Headphones Keep Cutting Out (10 Fixes)

You know there is nothing more annoying than enjoying music on your headphones and they keep cutting out. Sure, sometimes gadgets glitch. But when it keeps disconnecting again and again, then it’s a problem that needs a solution.

So, if you’re facing this issue, then you have come to the right place. I’ll be going through the various ways your headphones might be troubling you and laying out the solutions. And trust me, there’s more to it than disconnecting and reconnecting them. 

Some common issues are related to signals, drivers, or devices. It’s better to go through each of them one by one. 

Signal Issues

More often than not, when a set of headphones start giving problems, it is due to a signal issue. This is can happen for both wired and Bluetooth sets. 

That said, this one is the easiest to fix. So, let’s get right into it.

1. Check the wires

If you have ever used wired headphones, then you know the pain of mangled wires. Over time, with wear and tear, wires can get damaged. Or in some cases, the wires can get cut due to an accident.

Either way, this can disrupt signal transmission, which can lead to malfunctioning. But don’t assume the worst. There can also be some minor hindrances in the connection.  

• The first thing you need to do is straighten out your wires and removed the headset from your device.
• Then thoroughly clean the jack and the aux slot on your device, and reconnect.

If it doesn’t work, then you might have faulty wires, which you would need to get repaired. You can get it done professionally or you can even do it yourself. 

• If you can find the damaged spot, then remove the outer coating of the cable. 
• Strip down the wires and cut the damaged part. 
• Rejoin the cable and tape it up nicely. 

However, you think the cable is damaged and you’re having a hard time locating the error, then you may need to change the whole wire. Although for this fix, you will need an old but working headphone cable.

• Remove the wire carefully while leaving just enough wire to attach a new one with it.
• Take the new wire and join it with the faulty headphone. 
• Again, tape it up nicely.

Your headphone might look wonky after this fix, but if it works, it works.

2. Bluetooth

While Bluetooth headphones are extremely convenient to use without the drawbacks of wires, they often have many signal issues of their own. That said, they can be fixed with a few simple steps.

• Make sure your headphone and connecting device are kept close. Bluetooth devices have a set range and tend to break signals once you go beyond their radius.
• Sometimes too many devices can lead to distorted signals as they interfere with each other. So, make sure that your Bluetooth headphones and source device are kept isolated.
• Lastly and most obviously, disconnect your Bluetooth device, turn it off, turn it on again, and reconnect it to your phone or computer.

These are some of the most common ways you can fix signal issues on your Bluetooth headphones.

3. Body, Metal obstacles

Signals are pretty much waves that travel through the air. There are times when these waves hit certain objects and either bounce or get scattered. 

So when you listen through your headphones, you want to make sure that there are no objects or devices between or near your headphones. Also, make sure that your wires aren’t tangled as that can also lead to disrupted signals.

Driver issues

Hardware issues aren’t the only problem that makes your headphones keep cutting out. There can be something wrong with the software. That is, either outdated or missing drivers.

You don’t have to be a techie to resolve this. Just have to follow a few steps. 

1. Audio driver

Generally, audio drivers on your laptop get updated on their own when your system updates. But when they don’t, your device’s audio settings start to misbehave. 

This leads to either the laptop not identifying your device, having trouble connecting with it, or not functioning properly once connected. To fix this, you’ll need to ensure you have updated audio drivers installed. 

• Go to Device Manager.
• Check for audio drivers.
• Select and update audio drivers
• Troubleshoot if you don’t see any.

If you’re missing updated drivers, then install them via your web browser.

2. Device Drivers

Device drivers are automatically installed when you connect an audio device to your computer for the first time. As with many software, there is room for malfunctioning with device drivers as well. 

One way to identify if this is the case with your headphones is if you have connected them to your computer or phone in the past, but it’s not working properly now. This generally happens when device drivers are not installed properly.

• Disconnect your headphones from your computer and go to Device Manager.
• Find your audio device and delete any pre-existing drivers.
• Re-install your headphones on your device. 

If this doesn’t work, try finding device drivers for your particular headphones online, and download them. 

Bluetooth headphone issues

Apart from signal issues, Bluetooth headphones are susceptible to many more technical problems. It can be a real pain in the neck when your headphones keep getting disconnected even when there is nothing wrong with them. This is one of the drawbacks of Bluetooth headphones.

But anyway, all you have to do is make sure a few things are in order so that your headphones are functioning properly.

1. Bluetooth not turned on

I realize this may seem trivial. But often when you’re trying to connect your Bluetooth headphones to your device and it’s not working, it’s because Bluetooth is not turned on. Either your headphone or device. 

So, just be mindful that Bluetooth is on is turned on and visible on both your headphones and connecting device. This could save you a lot of inconveniences.

2. Low battery 

In a perfect world, we would have an unlimited charge on all of our devices. But unfortunately, we don’t. So we have to keep our devices sufficiently charged so that they don’t misbehave.

Low phone battery can interfere with Bluetooth signal and turn off the setting without you even realizing it. Or sometimes the signals can stutter, causing your headphones to keep cutting off.

It’s best to keep both your phone and headphone charged before you use them. 

3. Computer or phone 

Computers and phones tend to slow down when they are consuming too much RAM because of being overworked. This happens when you have too many apps or windows opened simultaneously. If your device isn’t powerful enough, then overload can prevent it from working properly

Just to be safe, clear out your device’s RAM. Turn off any background apps, close any unnecessary tabs and windows, or even reset your computer if you have to. This should smoothen the Bluetooth connectivity.

Headphone core issues

Not all headphones are made the same. The build quality, technical features, or compatibility with other devices can differ with each brand. 

Ideally, you would want to check the above before you buy your headphones. However, if you are here, then you already own a set of headphones and are experiencing problems. So, let’s look at a couple of things that you can do.

 1. Headphone quality 

It’s no surprise that poor-quality headphones don’t have a long life. Although, if your headphones aren’t that old but still give you problems, then go to a shop and get them fixed. 

It’s going to be your best bet as professionals know better about what’s wrong with your headphones and how to fix them. 

On the off chance that your headphones are quite old, just buy a new pair of headphones. The amount of effort and money that you will spend in getting your old headphones repaired might not be worth it. 

2. Compatibility

While most popular brand headphones are compatible with almost every device, this is not always the case with niche or off-brand headphones. Check their compatibility with your phone or laptop. 

If they are compatible with any the might be something wrong but the headphones. In case they are not compatible, look for device drivers online and install them on your computer. This should do the trick.

What to do if you can’t fix the issue?

Ultimately, headphones are mechanical devices sometimes they just stop working. Sometimes you may face a problem that doesn’t have a solution. 

If you tried everything above and you are still facing this issue, then take them to a maintenance center or call the helpline center of the company. They are generally well-equipped to handle such things. 

You can also Google your specific problem. There are hundreds of forums and technical blogs available online. 

Someone before you has likely faced the same problem. So, you’re very likely to find a specific solution as well. Just in case you don’t find a solution, you can post your query on a forum and hopefully, you’ll find an answer from someone who knows what they are talking about.

Unfortunately, if all else fails, it might be time to buy new headphones. Just make sure you do proper research before you settle on one.

Summary

There are many reasons why your headphones keep cutting out. Most commonly, it’s a signal, driver, or device issue. 

Signal issues can be fixed by fixing and cleaning your wire or making sure there are no obstacles between your headphone and device. You also need to keep your audio and device drivers updated. Install new ones from the net if you have to. 

If none of the solutions work for you, then take them to a maintenance center or post your issue online. For your last resort, buy new headphones.

I hope this article gave you what you were looking for and you can get back to listening to your favorite music without any interruptions.