Like other parts of your laptop, the headphone jack is vulnerable to damage as well. And, you would not be able to use the headphone when this component has a problem. However, the headphone jack not working on laptop does not always indicate hardware damage. There are other possible reasons why you are not getting any sound from your headphones.
So, you do not necessarily have to rush to a repair service to fix headphone jack issues. Instead, you can simply try out some simple steps to fix it yourself. Try out the methods given below before you contact a technician for inspecting your laptop.
7 Troubleshooting Steps to Fix Headphone Jack not Working on Laptop
Before you proceed with the fixes, make sure that you have plugged in the headphones properly in the jack. Also, make sure that you have not muted the sound unknowingly.
Does the problem persist after you ensure that? Then, you must apply the appropriate solution depending on the cause of the issue. The following steps can help you fix the headphone jack not working on the laptop in most cases:
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Restart Your PC with the Headphones Plugged in
A simple restart can fix a wide range of temporary issues with your laptop. And, it might help you fix headphone jack issues in many cases. In this case, you must keep the headphones plugged in a while restarting your PC.
Go to the Start menu on your PC and select the Power button. Then, opt for a Restart and wait for your system to reboot.
Restarts will refresh your computer’s processes and fix any temporary errors. So, you should be able to get audio from your headphones if there are no other issues. If the headphone still does not work, you must check whether it is faulty.
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Use a Different Headphone
Does it seem that your laptop’s headphone jack is faulty? Then, you must not conclude that unless you make sure there are no issues with the headphone. Connect another headphone to your laptop and check whether you can get the audio. If you are getting the audio, the problem does not lie in the jack.
But, what if the second one is not working either? In that case, you must proceed with the next solution for headphone jack not working on the laptop.
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Clean Up the Headphone Jack
The ports, and headphone jack of your laptop might often get clogged with dust over time. And, that is a possible explanation for the headphone jack not working on the laptop. So, cleaning up the jack can provide a long-lasting solution in such situations. Also, you must do that regularly to avoid further issues like this one.
You can use a dry cotton swab to clean up the headphone jack. A can of compressed air would also be a viable option for this purpose. Connect the headphone to the jack once you are done to check on the problem.
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Run the Audio Troubleshooter
The troubleshooter on Windows systems can detect and repair various issues. So, you must try this tool to fix problems with the headphone jack. Go to the Update and Recovery settings and open the Troubleshoot section there. You will find several components listed on the right panel. Click on ‘Playing Audio’ and then on ‘Run the troubleshooter’.
Follow any instructions you get on the screen to complete the troubleshooting procedure. You should get an effective solution to the problem by the end of this process. However, the troubleshooter might not be able to fix the problem in all cases. In such situations, you will see instructions on how to resolve the problem manually.
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Set the Headphone as the Playback Device
Usually, you do not have to set the headphone as the playback device manually. Your laptop would do that automatically once you plug in your headphone to it. But, it might often fail to do that due to various reasons. As a result, you face the ‘headphone jack not working on laptop’ issue.
Manually setting the headphone as the playback device should fix the issue. Right-click the speaker icon on your taskbar and view the Sound options. This would open the Sound window on the Playback tab. Make sure your headphone is listed there along with your laptop’s speakers. Also, make sure it has been selected as the playback device.
Do you find the Headphones option unchecked? Then, check it and click on OK to save the changes. Play a media file to check whether you can hear the audio now. You can take more effective steps to fix the problem if it persists.
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Use a Different Audio Format
The headphone jack not working on the laptop might have something to do with the audio format. So, you must try changing the audio format to fix the problem. This can do the trick in many cases, depending on the cause of the issue. Right-click the sound icon on the taskbar and click on Sounds. Then, right-click the Headphones option in the Sound window and open its Properties.
Go to the Advanced properties tab to find audio formats, and then change them. You can also test the audio format you have selected on this window. Click on OK to save your selection before closing the window.
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Update the Audio Driver
Do you fail to get the audio through your headphone after applying the aforementioned fixes? Then, you must try updating the audio driver to the latest version. Go to the Device Manager and expand the video, game, and sound controllers.
Right-click the audio controller there and opt for updating its driver. Restart the PC after the driver is up-to-date, and then re-connect the headphone to the jack.
Take Your Laptop for a Repair
Do you find the headphone not working on the laptop after trying all the solutions given here? Then, you must make no further delay in reaching out to the customer support team. You can also contact a reliable laptop repair service provider to repair headphone jack issues.