Skullcandy is one of the most common brands when it comes to audio equipment. Their headphones and earbuds are easily some of the most ubiquitous products on the market, with the company worth more than $300 million at its most recent public valuation. But what do you do when they don’t work?
If you’re trying to figure out how to fix Skullcandy Earbuds with one side not working, we’re here to help.
Read on for the typical reasons this may occur, and a discussion of how to fix the problem.
Skullcandy Earbuds with One Side Not Working: Common Issues
Unfortunately, there isn’t one single issue that causes the problem of only having one working earbud.
Though this can make it more challenging to troubleshoot, don’t worry! Here are some of the most common issues you can expect to deal with from your Skullcandy earbuds.
Iffy BlueTooth Connection
If your headphones are wireless, there’s a high chance they connect using BlueTooth. While some connect with WiFi, this is much less common, as you can’t depend on a WiFi connection while on the go.
Your BlueTooth connection can sometimes suffer disruptions in areas with poor signal. If you’re struggling to get a good signal, the issue can cause only one headphone to work. There’s no way to tell if it would affect the left or right earbud.
Distance from the device you pair your earbuds with is a primary cause, and the BlueTooth connection is far from limitless. For example, if you leave your phone playing music in your gym bag before walking away into the gym, there’s a low chance you’ll still have a signal.
Bluetooth signal is notoriously fickle, and sometimes you can get hundreds of feet of range on a clear day, yet be unable to maintain a connection at twenty feet indoors.
Simply get closer to your device to test if this is the issue. You may want to reconnect as well in case it’s struggling to get a connection. Also be sure to “forget” the earbuds from any other devices they have paired with (such as your laptop or your roommate’s phone) recently.
Problems While Pairing
Sometimes there are more issues than distance while pairing. Lower quality headphones and earbuds can sometimes fail to connect to BlueTooth properly.
This problem is uncommon with Skullcandy products, as they’re generally well-built. Still, there are other causes for such issues, such as damaged earbuds or the device simply reaching its expiration date, so to speak.
If you can’t pair your device correctly, consider having your phone or music player “forget” its connection to the earbuds. If it can’t reconnect afterward, there is likely a more severe issue causing the complications.
Battery Problems
One of the most common issues with wireless headphones is low battery. When most devices begin to run low on power, they may struggle to operate correctly even before running out of battery.
Laptops are a reasonable victim of this. As their power runs low, they’ll cut background processes and save power wherever possible. Your computer may run slower, dim its screen, or lessen its performance in other ways.
Headphones can sometimes do the same. If your device is critically low on battery, it could cause the issue of having Skullcandy earbuds with one side not working.
Remember, too, that your charging case can also run out of battery. So, just because your earbuds sat in the charging case overnight, it doesn’t actually mean they are at 100% if the charging pase itself is out of juice.
Frayed Wiring or Loose Port
These issues revolve around wireless earbuds, but Skullcandy sells many wired products. What could cause your wired headphones to have one earbud not work? There’s no battery to worry about, and it’s physically impossible to be too far away, given the length of the cord.
For wired products, you should first check the earbuds’ connection to the phone or device. If it’s loose, make sure you fully insert it. A loose connection can cause your earbuds to malfunction.
Past this, it’s easy to damage or fray the wiring. Taking the cord out by tugging on the wire can cause it to loosen or otherwise take damage. Dropping your phone while connected to your headphones can also damage the wire.
Check the wiring for loose fittings, frayed wires, or exposed wires. If your left earbud isn’t working and you find out that the wiring is exposed or damaged, this is almost always the issue.
How To Fix Skullcandy Earbuds with One Side Not Working: Easy Fixes
For the most part, fixes regarding Skullcandy earbuds with one side not working are straightforward. Here are some of the quickest fixes you can use to try to remedy the problem.
Proper Charging
One of the first things you should do is ensure you fully charge your earbuds if they’re wireless. Even if this isn’t the issue, fully charging them can help them perform better, and it also eliminates a low battery from being the problem!
If your headphones aren’t properly holding a charge, there’s a high chance that you have some sort of internal malfunction. Unfortunately, this usually means they’re beyond simple repair and it might require a replacement instead.
However, before throwing your earbuds in the trash, you should make sure that there isn’t an easily fixable issue with the charging port on the earbuds or the charging case.
If the indicator lights (inside of the charging case) aren’t lighting up when you place the earbuds in the case, the problem may be an issue with the charging case. In this event, you will want to (carefully) clean the port on the charging case.
To be certain, you can leave your earbuds in the case for 24 hours to ensure the charging is complete. Try doing so while the charging case is plugged in, as well.
If you have any aftermarket eartips or earwings connected to your earbuds, take them off before charging. These tips and/or wings can interfere with your earbuds’ ability to engage properly with the charging case.
