem can be both in the headphones and in the laptop. We check the operation of the headphones - we insert it into another device, they do not work, we will have to replace the headphones. If everything is in order with them, we are looking for a problem in the laptop.
Connector repair, as a rule, does not take much time and does not require the use of professional equipment.
It happens that the laptop does not see the headphones - due to the specific operation of the drivers. This is common on Asus systems. If you turn off the laptop with the headphones plugged in, and then pull them out, then the next time you turn on the laptop, it thinks that the headphones are connected, and the speakers are silent.
Reasons for the malfunction:
- Sound card driver crash;
- Sound card malfunction;
- One channel is connected correctly, and the other into the socket where, for example, the front speakers are connected.
But, first, it's worth checking the laptop settings. Having connected obviously working headphones to the audio output, we check if the system sees the headset. If there is a cross on the speaker icon, the system does not see the headphones, if there is no cross, it does. This could be due to a driver failure. You need to reinstall the sound card drivers.
You can "roll back" the system to a time when there were no problems with the sound: load Safe Mode, and you need to start System Restore.
When playing files in a browser, an outdated version of the flash player causes no sound. Updating it may fix the problem. If all of the above does not help, the reason is most likely in the sound card. In this case, it will need to be replaced.
Problems: why headphones do not work on the computer
First of all, you need to properly connect your headphones. The computer has headphone and microphone jacks on the front and back of the computer. The green port is the audio-out port, and the red port is for the microphone. The purpose of the jack can also be determined from the figures on the panel: headphone icon - defines the jack as an audio output.
If the headphones do not work when connected to a computer or laptop, then in 80% of cases there are no drivers, or the headphones are incorrectly connected
When connecting headphones to the front of your computer, remember that the outputs are disabled by default and are not automatically detected.
If the plugs are connected according to the jacks, and there is no sound, we try to add sound on the PC and headphones (sometimes they just forget about it), check if the headphones work on a tablet, iPhone or any other device. PC users often face a problem when, after updating or reinstalling the system, the headphones suddenly stop working.
You need to check the following:
- Which panel on the computer does not work (we connect the headphones to the front panel, then to the back);
- We check the connection of the outputs to the sound card (the outputs have moved away or are not connected);
- We check the drivers (possibly out of date or out of date).
You can check the operation of the drivers by looking at the audio inputs and audio outputs section. If the drivers are ok, the system will not show any error. If not, you will need to reinstall your sound drivers.
How and what to do if one earphone does not work
First, make sure that the headphone plug is fully inserted into the jack of the device. Otherwise, the pins of the left and right channels on the plug do not touch the corresponding pins in the connector of the device, and one of them does not receive a signal. The next reason may be damage to the wire.
Most headphone problems can be solved by yourself at home
Often such a nuisance occurs close to speakers or a plug. It is better to change such headphones. If the contact is broken in the plug, it can be replaced with a new one. Collapsible plugs are available on the market. We solder it to the wire and isolate the repair area.
Incorrect operation of the device to which the headset is connected may also affect the operation of one of the channels. This often happens when headphones are connected to a computer. After installing the correct driver, fix the problem. There are no drivers specifically designed for left and right headphone channels. If these steps do not help, the speaker in one of the headphones is most likely damaged. For the most part, such parts of the headphones are not collapsible. You will most likely need to replace the headset with a new one.
In the case of collapsible models, you can tinker yourself. We disassemble the headphones and see what exactly happened. Sometimes the contact is missing on the speaker itself. This can be fixed by soldering the torn wires back into place. In wireless models, the wiring to the speaker is often poorly secured, and after disassembling the headphones, you can immediately identify the violation. If the wires and contacts are not broken, and one "ear" does not work, you should pay attention to the speaker membrane. It can become clogged or deformed. In case of clogging, you need to clean the mesh on the speaker. You can wash it with alcohol or peroxide, dry it, and put it back. If the membrane is damaged, it cannot be repaired. The entire speaker needs to be replaced here.
What are the headphone jacks (video)
There are many reasons why it is simply impossible to do without headphones. Computer games, chatting, listening to music without annoying or disturbing others is possible thanks to headphones. They must be handled with care and very careful. And they will answer with a long and honest service. With careless handling, you will have to spend more often on repairs, or even a complete replacement of the headset.
Similar materials
The headphone jack does not work, but are you going to listen to your favorite music? Problems with the socket in smartphones are quite common. Let's try to figure out what the reason is and try to eliminate it.
