Samsung a10 headphone jack not working

Back when Apple decided to do away with the headphone jack, the company cited that the technology was just too old to be effectively useful. All major Android powerhouses laughed at Apple’s decision at the time, but now, almost all of them have chucked the headphone jacks, especially from upper mid-range or flagship devices. However, there’s no shortage of love for the 3.5mm slot, especially in customers who are more comfortable with budget or midrange devices.

Usually, headphone jacks are as reliable as they come. However, like all the other pieces of tech, the 3.5mm jack, too, is susceptible to the occasional glitches. Today, we’ll discuss the rare flaws of the headphone jack and help you get it up and running as soon as possible.

Related:

How to fix the headphone jack on your phone

Being a port that is designed to handle multiple entries for thousands of usages, you don’t expect the headphone jack on your phone to falter easily. However, there can be circumstances under which you can’t seem to hear audio coming from the earphones connected to the headphone jack or there’s some static disrupting your sound experience.

In either of these cases, there can more than just a singular reason as to why the headphone jack is not working. We’ve sieved through the user compliant forums to find what issues users face and how can these problems with the headphone jack be easily resolved using the tips given below.

Solution No.1: Check the headphones

It may seem like a no-brainer to most, but the fact that so many people overlook this basic fix for the headphone jack problem requires it to be explicitly mentioned. There is a chance that there could be nothing wrong with the headphone jack of your smartphone, but the real problem could lie with the 3.5mm port that goes into it – aka the headphones.

The easiest way to find out if the headphones are the real culprit is by plugging them into a different smartphone or media device and listening to whether the audio. If you still can’t seem to hear any sound being produced, then the issue could lie with the headphones, but if the headphones seem to work fine, then move on to the real ways of fixing the headphone jack.

Solution 2: Check the device’s settings

If your headphone is working fine on other devices, then it’s time to check out the device’s settings and see if everything is in order. Since there aren’t many settings to check, this process should be fairly straightforward. Simply press either volume key and expand the panel to check the media sound.

If the sound is dialed up, move on to the next solution.

Solution 3: Restart device

This is another no-brainer, something you must have already tried. However, we want to make sure we have all the basics down. So, if the first two solutions didn’t work for you, give your mobile a good, old pat on the head and perform a restart. To restart, press and hold the power button until the power menu pops up. Then, tap on ‘Restart’ to perform the act.

For mysterious reasons, many “grave” issues tend to solve themselves after a restart. So, see if you catch a lucky break with a simple restart.

Solution No. 4: Physically clean out the port

Your smartphone is theoretically the most used and abused piece of technology that you use every single day. From going to work to heading out the park, carrying your phone around everywhere is a reality, and so is the chance of dirt, grit, and grime getting lodged into the 3.5mm headphone port.

Using a can of compressed air, you can quickly give the headphone jack a blow and dislodge any particles that are blocking the path.

1. Tilt your Android device to the sideways to make the cleaning processes easier.
2. Barely insert the straw of the can of compressed air into the port itself.
3. Blow out the dust and lint that may be stuck in the port and repeat this process a few times.

Cleaning alcohol with a cotton swab can also be helpful in scrubbing out blockage from the headphone jack that wouldn’t necessarily come out using compressed air.

1. Turn off your device before you proceed to ensure that the circuitry isn’t damaged during the cleanup.
2. Take a cotton swab and a wooden toothpick with just a drop of cleaning alcohol.
3. Wipe out the insides of the 3.5mm slot with the cotton swab and let it dry out for a few minutes.

These two methods listed above should help you dislodge any of the lint or dirt that has found its way into the tiny headphone slot. However, if you can’t seem to find any physical entity blocking the headphone jack, proceed to the next solution.

Solution No. 5: Disabling secondary audio connections

Now that the audio world is moving towards turning Bluetooth into the wireless alternative to music, the headphone jack is losing its prominence. However, on devices that are powered by Bluetooth and the 3.5mm audio jack as well, there can be interference between the two that can cause the headphone jack to stop working.

You can start off by making sure that the Bluetooth module is turned off on your Android device. This is to make sure that the smartphone isn’t automatically connecting to a paired Bluetooth device which could be disrupting the headphone jack connection.

1. From the home screen of your Android device, head over to the Settings
2. Depending on your Android device, you will be able to see the Bluetooth tab right away or under the Connections
3. You can either choose to turn off Bluetooth momentarily or simply Unpair Bluetooth audio devices that are already connected to your phone.
4. Connect the headphone jack and play some audio to see if the issue has been resolved.

Solution 6: Using the SoundAbout app

The problem with the headphone jack can sometimes be a software-related glitch and not directly related to the hardware. Whether it is an app that is unable to detect the headphones connected to the device or some Bluetooth interference, there’s an app called SoundAbout that can help you resolve these issues effortlessly.

→ Download SoundAbout from Google Play Store

1. Download and install the SoundAbout app on your Android device.
2. Use the first tab to set the SoundAbout Services status to ON.
3. Tap on the Media audio tab and select Wired Headphones or Wired Headset (with Mic) and save it.
4. You can set the same preference for the Phone call audio tab and save it as well.

