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How To Fix Static In Headphones? (Proper Guide)

A headphone is a useful device for your comfort, allowing you to enjoy the only time when you are tired of every speaker around you to listen to your favorite song and distract you from the outer world and, of course, your overthinking too.

But imagine putting on headphones and hearing some kind of buzzing, latent, and intermittent audio, and wondering if that’s not what my comfort song sounds like. Then it hit you with a slew of unanswered questions, such as, “Is something wrong with my ears?”

So, before you schedule an appointment with a hearing specialist, you should inspect your headphones and their source. The problem might be underlying or roaming around only one thing: the headphones’ sound quality.

The second most annoying thing is that you try to fix the sound by giving them a good shake, fiddling with them, or even throwing them on the wall, yet it persists. So you search for what to do in the current situation, and yet again, I am here to help.

Continue reading to learn more about static electricity, its common causes, and some top-notch quick fixes.

What does static audio sounds like and why do I hear it?

Two people sitting on the floor and having a conversation, while one has a laptop, the other has a headphone on
Static in headphones can be disturbing for some

Static audio is simply the fussy buzzing sound while music or audio is playing on the back; this affects your overall listening experience. However, it also depends upon the usage and much more, so it’s important to know why this sound is yielding in the first place.

What are the possible reasons for static sound?

Acknowledging the root cause can make it easier to address the issue. Here are some of the common causes:

Auxillary port issue:

It is common to have dirty ports on smartphones, in particular. This is because of the accumulated dirt, crumbs, or even lint in the port space caused by putting it in the pockets, on the desk, or anywhere without a dust stopper.

When a large buildup occurs, it affects the signal transmissions; luckily, the fix is easy too, with a few tips and rubbing alcohol. You just have to carefully clean the ports with the Q-tips, first neatening them with dry tips, then with some rubbing alcohol, followed by the dry q-tips.

If static sound persists, try cleaning the audio jack of headphones.

The wire is feeble:

Even if a wire is constructed with strong materials and internal wiring, it can become weakened over time.

Most people chug on their headphones’ wires just below the case, tug, and pull them harshly, causing static audio to occur. It can be one of the reasons, too, when connecting and drawing back, thus making the wire loosen up.

It is advised to hold on to the wiring case when attaching it to the source audio, don’t tug on it or shove it into the pocket with the wire facing down.

Connecting interference nearby:

Because they use radio waves to catch up with the audio source, interference is the most common cause of static sound. You should double-check this first because nearby technologies such as microwaves, wireless devices, wifi routers, cordless phones, and other wireless but metallic gadgets may cause interruptions.

It can also be tangled or pulled by some nearby objects, making it a hurdle for connections to get secured.

Damaged headphone speakers:

The next thing to check for fussy sound is the headphone’s hardware after the audio settings are checked, as the hardware is the easiest to get damaged. Probably the least favorite because you’d have to deal with customer service and other issues.

However, to check if the speakers are damaged, you have to try one trusted thing, and that is to listen to them with different audio sources like your PC, iPod, iPhone, MAC, or even Android.

Inaccurate audio settings:

You’ve exhausted all of the troubleshooting options and are still hearing the vexing statistic audio. Sometimes, the problem isn’t in the hardware itself but rather in the software and its feed settings.

Correcting them or even updating them will solve the issue in one move.

ways to do a sound check from different sources:

A child laying on the ground with headphone on his head
There can be many ways a static can be fixed in headphones

On Windows PC:

Windows gives the flexibility to use it on most devices, hence the setting adjustments are too many.

Update the drivers:

  • Open the windows and search for ‘device manager’ on the search bar.
  • Open and expand the Serial Bus Controllers.
  • Under it, uninstall all the registered controllers then restart the computer.

Disable sound effects:

  • Click on the windows icon and search for the ‘control panel’ in the bar.
  • Open it and go to ‘hardware and sound’.
  • Select sound and click on the ‘playback’ tab. Choose the ‘speakers’ and then ‘properties’.
  • Tap on the ‘Enhancements’ tab and next to it, disable the check in the box.
  • Click on apply and okay.

