Reasons You're Hearing Static in Your Headphones

Static electricity in headphones can be the most annoying thing when listening to music. What's even more frustrating is that you often don't diagnose the problem right away, it's there and probably doesn't want to go away!

Fortunately, it's usually one of the few culprits that cause problems. Whether you're permanently bothered by static in your headphones or intermittent, follow our guide to figuring out what's causing the noise.

Static can refer to many different noises; some people will see it as hissing, while others are more like electronic interference.

For the purposes of this article, we'll cover all of these and discuss static in the sense of any unwanted noise in headphones. Let's break down some common static issues with wired and wireless headphones.

Most likely a component in the headphones or the listening device may be damaged.

Sadly, because you're tethered to something, the chances of damage are much higher than if you're wearing wireless headphones.

The first thing you want to check is the wires coming out of the headphones. This is by far the part that gets the most rough treatment.

You may have damaged the wire by coiling it too tightly, or it may have bent too much and damaged some internal components.

Your headphone cable has a lifespan, any static may be because it has reached the end of its life!

Many modern headphones have detachable leads, which means replacing them isn't a big deal, but if your leads are permanently attached to your headphones, it can be a tricky job.

We don't recommend being rude but try moving the wire around slightly to see if that causes more or less static. If anything changes, it's likely the cause of the failure.

If you can, try replacing the wires and see if that improves the problem.

There may be a problem with the device you are using to listen to music. For example, if you're listening on a PC, you're probably using the aux jack to plug in your headphones.

If it is damaged, it may produce annoying static sounds. Many PCs have a secondary port (often in a different location than the primary port, such as on the back of a tower) that you can try.

Try using a different one and see if that fixes the static issue.

Another culprit of static in your headphones is a damaged headphone speaker. Like your headphone cables, they have a lifespan; it probably took a knock at some point, so it might be time for a repair.

Keep the headphones in a protective case as much as possible to protect the speakers from any impact, as this shouldn't cause a problem.

Does only one ear have static electricity? Then it's likely that the speaker is damaged. If so, it's time to book a repair.

There are pros and cons to using both wireless and wired headphones. Physical damage is less likely if you have wireless devices and are careful with the headphones and keep them in the case.

The downside is that wireless technology opens up even more possibilities for static interference!

We've all heard that weird "whooping" noise caused by a phone being too close to an electronic device.

This can be the same with any wireless device. If you hear strange and unpleasant static, look around to see if anything is interfering with your headphones.

Keep an eye out for wireless routers, Bluetooth adapters, and other cell phones.

If your headphones require an adapter to work wirelessly, consider whether you need to replace the adapter.

Many wireless headsets connect via Bluetooth, but it's not uncommon for some devices, such as older PCs, to require a Bluetooth adapter to connect to external devices.

If you can, test your adapter against a separate adapter and see if that improves the problem. If so, there may be a problem with the original adapter.

If you listen to music on a PC or Mac, your power supply may be the problem, although it seems unlikely.

If you have a second power supply available, try comparing the two. If you're using a laptop or MacBook, try unplugging it and draining the battery. You may notice that the static noise stops.

You may find that your headset is working without any interference from other wireless devices.

If you're still experiencing static, here are some other options to try:

This is most common on phones that are often carried in your pocket, where dust and lint can get into the headphone port.

If you can shine a flashlight into the port, you may notice that it is blocked, which may cause a bad connection between the headset adapter and the phone itself.

You can clean the port, but be careful and avoid sharp or pointed objects.

Take the time to test the headset regularly to see if it improves. Too much poking can damage the sensitive electronics inside.

Most modern music is mastered to professional standards, so it can usually be played without issue. However, if you're listening to a particularly quiet track, you might want to turn the volume up as loud as possible.

This can lead to an annoying hiss, which is caused by the loud volume in the headphones overcompensating for quieter tracks.

You probably don't want to use up your data, but this could be the solution to static in your headphones.

This can sometimes lead to annoying static sounds if you're on an overloaded WiFi network which is common in shared homes.

If you're streaming music, try switching to mobile data and see if that improves the situation. Even if you don't want to use your data, it's worth checking, then, at least, you know the culprit!

If you haven't set your app to update automatically, you may be using an older version of the app itself.

Try updating the app and see if that fixes the problem. Outdated software often causes unwanted static noise.

Last but not least, if you can't find a solution to the static issue, try resetting your device.

This works with your headset and phone, PC, Mac, or laptop. Often a reset will completely resolve static issues.

The above has introduced the causes of static electricity in the earphones. If you want to know more or want to buy earphones, please contact us.

Jun Ye is a professional custom earphone supplier with 30 years of production experience. We provide one-stop service, design-development-production, and shipping. With more than 400 employees and 60,000 square meters of factory buildings, it is specialized in OEM/ODM. We have our own mold center and the whole industry chain: hardware, injection molding, wire, cushion, assembly, and packaging. It has 8 production lines, including two TWS professional lines. We manufacture each part in-house to ensure quality and on-time delivery.