Why is the headphone jack on the phone not working?
There are main reasons for the inoperability of the mini-Jack 3.5 mm connector:
- broken headphones
- Bluetooth headphone connection
- dirt and dust that has accumulated in the nest
- glitch in settings
- connector malfunction
What to do if the headphone jack does not work
Below you can find solutions to your headphone jack problem.
Make sure your headphones are not damaged
The most obvious reason lies in the headphones themselves. If you try to switch them to another device with the same connector, and again do not hear anything, feel free to replace them with new ones. If the sound passes and the audibility is normal, look for the reason below in the text. We also recommend connecting other headphones to your smartphone to make sure they work.
Check your phone's Bluetooth connection
If you are using wireless headphones using Bluetooth, the micro headphone jack is probably disabled. When using headphones, the device recognizes them regardless of Bluetooth options. But in some cases there are exceptions to solve this problem:
- go to settings
- find the bluetooth option
- make sure no device is paired with your gadget
If Bluetooth is on:
- turn it off
- connect headphones
Checking. Headphones work - problem solved. Otherwise, we continue to search for the reason for the lack of sound.
Clean any dirt on the micro headphone jack
Do you carry your phone in your pocket or bag? Dust, fine lint and debris will cram into the micro headphone jack over time. This is one factor in why the jack does not work, since dirt is blocking the connection between the headphones and the jack, so:
- take a look at the micro connector to see the dirt in it
- try to clean the nest from dust and lint accumulated in it
Cleaning can be done with a compressed air can. Alternatively, use a toothbrush available from a pharmacy. Very carefully, without sudden movements, clean the connector with a brush, in no case press it inward, otherwise you will damage the device.
We do not recommend using a cotton swab with alcohol or perfume, therefore, cotton fibers may settle in the socket, perfume fragrances will remain on the walls of the hole, and will interfere with the normal operation of the headphones.
Check your smartphone sound settings
The problem does not always lie in the jack or headphones, check the sound settings of your smartphone. For this:
- find the sound settings on your device
- look at the volume level
Reboot your device
- hold the power button
- reboot device
- wait for the device to turn on again
- make sure the problem is gone
Replacing the headphone jack
When listening to music, the sound goes through the headphones and through the speaker. The headphones have been checked and are working. What is the problem?
In this situation, the problem lies in the damaged socket. Do not try to fix this malfunction yourself if you do not know how to handle a screwdriver and a soldering iron, and are also not ready to disassemble the device. Therefore, feel free to contact the service center for repair or replacement of a part.
Peripheral devices such as mouse, keyboard, webcam, printer are usually connected to the computer via USB ports. In this case, it often happens that one or more ports stop working. That is, when a USB flash drive is connected to a computer, for example, it is not recognized, the keyboard or mouse may freeze, and the printer may not respond and print pages.
There are several likely reasons why some or all of the USB ports on your computer are not working. Let's try to understand this issue and find out what should be done to restore the normal functioning of the computer.
Checking BIOS settings
The first thing to pay attention to is the BIOS settings of the computer. To enter BIOS, you need a functional keyboard. If the keyboard is connected to the computer via USB and it does not work, then you need to connect a keyboard with a PS / 2 connector. Otherwise, you simply cannot do anything.
So, we go into the BIOS, for which, when starting the computer, you must press the enter key, usually DEL. There may be another key that is displayed on the screen and is indicated in the manual for the motherboard. Once in the BIOS, find the Integrated Peripherals section or the Advanced section. Here you will find the subsection “Onboard Devices Configuration”. It is in it that the parameters that are responsible for the operation of USB controllers are located: USB Function or USB 2.0 Controller. These parameters must be Enabled. And if one of them is disabled (Disabled), then hover over it and press Enter, thereby enabling it. So that the changes you made are not reset, you must save them by pressing F10, and confirm the save by pressing the Y or Enter key.
After restarting the computer, check if the USB ports are working. And if not, then you should look for the reason elsewhere.
USB ports on the front of the computer do not work
As a special case, only the front panel USB may not work for you. In such a situation, it is necessary to check whether the necessary connectors on the motherboard are connected and whether the wires are not damaged. To do this, open the side cover of the system unit and pay attention to the connector at the bottom of the motherboard. On the board itself there is an inscription USB1 or USB2, as well as on the block itself. The wires from the block go to the front panel, and if they are disconnected or broken in one place, then you have found the cause of the malfunction. Damaged wires should be connected or replaced. It will not be superfluous to check the contact in the connector on the motherboard. You should also pay attention to the board located on the front panel. Perhaps there is a short circuit, by the way, such a short circuit can be triggered by accumulated dust. Therefore, be sure to clean the system unit from dust.
