Samsung, the biggest electronics company in South Korea, has ventured into the wireless earbuds market, a step that comes as no surprise. Primarily known for their smartphones and televisions, Samsung’s Galaxy Buds have emerged as a popular alternative to renowned products like Airpods. Despite earning praise from reviewers and consumers, these earbuds have their fair share of shortcomings.
The most common and notorious issue for any audio enthusiast using earbuds is a suddenly silent earbud, which can disrupt the listening experience. Here are some ways to troubleshoot your Samsung Galaxy Buds, especially when one side is not working.
Before Troubleshooting
Before diving into the solutions, ensure both earbuds are fully charged. A dead or low battery can cause a muted earbud and might affect other troubleshooting steps.
Step-By-Step Troubleshooting
Solution 1: Resetting the Samsung Galaxy Buds
Resetting the Galaxy Buds could resolve your issue, and there are two ways to do it: a manual restart or a complete factory reset.
How to Manually Restart Samsung Galaxy Buds:
- Place your earbuds back into their charging case and shut the lid completely.
- Wait for approximately ten seconds.
- Take out the earbuds, and they should automatically pair with your preferred device.
How to Factory Reset Samsung Galaxy Buds:
- Navigate to the Galaxy Wearable App, or download it if you don’t have it. For users on an iOS device, you will need to reset your earbuds through the Buds app.
- If you are using Buds+, Buds Pro, Buds Live, or Buds2, then select Watch Setting and double-tap Reset. If you are using Galaxy Buds, select About earbuds. From there, double-tap Reset earbuds.
- After resetting, pair your device with your preferred device and test for audio issues.
Solution 2: Cleaning the Galaxy Buds
Earbuds collect dust, dirt, and earwax over time, which can cause issues. Regular cleaning can maintain their performance and lifespan. Remember to avoid chemicals, metal objects like pins, or abrasive cleaning materials due to the delicate nature of earbuds.
Steps for cleaning your Galaxy Buds:
- Arm yourself with a couple of toothpicks and a soft hand rag, paper towel, or dry wipe.
- Gently clean the earbuds, particularly the areas where they charge in the case. These connections can become blocked by dirt particles, affecting your earbud’s ability to charge.
- Be patient and don’t rush. Being too forceful can damage the earbuds.
Solution 3: Pairing with a Different Device
If the issues persist, try pairing the Galaxy Buds with a different Bluetooth-compatible device.
Steps for pairing with a different device:
- On the currently connected device, go to Settings and select the Bluetooth option.
- Find your Samsung Galaxy Buds in the list of connected devices and select Forget.
- Once finished, connect your Galaxy Buds to a new Bluetooth-compatible device and check if both earbuds play audio.
Solution 4: Checking for Battery Depletion
Check if one or both earbuds are depleted.
Steps to verify:
- Place your earbuds on the opposite sides of the case.
- Connect them to the charge port. If you get a connection alert or see the earbud charging, you might have an issue with your charging case or its connection.
Solution 5: Tweaking Audio Balance
An off-balanced audio setting can cause audio to play in one ear only. Therefore, checking the audio settings is another essential step in troubleshooting.
Steps to adjust audio balance on various devices:
For iOS:
- Navigate to Settings > Accessibility > Audio/Visual.
- Ensure that the audio is set to Stereo, not Mono.
- Adjust the Audio Balancer towards the center.
For Android:
- Navigate to Settings > Accessibility > Hearing.
- Adjust the Sound Balance toggle to the center for neutral sound.
- Change the sound channel from Mono to Stereo.
For Windows 10:
- Right-click on the Speaker icon in the bottom right of your screen and select Sounds.
- Choose the Playback option from the bookmarks, then select your playback device.
- Right-click on the preferred device and select Properties.
- Select the Levels option and then choose Balance.
- Make sure both audio channels have the same numbers for balanced audio.
For Mac:
- Select the Apple menu > System Preferences > Sound > Output.
- Select your preferred audio option.
- Adjust the audio balance meter towards the center.
Remember to also check other audio settings on your device like “Audio enhancements,” “position detection,” and auto-pause features, which can cause issues with your earbuds.
Conclusion
Samsung Galaxy Buds might not be the most expensive earbuds on the market, but they certainly aren’t a budget pick either. They come with a one-year warranty, so make sure to hold onto the receipt. If any one-sided audio issue recurs, refer back to these troubleshooting solutions to restore the full audio experience.
FAQs
Why does one of my Samsung Galaxy Buds stop working?
One of your Samsung Galaxy Buds may stop working due to various reasons such as battery depletion, dust or debris clogging the earbud, issues with Bluetooth connectivity, or improper audio settings. Always ensure your earbuds are fully charged and properly cleaned, and check your device’s Bluetooth and audio settings if you’re experiencing problems.
How do I reset my Samsung Galaxy Buds?
To reset your Samsung Galaxy Buds, you can either do a manual restart or a factory reset. For a manual restart, place your earbuds back into their charging case, close the lid, wait approximately ten seconds, and then remove them. They should automatically pair with your device. For a factory reset, navigate to the Galaxy Wearable App, select ‘Watch Setting’ and ‘Reset’ (for Buds+, Buds Pro, Buds Live, Buds2) or ‘About earbuds’ and ‘Reset earbuds’ (for Galaxy Buds).
What should I do if my Galaxy Buds are not charging properly?
If your Galaxy Buds are not charging properly, it might be due to dirt or debris on the charging contacts of the earbuds or the charging case. Give your earbuds and charging case a gentle clean using non-abrasive materials like a soft cloth or toothpick. Also, try charging the earbuds on opposite sides of the case to determine if the issue lies with a specific side of the case or with the earbuds themselves. If the problem persists, consider reaching out to Samsung support or checking your warranty.