Once you exit the SoundAbout app, it will continue to run the background and reroute the audio the headphone jack manually. This should clear out any app-related audio interference that may be causing the headphone jack to stop working.

Wrapping it up

All of the solutions mentioned above have been tried and tested to fix most of the common issues that result in the headphone jack not working. However, it isn’t out of the realm of possibilities that the 3.5mm port on your smartphone could somehow by physically damaged, thus rendering it unfixable even with all of the solutions above.

The only solution left under such circumstances is to take your phone out for repair and seek a professional technician to replace the headphone jack. If your phone is still under warranty, you can have it fixed with no added cost, but either way, the headphone jack is fairly cheap to replace on most devices, although it does require expert soldering skills.

Did you find a way to resolve the issue with the headphone jack on your smartphone the easy way, or will you have to look under the hood to have it physically fixed? Let us know in the comments section right down below.

If music is a big part of your daily routine, then a problem with your smartphone’s jack is the least you could wish for. Unfortunately, headphone jack problems are not as uncommon as people think, and it might become extremely frustrating to pinpoint where the problem originates from.

The issues related to headphones giving out can be traced back to three main things: lint/dirt accumulation, software malfunction or hardware failure. If you use headphones regularly, it might make sense to try the fixes down below before taking a trip to the repairman. But before moving on with the solutions, restart your device and then check if you can use your device’s headphone jack without any issue. Another important point, many headphones come with volume control built-in to them. If so, make sure volume is not muted from the headphone’s volume control.

Prerequisites

• SoundAbout App
• Another device with a jack slot
• A spare headphone headset that is compatible with your device
• A very small pair of sharp tweezers, toothpick or needle
• A cotton swab
• Rubbing alcohol
• Flashlight

Before you go around trying each fix, you should make sure that the headphones aren’t broken. The quickest way to check this out is to plug the headphones into another device. It doesn’t have to be another Android, any device with a 3.5 mm jack will do the job.

If you can’t hear any audio from your headphones when using the headset with a different device, you have just uncovered the culprit. The fix, in this case, is to replace your headphones with a new pair. If your headphones do work when plugged in with another device, the problem lies elsewhere and you should follow through with the other fixes below.

Now try to plug in a different pair of headphones into your smartphone and see if they work. If you get any audio out of them, there’s a high chance the first pair isn’t compatible with your Android device. If you don’t hear anything, there are two possible causes – you either have a jack malfunction or there’s a software issue. In both cases, you can easily fix it with one of the guides below.

Method Two: Cleaning the Headphone Jack

You’d be amazed at how easily lint, dust, and other foreign materials will make their way into your headphone jack as time passes. The problem is, these can easily block any type of connection between the headphones and the jack.

Start by picking up a flashlight and take a look into the jack for any evidence of dirtiness. Now power off your device completely and disconnect the power cable if it’s charging. Use a pair of tweezers, a toothpick or a needle to carefully remove any foreign presence. You can also blow into the headphone jack, but I don’t recommend using compressed air because you might just force the junk further inside.

Once you successfully remove any large pieces of junk, damp a cotton swab with a tiny amount of rubbing alcohol and insert it into the jack. Swirl it around gently to get any remaining lint or dust out.

Once you’re done, use the flashlight to look into the jack again and see how well you did. Wait a while before powering up the device again and see if your headphones are working.

Method Three: Eliminating any Bluetooth connection

If you have paired your Android device with a wireless device like a speaker or a wireless headset, then your jack may be disabled by your OS. The standard behaviour on stock Android is to recognize anything inserted inside the jack regardless of the Bluetooth settings. But since Android is diverse and highly fragmented, the behaviour is altered across different manufacturers and Android versions.

1. Go to Settings > Bluetooth and check the list of paired devices.
   
   Check Bluetooth Paired Devices
2. If you see an entry that outs audio from your smartphone, tap the info icon and unpair it.
   
   Unpair the Bluetooth Paired Device
3. Turn OFF Bluetooth and see if the headphones are working.

If it doesn’t work, move on to the next guide.

Method Four: Fixing software Malfunctions

If none of the potential fixes above helped, the issue is most likely related to a software malfunction. Start by opening your Android’s audio settings and make sure the volume levels aren’t muted. Turn them all to full volume and restart your device.

If the problem still isn’t solved, follow the steps down below:

1. Download and install the SoundAbout App from Google Play Store.
   
   Install SoundAbout App
2. Open the app and tap on Media audio.
   
   Tap Media Audio in SoundAbout
3. Select Wired Headset if you use a standard headset with a mic or Wired Headphones if you use custom headphones.
   
   Select Connected Device Type
4. You can close the app as it will run in the background. Plugin your headphones/headset and see if they work.

We certainly hope one of the fixes presented above fixed your headphone jack issue. If none of them helps, the problem is not minor and should be handled by a professional. Chances are your headphone jack is busted and needs a replacement. The best course of action in these cases would be to contact the retailer and send it for a repair or ask for a new device if you’re still under warranty.