Check Wiring
To diagnose if loose wiring is causing the problem, the best thing you can do is check the wiring. If you have any areas where the wires beneath the coating are exposed, there’s a high chance this is your problem.
However, there are times when the problem may not be so visible. Check the area where your headphone wires split into different earbuds and make sure they aren’t damaged. You should also check where your earbuds meet the wire and where the device connects to your phone.
For loose or frayed wire, you can attempt to fix it with electrical tape. However, this is generally not a great esthetic choice and can lead to problems further down the line. It’s a temporary fix, but if you only need them for a few more days, it’s far from the worst thing you can do.
Please be aware that loose wiring can cause dangers! There’s a chance of a shock if the wiring is frayed or exposed. That said, headphones don’t typically use enough electricity to be harmful.
Either way, you should consider replacing your earbuds or headphones if the wiring is exposed. With such damage, it’s usually only a matter of time before they’re fully non-functional.
For earbuds with a charging case, you should also consider the possibility that the charging case cable may be malfunctioning. Here, you want to swap out the cable to the charging case and see if your results improve.
Off and Back On
With any electronic device, the usual fix is to turn the device off and back on. Headphones are no different!
If you have wireless headphones, disconnect them from your device and power them down. Power them back up and see if they’re working better.
Shutting them down can help reset any software glitches that could cause such issues. Many users report this as being an effective fix when dealing with Skullcandy Indy Evo earbuds with one side not working.
If this doesn’t work, consider shutting off both your earbuds and your phone. Doing so can sometimes remedy the issue if connection or software problems are causing your problem.
If your headphones are wired, simply unplug them and plug them back in. Should the problem continue, you likely have one of two problems: your audio port for your phone is damaged, loose, or dirty, or your headphones have some sort of damage.
For the first, clean your audio port if possible. Otherwise, you may need to have your phone repaired or replaced. Should it be the latter, the only fix is usually replacing your headphones.
Disconnect & Re-Connect to a Paired Device
Oftentimes, the problem involves the connection between devices, rather than either device itself being at fault.
In this case, you should disconnect (via the bluetooth settings on your phone/computer) your earbuds and then try to re-pair.
If this doesn’t work, there is another way to check the connection. Simply connect to a different device and see if the offending earbud returns to function. If the earbuds now work, you should spend some time troubleshooting the connection between your earbuds and your other, preferred device.
If your earbuds don’t work with either device, at least you know for sure that the earbuds are the problem.
A Full Factory Reset
If you are experiencing issues with one earbud not making any sound, the easiest fix may be to reset the earbuds entirely.
Power cycling (turning off, then back on), as discussed above, fixes many problems. However, a true reset is typically more powerful when it comes to resolving these glitches.
The process should only take a few minutes, and there really isn’t much risk involved.
For a thorough guide of how to reset Skullcandy earbuds, see here.
Drain the Battery
If you still haven’t found a fix, try draining the earbuds entirely of their charge. Then, re-charge the earbuds and pair to your device.
Sometimes, this functions as a “reset” and returns the device to proper function.
Verify Audio Balance
On your connected device, make sure that the headphones haven’t been turned to “mono” and/or that one side (right or left) hasn’t been muted.
If your connected device has these settings, the slider should be dead-centered between right and left. Carefully look through your audio settings on your source device to see that there aren’t any unusual settings (such as “Audio Enhancements,” auto-pause, or position sensing) that are causing one earbud to be muted.
Need Replacement?
Sadly, you can’t always fix issues with electronic devices. There are times when the only way to fix something is to replace it. But how do you know when this is the case?
One common area of failure is the charging case of wireless headphones. This issue is far from unique to Skullcandy, as all sorts of wireless headsets experience these sorts of problems. If your device won’t charge, it’s a high likelihood there’s something wrong with the internals of your charging case.
If your wired headphones are failing, they’re typically difficult to fix. This difficulty is because the issue is usually in the wiring itself, which is often beyond the capabilities of the average consumer to fix. In this scenario, taking your product to a professional is the best option.
There are plenty of gadgetry repair shops where you can bring your devices. Consider looking around your local shops for small businesses to support.
Otherwise, you can look into Skullcandy’s customer support or warranties to see if your Skullcandy earbuds problem is covered. Because most models of Skullcandy earbuds are relatively affordable, it usually isn’t cost-effective to have them repaired. Rather, a replacement may be a wiser course of action.
Rocking On
Fixing your Skullcandy earbuds isn’t always easy, but the most common problems are usually easy fixes. Ensure your headphones are fully charged and do your best not to damage them. With proper care and maintenance, you can ensure that your earbuds last as long as possible.
For full charged earbuds, a thorough cleaning and/or factory reset should be sufficient to get the audio restored to full function.
For more tips on taking care of your favorite gadgets, feel free to browse the other articles on our site!