Problems with the device itself or the cable
The next source of problems with USB can be the cable with which, for example, the printer is connected. This malfunction is easy to identify and fix. We connect the USB flash drive to the tested connector. If it works, then we try to connect other known serviceable equipment using a suspicious cable, for example, a USB hub. If it also refuses to work, then the reason is definitely in the cable and it should be replaced.
Power outages
There are situations when there is simply not enough power for all devices. For example, connecting an external hard drive that uses two USB ports at once may turn off the printer or keyboard. In this case, the power of the power supply unit is not enough to provide energy to all consumers. In this case, the problem may not appear immediately, but some time after turning on the computer. There are several ways out of the situation. If you have a low-power power supply unit installed, for example, 300 W, then it would be logical to change it to a more powerful one, 450-600 W. You can also use an active USB hub (externally powered). It will allow not only to increase the number of connected USB devices, but also to power them from a separate power supply unit.
Another reason that affects USB performance is a dead CMOS battery. But at the same time, every time you turn on the computer, you will observe the lost system time and date. After replacing the battery, the problem goes away. But this is not common, so you should check for other possible sources of malfunction.
Missing or incorrect installation of USB drivers
The causes of software malfunctions in Windows 7/10 can be identified using Device Manager. If you notice that one or more devices do not work specifically, regardless of the port used, then this may indicate that the problem is in the device itself. Open Control Panel and go to Device Manager. All connected devices will be displayed there. If the list contains items with a yellow exclamation mark or an Unknown device instead of a name, then the problem is in this device itself. There may be several options for problems.
Often the USB inputs stop working after reinstalling Windows 7/10. The reason is incorrect installation of the drivers or the required drivers may not be found at all. You will have to carry out the selection and installation manually.
Often, troubleshooting simply requires updating the driver. So, if the automatic Windows update is disabled, and the system itself was installed a long time ago, then the relevance of the software is lost, system errors may appear. At the same time, the device starts to work incorrectly, or even stops functioning altogether. To update (reinstall) USB controller drivers, you can use the motherboard driver CD / DVD or download the necessary drivers from the motherboard manufacturer's website.
You can also turn off power saving for all ports using Device Manager. Expand the list of USB devices in use hidden in the sections "USB controllers", "Mouse and other pointing devices", "Keyboards". Double-click on the desired device to open the properties window. Now we switch to the "Power Management" tab and uncheck the "Allow this device to be turned off to save power" checkbox. Thus, the device will always be used under all circumstances.
If some equipment is not recognized, then there may be both a problem with the drivers already known to us, and a hardware problem consisting in a lack of contact, cable damage or a controller malfunction. Moreover, there is often a situation when, when a faulty device is connected, the rest stop working normally. The keyboard starts to freeze, as does the mouse, and the printer stops typing. The problem is similar to a lack of power, that is, the consumption of all power goes to a faulty device, in which there may be an ordinary short circuit or other malfunction.
USB ports not working due to damaged controller
If none of the above steps helped to restore the USB ports to work, then you should check the motherboard USB controller, which may have failed. In this case, high-quality repairs and diagnostics should be entrusted to the specialists of the service center. As a way out of the problem, try installing an expansion card, the so-called USB PC controller, installed in the PCI slot on the motherboard. Such a solution is noticeably cheaper than repairing a USB motherboard controller, and when using an additional USB hub, the problem with a lack of ports will not be relevant at all.
As you can see, finding and fixing problems with USB ports is quite a hassle, and all because there can be a lot of reasons. Sequential search and elimination of deliberately incorrect paths will allow you to identify and fix the problem.
Most modern computers have additional USB ports, IEEE1394, as well as a 3.5 mm minijack on the front panel of the case. headphone and microphone jacks. This was invented specifically for convenience, so that users do not climb behind the system unit to connect a USB flash drive or audio speakers. Unfortunately, sometimes it can happen that a careless PC assembler forgot or was too lazy to connect them when assembling the system unit. And now the front headphone jacks are not working. What to do? Call a master and pay money? Not! You can do everything yourself.
Disconnect the system unit from the electrical network. We unscrew the right side wall of the case and remove it.