Modify audio format:

  • Open the search bar and open ‘device manager’.
  • Double click ‘hardware and sound’. Under it, select ‘sound’ then ‘playback’.
  • Choose the ‘speakers’ then click open the ‘properties’.
  • Tap on ‘Advanced’ then ‘Default format’.
  • Choose ‘apply’ followed by option ‘ok’.

Run the Troubleshooter:

  • Tap on the windows icon and search for ‘settings’ then open it.
  • Under it, select ‘update and security’ then ‘troubleshoot’.
  • Beneath the ‘get up and running heading, click the ‘playing audio’.
  • Run the troubleshooter.
  • Respectively follow the instructions ahead.

Experiment with the audio settings on the apple MAC:

  • Plugged in the headphones through the headphone jack.
  • Open the ‘system preference’ then select ‘sound’.
  • Tap on the ‘sound effects’ tab.
  • Make sure the selected device is your named headphones.
  • Look for the option ‘Play feedback when the volume is changed, on and off the toggle box, and see if the problem persists.

Fix the output setting in the apple phones:

Close the running background apps:

  • Double-press the home until app switchers are displayed, and swipe up every app that is running currently or being changed.

Deactivate feature ‘Do not disturb’:

  • Open the settings, scroll down to ‘do not disturb, and switch off the button.

or,

  • Swipe up from the ‘home’, and look for the ‘focus’. Long press it, select the moon icon or ‘do not disturb’.

Soft reset:

  • Long hold the power button until a slider ‘slide to power off’ appears.
  • Slide from right to left and wait for approximately 1 minute.
  • Press the power button again until the apple logo appears.

Restore the device:

  • First and foremost, restore the data of your device to iCloud.
  • Connect the Apple device to MAC or PC through a USB cable.
  • Through iTunes, click on the device that you have i.e. iPod, iPad, or iPhone.
  • Select ‘summary’, then restore.
  • Follow the instructions to start the process.

Setting on tablets or android:

A man siting infront of his laptop with headphones on
Setting up a headphone on android is easy

Switch up wifi to mobile data:

  • Open the ‘settings app’ on your device.
  • From the list, select ‘wifi’ and toggle it off.
  • Go back, look for ‘Mobile data’, and switch the button on.

or,

  • Swipe down the notification bar, tap the wifi (this will switch it off), and then tap the ‘mobile data’ icon.

Latest updates installations:

  • Open the ‘settings app’.
  • Scroll down to ‘about device’.
  • Select ‘system update’ and see if there are any new updates. Install them respectively.

A complete reset:

  • Complete the backup of your important files, audio, and videos.
  • Open the ‘settings’, search, or look for ‘backup and reset’.
  • Select ‘factory rest’ or ‘erase all data’ followed by selecting all files.

How to take care of your headphones?

There are some quality checks you should do to maintain the headphones for the longest time. This way, you won’t encounter any static sounds in your headphones; not only this, but more issues with speakers, wires, and the jack won’t reappear.

Keep these on your fingertips when handling one:

  • Wire: Don’t twist, tangle, or roll up the cables and wires as they maintain the connection between the audio source and headphones.
  • Tidied: Clean up the speakers, jack, and aux from time to time so the build-up is not constructive.
  • Jack: When plugging or de-plugging, don’t pull too harshly or else the inside wires of the jack will be lousy.
How to make your headphones last longer?
Are Bluetooth headphones prone to static?Yes.
Can I apply this troubleshooting to Bluetooth headsets?Definitely.
Can I fix the static sound by myself?Yes, you can.
Questions regarding static sound in headphones

SUMMARY:

  • Static sound is the unraveling sound of low-level hiss, mostly heard in quiet surroundings.
  • This can be happened because of numerous reasons and therefore many solutions have been put forward.
  • By reading for the quick fixes of static sound in this blog, you will be prepared to do the fix on your own rather than running to the tech guy.
  • No matter which device you are using whether it is your PC, your source, or the headphones; you will be able to impasse the buzzing or static audio problem future.
  • If one doesn’t solve your problems then hop onto the second one, until the static audio is good, or else it’s a good time to invest in a new set o headphones.

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