Reasons why headphones are noisy and how to fix them

Normally, headphones after a period of use will appear damaged and the sound will be crackling. This not only causes discomfort for users but also affects daily work and entertainment needs. Join TipsMake to find out the causes of noisy headphones and how to fix these errors.

Common causes of headphones making noise

Currently, there are many causes of headphones making noise when plugged into a laptop or PC. The most common causes include:

1. The headphone jack is not inserted deeply or close to the computer, causing the sound to be small and muffled.
2. The jack is covered in dust and dirt due to not being cleaned for a long time.
3. The headphone plug was damaged by water.
4. Software conflicts in the computer cause sound quality to be reduced.
5. Fake or fake headphones have poor quality and intermittent sound.
6. Headphones are damaged due to not being stored properly.
7. Headphone or microphone volume is too loud, causing sound distortion.

Ways to fix noisy headphones

After determining the causes of the headphone crackling error, next we will learn together about ways to fix the above error.

1. Check the driver

One of the simplest and most effective ways to fix noisy headphones is to check the sound card driver . Most drivers after a period of use will appear to conflict with other software, thereby affecting the sound quality of the headphones.

This problem occurs quite commonly for users who have audio software installed on their computer or headphones that are connected to the computer via a USB port. In addition, the driver you are using is too old, causing the sound to be noisy and annoying.

To fix this error, users can visit the headset manufacturer's website and then update the driver if necessary. This not only helps resolve software conflicts but also helps you fix the problem of headphones being noisy and noisy.

2. Remove and reconnect the headset

This is the simplest and easiest way to fix noisy headphones . Accordingly, if the headphone connector is not securely plugged into the laptop's slot, it will cause the headphone to emit an extremely annoying buzzing sound.

To fix this error, simply remove the headset and plug it back into the computer . Also make sure that the headphone plug is firmly inserted into the connection port and is not loose.

3. Check the jack

Headphone jacks are usually designed with a 3.5mm round head used to connect headphones to the computer. If the jack is dusty or loose, it will cause the headphones to crackle. Therefore, users should try removing the headphone jack, cleaning the plug and then re-plugging it firmly into the laptop's slot. 

At the same time, current desktop computers are equipped with 2 headphone slots, one in the back and one in the front. In case the headphone jack is broken, you can check the jack status by plugging it into another slot on the computer to see if the sound is still crackling or not.

If the sound is still crackling and noisy, it means the headset and jack are faulty and you need to apply other troubleshooting measures.

4. Turn off any recording devices that may cause interference

In some cases , headphones may be noisy due to the recording device causing interference. Normally for desktop computers, headphone jacks will be divided into two types: microphone jack for recording and headphone jack for music playback. Meanwhile, with laptops, we will only have 1 3.5 mm jack with integrated both receiver and transmitter features. 

Therefore, when using headphones, if you accidentally activate the Record feature, it will cause the headphones to buzz and crackle. To fix this error, users just need to click on the speaker - Volume icon in the bottom right corner of the screen and perform the following steps:

1. Step 1 : Right-click and select Recording Devices .
2. Step 2: Click to select the Recording tab .
3. Step 3: To turn off the recording function, just right-click on the recording device and select Disable.

5. Adjust the microphone volume

Headphone noise can also result from the microphone volume being adjusted to too high a level. Causes the sound to be broken, shrill and annoying to the listener. If you want to fix the error, you can apply the following steps:

1. Step 1 : Click on the speaker icon - Volume in the bottom right corner of the screen, then right click and select Recording Devices.
2. Step 2 : Click the Recording tab.
3. Step 3 : Right-click on Microphone and select Properties.
4. Step 4: In the Microphone Array Properties window , click the Level tab, then adjust the Microphone and Microphone Boost sliders to the minimum level.
5. Step 5: Next, gradually increase the Microphone slider until you hear sound through the headphones. In case you still don't hear sound even though the slider is at maximum level, continue to increase the Microphone Boost slider.

6. Install a separate sound card

If you have taken all the above measures but the sound coming from the headphones is still crackling, the last thing you can try is to install an external sound card. Currently, there are some audio chips that will have the ability to pick up electrical noise from nearby components. 

Therefore, installing a new separate audio adapter for your laptop will help you completely solve the problem of headphone noise and noise during use.

Epilogue

Hopefully, through the sharing from the above article, you will understand the reasons why your headphones are noisy and how to fix this situation. If you find this article useful, don't forget to share this article with other readers.

Marvin Fry

Update 10 October 2023