Headphones, earbuds or headsets: no sound, one dead side or dropouts

What to take away

Before you start: safety and a record

Unplug and stop using any product that is swollen, leaking, smoking, scorched or unusually hot. Do not keep charging it to see what happens. The swollen battery guide covers what to do next.

The WHO's safe listening page says to contact a professional about persistent ringing in the ears or difficulty hearing. Editorial suggestion: if one ear sounds weak on every pair of headphones you try, that points to your ears, not your gear, and a hearing check is the right next step.

Editorial suggestion: before you change anything, write one line: the product, the source, the connection (wired, Bluetooth, or both) and the exact symptom. It stops you chasing the wrong fault and it is the evidence you will need for a warranty claim.

Step 1: power

Charge the product fully. Microsoft's support page on Bluetooth audio playing in one channel lists a low battery as a cause of one side cutting out. Its page on Bluetooth not connecting says some devices do not enter pairing mode, or keep a connection, when the battery is low.

For earbuds, make sure each bud sits in the case and shows that it is charging. Apple's AirPods connection steps start with charging both AirPods in the case. If the charging itself is the problem, the phone charging problems guide shows how to isolate the cable, adapter and port.

Step 2: prove which part is at fault

Run these swaps in order. Keep the volume low and the same each time.

The table is an Editorial suggestion built on the same logic as Microsoft's advice to try a second headset to see whether the fault is the accessory or the PC. If every product fails on one source, look at that source. If one product fails on every source and every cable, suspect the product.

Step 3: connected, but silent

Pairing and sound routing are separate. The product can show as connected while the sound goes elsewhere.

Windows. Microsoft's connected but no sound page starts with an automated Bluetooth troubleshooter in the Get Help app and then gives these steps (menu names are for Windows 11):

Android. Google's Pixel Bluetooth help says to turn up the volume on both phone and accessory and make sure no other paired device is playing the audio. In the device's settings (the gear icon under Saved devices), turn on Media audio for music and Phone audio for calls.

Other apps and rooms. Editorial suggestion: check the app's own volume and output choice, and whether sound is still going to a television, a car or an earlier headset.

Step 4: the Bluetooth fix order

Work down this list and stop when it works.

If a step fails, the maker's support page for your exact model is the authority. Button combinations vary between models.

One side dead or unbalanced

For wireless products, follow Microsoft's one-channel page:

For wired products, reseat the plug fully and try another cable. Editorial suggestion: if the dead side moves with the cable, the cable or plug has failed. If it stays with the headphones on every cable and source, the driver or its internal wiring is the likely cause, which is a repair or warranty matter.

Dropouts and range

The Bluetooth SIG's range page says Bluetooth uses the 2.4 GHz band, 2400 to 2483.5 MHz, and that range depends on transmit power, antenna, receiver sensitivity and path loss. Walls, windows, metal and concrete weaken the signal.

Editorial suggestion: log when the dropouts happen. If they follow distance, a wall or a pocket, move the source closer and give it a clear line to the product. If they happen in one room only, switch off busy wireless gadgets nearby and test again. If you use two sources at once, switch off multipoint for a single-source test, so a notification or call on the second device cannot interrupt playback.

Delay, and calls that sound thin

The Bluetooth SIG's LC3 paper says classic Bluetooth calls typically use the Hands-Free Profile, with narrow band of 50 Hz to 4,000 Hz or wide band of 50 Hz to 8,000 Hz. Music uses a separate profile, so a headset that moves from music to a call changes path. Editorial suggestion: expect the sound to change when the microphone opens. The paper's example of total delay close to 30 ms or less belongs to the newer LE Audio design for gaming. Do not expect it from older gear.

For delay in video or games, test the exact app. If timing matters, use a cable. If calls sound poor, check that the right microphone and speaker are chosen in the call app and that Phone audio is on, as covered in Step 3.

When to claim warranty or repair

Use the repair diagnosis guide to decide whether a bench repair is worth it. Before you claim, gather the serial, proof of purchase, your one-line record and a note of the swaps you ran.

If you bought from a trader in the United Kingdom, the Consumer Rights Act 2015 applies. The short-term right to reject lasts 30 days from delivery. Section 19 says goods that do not conform at any time within six months of delivery must be taken not to have conformed on delivery, for the repair, replacement, price reduction and final right to reject, unless it is established that they did conform or the presumption is incompatible with the nature of the goods or the fault. The maker's own warranty is a separate promise, so read it for exclusions such as water damage or the battery. Sales by a private individual, and sales in other countries, follow different rules. If a seller refuses, ask a consumer adviser such as Citizens Advice.

Editorial suggestion: do not open the product yourself before a claim, because that can complicate it. Buying again? The headphone and speaker buying guide explains what to test during the return window.

Sources