If you love listening to your favorite songs using earbuds as your go-to music companion, chances are you might have faced this problem quite a few times. You put on the earbuds, turn up the volume, and…there’s no sound coming out of one side! It’s probably one of the most annoying problems that can happen with your earbuds – they only work on one side! You can simply return them back to where you bought them and demand a replacement airpod. However, if you don’t have time for that or just want to save some cash, here are some tips that might help fix your earbuds so they work on both sides. They won’t be as good as new but they will be good enough to listen to music once again!
How To Fix Earbuds That Work On One Side
Check the wiring
The first thing you need to check is the wiring – try rerouting the wiring and making sure it goes around the earbud properly. If the wiring is broken, you will need to replace it with a new one. You can purchase this from an electronics store or you can try to rewire it yourself by following this guide. This can easily solve the problem of your earbuds not working on one side if the wiring is faulty. You can also try to use a different pair of earbuds with a microphone if the wiring issue is preventing you from switching earbuds. Simply plug the new earbuds into the device, and you should have sound coming out of both sides again.
Adjust the volume on your device
While your earbuds are plugged in, try to turn the volume up or down on your music player. Sometimes, if the volume setting is too low, the earbuds might only work on one side because they are not producing enough sound. If you think this might be the case, turn the volume up on your device until you hear sound coming out of both earbuds. If the volume setting on your device is already at its max, then you would need to replace the earbuds with a new pair.
Check whether you have a broken wire
If you’ve tried all the other methods, then it’s time to check whether you have a broken wire. You can do this by simply inspecting the wiring inside the earbud casing. If you see that the wiring is broken or frayed, then you would need to replace the earbuds with a new pair. It’s best to do this as soon as possible so you don’t end up doing further damage to your earbuds and your ears. This can easily cause an ear infection if you continue to use earbuds that don’t have a working wire. You can purchase a new pair from an electronics or online store.
Try to wiggle or shake the earbud that works
Sometimes, your earbuds that only work on one side can be fixed by simply wiggling them around or shaking them up and down. If one earbud is producing sound while the other one is silent, then you can try to wiggle or shake the working earbud to make the sound travel to the silent earbud. If you are using wired earbuds, then you can also try to move the wire around to see if the sound starts coming out of the silent earbud. If the sound starts coming out of the silent earbud, then you would need to keep moving the wire around until the sound stays consistent. This can easily solve the problem of your earbuds not working on one side of the wiring is faulty.
Try to blow into the microphone hole
If you are using in-ear headphones with a single earbud, then you can try to blow into the microphone hole. Sometimes, a small piece of dirt or dust can get stuck inside the microphone hole and prevent the sound from coming out. Blow into the microphone hole to try and get rid of any debris that might be blocking the sound. If the sound starts coming out of the earbud, then you would need to keep blowing into the microphone hole until the sound stays consistent. This can easily solve the problem of your earbuds not working on one side if the microphone is faulty.
Try to bend the speaker casing
If nothing else has worked for you, then you can try bending the speaker casing of the earbud that works. Sometimes, the speaker might be slightly out of position which can lead to one earbud producing sound while the other one is silent. Bending the speaker casing can easily fix this problem as you would be putting the speaker back in its rightful position. This can easily solve the problem of your earbuds not working on one side if the speaker is faulty. However, be careful while bending the speaker casing as you would not want to break it completely. This can easily break your earbuds if you bend them beyond what they can tolerate.
Why Did This Problem Occur?
1. Loose wire connection
The main reason for having a problem with one side of the headphone is the loose wire connection. So, if you want to fix it, then you need to re-connect the wire connection.
2. Defective earbuds/in-ear headphones
If you are using a defective pair of earbuds/in-ear headphones, then this can lead to this problem as well. So, in order to fix this problem, you need to replace your earbuds/in-ear headphones with a new one or use another set of earbuds/in-ear headphones instead of your old one.
3. Faulty jack
If you are also using a faulty jack, then this can also lead to the problem of your earbuds not working on one side. So, in order to fix this problem, you need to replace your faulty jack with a new one.
4. Faulty headphones jack
If you are using a faulty headphones jack, then this can also lead to this problem as well. So, in order to fix this problem, you need to replace your faulty headphones jack with a new one.
5. Faulty speaker
If you are using a faulty speaker, then this can also lead to this problem as well. So, in order to fix this problem, you need to replace your faulty speaker with a new one.
Conclusion
If none of the above-mentioned tips worked for you, then you would need to replace your earbuds as they are most likely broken. However, this doesn’t necessarily mean that you need to go out and buy a new pair. You can try fixing your earbuds by rewiring them if the wiring is faulty. You can also try replacing the earbuds themselves if the speakers or microphones are faulty. If you aren’t comfortable doing any of these, you can simply visit the store where you bought your earbuds and ask them what could be wrong with your earbuds. They will be able to tell you what’s wrong and help you get a new pair with the same or similar sound quality.
