How To Fix Headphones With Only One Side Working - Ear Rockers

It can be a very frustrating experience if your headphones suddenly stop working on one side, especially if it’s an expensive model. And, if the headphones aren’t that old, it can be even more daunting to shell out the money to buy a new one. Fortunately, it is possible to diagnose the problem and fix it with a little patience and luck.

To fix headphones that only work on one side, you first need to find out if it’s a software or a hardware problem, and then apply the appropriate solution. People usually need to repair shorted headphone cables, rejoin disconnected cables, clean the auxiliary jack, or solve connection problems.

Reading: Headphone right side no sound

Now, before we start with the solutions, make sure that the problem does not occur with a single audio file. If your headphones work fine when playing any other audio or video file, the problem may be with that single audio file. the problematic audio was likely recorded in mono configuration, which is only output on one channel.

Also, please note that physical tampering with your headset in any way will likely void your warranty. therefore, if your device is still within the warranty period, it is best to contact the manufacturer or go to a service center to claim a repair or replacement. otherwise, you can start with the steps listed below.

possible software or device problems

Sometimes the problem may be due to incorrect audio settings on your smartphone or computer, a software glitch or device issues and there may be no need to repair the headset. therefore, it is important to rule out such possibilities and make sure that the problem is really with the headphones and not something else. here’s how you can check for that possibility:

reboot device

If the headphones stop working on one side after updating the software or audio app, a quick and easy solution is to restart your mobile phone or computer. Often this simple act can solve the problem. however, if restarting the audio source does not fix the problem, you can continue to the next step.

try another pair of headphones

Connect another pair of headphones to the audio source (pc, smartphone) you regularly use and check if you can hear the audio from both sides. If you can hear audio on both channels on the other earbud, it means your earbuds are really at fault. in that case, you can skip the next two subsections and move on to the sections that discuss solutions for wired and wireless headsets. otherwise, continue reading.

check audio settings

Audio settings on our phone or computer may affect the audio output of your headphones. If the problem only occurs on your pc, follow the steps below:

type ‘control panel‘ in the windows search bar and click enter.
go to hardware and sound > sound.
on the playback tab, scroll down to your default sound output device and double-click it, or select it and click in properties.
Navigate to the levels tab and click the ‘balance‘ option for the default sound output device.
make sure both the left and right channels are set to the same volume.

If the problem only occurs on your smartphone, go to your music app or sound settings and check if there is an option to set the audio balance and make sure both channels are set to the same volume.

clean the headphone jack

If you notice your headphones start to work properly when you twist or turn the headphone jack while it’s plugged into the jack or when you insert it into other audio devices, the problem may be due to a dirty aux port. If dirt or lint gets trapped inside the audio-in port of your computer or smartphone with a 3.5mm audio port, it can cause connectivity issues. In such cases, you should carefully clean the headphone jack and remove any debris from the port without damaging any internal components. the best way to do this is using a toothbrush and a strong light source.

solutions for wired headphones

If you use a pair of wired headphones, earphones or headphones, you can apply the following solutions once you correctly diagnose the problem.

here is a list of tools that may be needed in the process:

a couple of wire strippers, wire cutters, or a utility knife
some electrical tape or duct tape
a lighter
soldering iron gun repair kit or fine grit sandpaper (optional)

how to fix a shorted headphone cable

If your earphone or headphone cable is cut or shorted on one side, that side will stop playing audio. This usually happens when you wrap the earbuds incorrectly or repeatedly get tangled in a stressful position. Here are the steps to fix shorted or cut headphone cable:

plug your headphones into a sound source and play some music.
after that, bend the cable every half inch to locate the shorted region of the cable. you may notice the sound coming and going on the faulty side once you start doing this, but it will start playing normally once you detect the faulty region.
use some tape to mark the area around the shorted wire and isolate that area so you can start working on it.
cut as close to the middle of the shorted region as possible and then cut both ends of the wires to expose the wires individual internals.</li
Now, separate all the internal cables. you will find a ground wire (copper), an insulation wire (white) and colored wires (red for the right side and >blue or green for the left side).
then twist the copper wires and cut the insulation wires.
burn them the lining of the colored wires with a lighter or match and join them again.
secure everything individually with a bit of electrical tape. make sure the colored wires and ground wires do not make contact. then wrap some duct tape once more around everything.

how to repair a damaged or disconnected cable near the connector

If you frequently unplug the headset from your mobile phone or computer by pulling on the cables instead of grasping the connector base, you may damage the cables at the connector base. this can cause loose connection problems. Here’s how to fix a damaged or disconnected cable near the connector:

cut the bottom of the jack squarely with a sharp knife. it may take several slices to get a clean cut, so don’t try to rush.
also cut a portion of the region of the cable that connects to the base of the connector.
locate the faulty section and cut it with a wire cutter.
also remove the protective plastic cover and any wires around the base of the connector.
cut a section at the end of the earphones and use a soldering iron or match to burn off the coating on the individual colored wires.
solder the individual colored wires to the base of the connector as shown in the video above and cover the section united.

how to fix faulty wiring inside the headset

If you suspect that the problem is not due to a short cable or a broken cable near the base of the connector, the remaining option is faulty wiring inside the headset. Here’s how to fix faulty wiring inside the headset:

Use a flathead screwdriver to pry open the earphone casing.
make sure not to pull the case from the top, as this may damage the attached cables. instead, push the wire in from the bottom to expose the internal components.
solder the wires as shown in the video above.

solutions for wireless headphones

Although wireless headphones don’t have any wires that can be cut or damaged, they can still malfunction and cause the audio output to come out of only one side. You can apply the following fixes for your wireless headphones once you diagnose the cause of the audio output problem.

how to repair broken internal wires of wireless headphones

If you suspect that the internal cables of your bluetooth headphones are broken, damaged or cut, simply follow the steps below to fix it:

Carefully open the internal component casing of your wireless headphones as shown in the video using a wire cutter. Alternatively, you can use a flathead screwdriver. make sure the power is off.
locate the faulty cable and reconnect it with a soldering iron.
replace the case and test the device to make sure it works.

how to reset a cordless headset

A factory reset of your wireless headphones can often resolve most issues, including the issue of audio output from only one side of the headphones. The steps to reset your wireless headphones will vary depending on the make or model of your product. therefore, you should refer to the manual that came with the product to properly reset the device.

After restarting your wireless headphones, please pair the device with your smartphone again and check if it fixes the problem.

how to fix midpoint malfunction issue on wireless earphones

If you notice that your wireless earphones work fine when connected in wired mode and only stop working on one side when connected to the audio source in wireless mode, you may have a malfunction problem in the middle of the connection. road. This typically occurs when the mechanical trigger inside the audio jack port gets stuck in the middle, causing the headphone speaker to malfunction.

Here’s how to fix the wireless headphone midpoint malfunction issue:

Insert the aux cable plug of your wireless headphones and test the audio output.
Keep twisting, turning or unplugging and inserting the aux cable plug slowly until the mechanical trigger releases. return to default position.
check the headset in wireless mode to make sure the issue is resolved.

conclusion

Now that you know how to troubleshoot the most common issues that cause your headphones to output audio from only one channel, make sure you properly diagnose the issue and apply the appropriate solution. make sure you watch the videos and follow the instructions correctly so as not to damage the product further or otherwise.