Finding the cause for your headphone jack not working and fixing it can be a process of trial and error. Before jumping into computer settings and software, there are 5 quick steps you can take to save time and rule out some of the possible hardware causes and fixes:
- Try using different headphones or the same headphone on different devices to be certain it is the audio jack that is not working and not the issue with the headphone.
- To rule out a faulty cable, make sure the headphone cables are intact and properly inserted.
- Make sure that the laptop audio or headphones are not in mute.
- Look into the audio plug and see if there’s any dust or other particles that are obstructing its function. Try blowing into the plug or taking a cotton swab to clean it.
- Lastly, try reinserting the headphone again, in the proper plug, to ensure it has been plugged in properly. Different laptops may have different colored plugs so rechecking the correct plug can be helpful.
If the issue persists even after examining the hardware, you can move on to the software causes and fixes.
Fixes for “Headphone Jack Not Working”
Enable and Set Headphones as Default Device
Always make sure that your headphones are set as the default device and enabled in your laptop devices. Here are some easy steps to follow:-
For windows
- Click on the search bar and type Control Panel
- Select the Sound tab from the menu
- Go to the “Playback Tab“
- Right click on your headphone and select Set as Default Device.
- Press Ok.
For Mac
- Go to the apple logo in the top left and select System Preferences
- In system preferences, click on “Sound”
- Head onto the “Output tab”
- Make sure you Select your headphones
- After you have selected your device, make sure the Balance is central
Note: Make sure that the output volume slider is not on the far left indicating that it is muted. Make sure the mute box is not ticked.
Disable Front Panel Jack Detection
The most common reason for audio issues to keep recurring can be related to the RealTek Audio Manager. Due to the front panel detection, it can create audio problems. An easy fix for this issue is to follow these steps:
- Click on the Start icon and search for the Control panel
- Select on Realtek HD audio manager
- Click on “Connector Settings” from the drop-down menu
- Uncheck and disable the front panel detection and press on OK
- Restart your computer
Update Your Audio-Driver
Your laptop’s audio driver maybe in a time of an update. Windows usually update the drivers automatically but may not be updated sometimes.
This can also be the case if you have updated a new version of Windows as sometimes the audio driver may not be detected or updated by the Windows update. This function is not available in Mac. To update your audio driver you can follow the following steps:
- Go to Device Manager
- Select Sound, video and game controllers.
- Find your headphones
- Right click on the device
- Select the “Update Driver” option.
You can choose for the driver software to be searched automatically or install the software manually Once the driver is updated, restart your computer to check whether the headphones are not working.
Roll-Back Driver
In case your headphones stopped working after an update, it is possible to switch to the previously installed driver. The Roll-Back Driver option will reset it to previous settings.
- Go to Device Manager
- Select Sound, video and game controllers.
- Find your headphones
- Right click on the device and go to “Properties“
- Under the Driver tab, Select the “Roll-Back Device” option
Run Audio Troubleshooter
Windows10’s operating system has a built-in troubleshoot program. This helps in diagnosing and resolving your internal audio issues. By running the program, the system detects audio problems and fixes them automatically.
Here are some easy steps to run the audio troubleshoot:
- Click on the sound icon on Taskbar.
- Select Troubleshoot Sound Problems and follow the prompt.
- After diagnosing the problems, fixes are automatic.
Check Audio-Format Compatibility
Beyond the hardware and software related to the headphones and audio, the problem may also lie on the format of the audio file you want to open i.e. it might be incompatible with your audio setting. To fix this:
- Go to Control Panel and Select Sound.
- Under the “Playback tab“, double click on your device which should have a green check
- Click on the “Advanced tab“.
- On the drop down menu, select different audio formats and test to see which one your headphone is compatible with.
Outdated Windows Update
You can try installing Windows updates on your computer if your headphone jack is not working. For this, you can follow the following steps:
- Open “Settings” from the “Start” menu.
- Select “Windows Update” from the left side of the windows.
- Click on “Check for Updates” and update if any update is available.
Audio Issue and Not Application Issue
Sometimes the audio of different applications such as skype may not work due to issues in the application. To make sure that the issue lies in the headphone jack and not in the application, use the headphone in other applications to be sure.
Reboot, Repair and Replace
If all of the above options do not work, you can reboot your laptop to check if your headphones work after that. If not, it might be time to go for a repair. In some cases, replacing the audio-jacks may be the only remaining option. As audio-jacks are independent of motherboards, you would only need to change the audio board for your laptop.
Summary
You can fix your headphone jack at your home by trying out these solutions. If it still does not work you may have to contact your local computer technician to fix the problem. There might be some problem with your motherboard or your audio card too.