We look at what cables go from the case to the motherboard of the computer - usually it is a small bundle of wires that are responsible for the power button, "reset", USB ports, etc. Among them will be the cable from the front headphone and microphone jacks. They are usually labeled "AC'97" or "HDAudio".
Now you need to carefully inspect the motherboard - you need to find a socket marked as "F-Audio":
On some models, the socket may be labeled as "FP_Audio":
Or "HDAudio":
Now you need to plug the front headphone and microphone jacks into an outlet:
Please note that the plug with the socket is connected only in one position due to the special arrangement of the pins - the key. Otherwise, it will not work to connect them.
We assemble the computer case, put it in place and turn it on. Now you can plug your speakers or headphones into the front ports and test it out.
Familiar with the headphone jack not working? We have selected five possible solutions for a 3.5 mm mini-jack not working in a smartphone.
Whatever you may think, this problem is not uncommon. A lot of smartphone users face this problem and they can get very frustrated, especially those who listen to music a lot.
1. Make sure your headphones are not broken
The most obvious reason. It is possible that nothing happened to the headphones, and the problem is not with them. This can be easily verified. simply by connecting the headphones to another device. Not necessarily a smartphone, it can be a laptop, TV or any other device with a 3.5 mm jack on board.
If you cannot hear sound when using the headphones with another device, then you have encountered a problem.
Just replace your headphones. In case they work with another device, the reason is something else. This means that you need to try one of the other solutions listed below.
It is also recommended that you connect another pair of headphones to your smartphone to ensure that they work. While rare, there is still the possibility that they might not be compatible with your smartphone for some reason, but work with various other devices.
For example, 5-pin headphones may not work in smartphones that have a 3-pin mini-jack.
2. Check if the smartphone is connected to another device via Bluetooth
If your smartphone is paired with a wireless headphone, speaker, or any other device via Bluetooth, the headphone minijack may be disabled. Usually, when you plug in headphones, the smartphone should recognize them and everything should work as intended, regardless of the Bluetooth settings. However, this is not always the case.
This is a quick and easy solution, as all you have to do is open the settings menu on your device, find the Bluetooth option and check if it is turned on and the smartphone is not paired with one of the other devices you have in your home. ...
If so, just turn it off, plug in your headphones, and see if that solves the problem. If they still don't work, just move on to the next solution on this list.
3. Clean the headphone jack
As you can imagine, a lot of dust and lint can make its way into the headphone jack over time. This could be the cause of the problem, as dirt can actually block the connection between the headphones and the jack.
The first thing you need to do is just peek into the 3.5mm mini jack to see how dirty it is. A flashlight won't hurt.
The next step is to try and clean it up and hope that this solves the problem. There are many different ways to do this, some of which work better than others. One of them is to simply clean the headphone jack with something (with a needle, for example), this will at least solve the problem with respect to the dust that is inside. You can also use a can of compressed air if you have one.
A great option is to use a cotton swab. Press it into the socket and twist it a little to remove dust from there. Be very careful as the last thing you want to do is harm the device. You can also wet a cotton swab with rubbing alcohol, but make sure you don't use too much of it.
Once you're done, look into the headphone jack again to see how much dust and grime you were able to remove. Plug in your headphones to see if everything is working as it should.
4. Check your audio settings and restart your device
It is also possible that the problem is not with the jack or headphones you are using, but with the sound settings of the device. Just open the sound settings on your device and check the volume level, as well as any other settings that might turn it off.
Usually, there are not many settings on a smartphone, so you have to find the reason right away. If there is, then it is.
If everything seems to be in order, there is another simple solution you can try - just restart your device. This can sometimes fix a lot of smartphone software problems and takes less than a minute. Just press and hold the power button, select the restart option.
5. It's time to go to the service
If none of the solutions listed above work, then the problem is more significant than expected.
If your phone is still under warranty, your best bet is to simply contact the seller or manufacturer, explain the problem, and send it in for repair or replacement. It can take a long time in some cases, but at least it's free.
The second solution, by far the worst, is to return the device to the manufacturer or to someone else who knows what he is doing.
You will need to pay for the problem to be fixed, but at least you can use the headphone jack again.
Otherwise, you can simply opt for wireless, which will solve the problem as well. Well, sort of.
***
Here are some of the solutions we hope will help solve the problem you're having with the headphone jack on your smartphone.
If you think we missed any of the solutions, please let us know in the comments.
