Because noise above 100 decibels can be damaging to our ears, loud noise exposure is best in moderation. So when you are using your “max volume” minutes on your favorite song, it is frustrating to be interrupted by a beeping noise from your headphones.
An unexplained beeping is a common problem for many headphone users out there. If you just want to get back to listening to your preferred music and podcasts, this article will help get you there.
Power Cycle: The “Quick Fix”
A common joke in tech troubleshooting is that step one is always the same. While this can be frustrating to the tech-savvy among us, the good old fashioned “power cycle” is tip #1 for a reason — it often resolves the problem immediately.
Power cycling, also known as a soft reset, acts as a common fix to your problem of beeping headphones. Power cycling headphones is as simple as turning the power off, and then back on.
As opposed to a “hard reset” which restores your headphones to the factory settings (the default settings of your device before you bought and modified it according to your preferences), a soft reset won’t cause any loss of data or preferences.
To perform a power cycle, follow the steps below:
- Remove all devices connected to your headphones.
- Press the power off button to shut down your headphone.
- Press down the power button again and hold it for 5 seconds.
- Open your headphones again and create a fresh connection to your main devices.
Power cycle is applicable for a surprising number of quick fixes. However, if the problem persists, you can keep reading on to find more reasons why beeping sounds exist on your headphones, and how to fix them.
Beeping Headphones: Causes + Fix
It is vital for you to determine the cause of the beeping sound on your headphone to apply the proper solution to it. The list below applies whether your headphones are connected to an iOS or Android device.
#1 Low Battery
- Most of the headphones on the market nowadays have an indicator of a beeping sound (sometimes accompanied by a blinking light) when the device is running low on charge.
Fix:
- To stop the beeping, you can try to plug it into a power source and see if the beeping stops. If it continues to beep, this might mean that your headphones are not receiving the right amount of power to charge because of an indirect power source (i.e. USB Ports), or simply that they haven’t had enough time to charge fully.
- To avoid this problem, make sure that before you use your headphones they are sufficiently charged.
#2 Volume Level
- Reaching the maximum volume on some headphones will create a beeping sound to warn you. Additionally, a volume button that is malfunctioning or jammed may cause a beeping sound as well.
Fix:
- Try lowering the volume of your devices. There are headphones with controls on the device itself. Otherwise, it can be controlled via your connected device (typically, a smart phone). You should maintain an optimal volume when using your headphones as this will also affect your hearing health. High volumes are more appropriate when you are not using headphones.
- Make sure to always clean your devices. A compressed air can may be useful in cleaning.
#3 Audio Jack and Port Problems
- Some wired headphones will produce a beep sound when it is newly plugged in. A continuous beep sound would imply a short circuit between the jack and the port.
Fix:
- For detachable wiring connections, you can take off the wires and clean both the jack and the port as it might contain debris or dirt that is not easily seen by the eyes. Air compression can help you with the cleaning.
- Try connecting your current headphones to a different device to confirm where the problem exists.
- For scenarios like the jack being completely unusable, you might want to consider buying a new wire (applicable to detachable headphone wires) or even completely new headphones.
#4 Nearby devices connection interference
- Being near to devices such as mobile phones, tablets, laptops, and desktops can actually create an interference. Likewise with routers, microwaves, and other devices. This happens more commonly with bluetooth on wireless headphones than it does with wired headphones.
Fix:
- Avoid using multiple bluetooth-connected devices in close proximity to one another.
- You can also try to manually deselect the current unfamiliar connected device in your settings and click the name of the device you want to connect it with. Most headphones can only connect to one source device at a time.
#5 Technical Glitch or Firmware Issue
- Headphones can experience software issues like technical glitches without you having any information why it happened. Half of the time, this is caused by the main device that is connected. In other words, your phone may be the problem, rather than your headphones. In other instances, the issue is caused by your music app (Spotify, Youtube, etc.) rather than either the phone or the headphones.
Fix:
- This little magic trick does wonders – Speakerphone toggle. While your headphones are disconnected, try making a call on your phone and put it on speaker. Then turn on your headphones and try playing audio through the headphones rather than the phone speaker.
- Another method is to re-install your music app (Spotify, Apple Music, etc.). Simply delete and then re-install the app, and then see whether the beeping still occurs.
#6 Lost connection between headphone and device
- This can happen if your connection is interrupted because the headphone randomly disconnects and connects automatically without the user’s intervention.
Fix:
- Try checking the compatibility of your devices to one another. For wired headphones, some jacks are bigger for some ports and vice versa. For the wireless, try to disconnect them manually and pair it again to establish a fresh connection. A factory reset may be needed if the connection repeatedly fails.
#7 User overload
- Listening over your headphones for a very long period of time could induce overload and overheating. This might affect the wiring inside your device and create a beeping sound. This isn’t a common cause of beeping headphones, but it can occasionally occur, especially with older headphones.
Fix:
- To resolve the beeping caused by overload and overheat of your device, you can turn off your headphones or unplug it from your main device and let it rest. Let the device cool down first before using it or charging it.
#8 Long idle time
- Sometimes you simply forget to turn off your device after using it. In this case, beeping sounds are just a gentle reminder that your headphones are still powered on but in idle mode.
Fix:
- Check your streaming devices if there are any opened applications. If you are not going to use it anyway, you can turn it off, as well as your headphones. Let them rest to avoid overuse, overheating, and battery drain of your gadget.
#9 Audio file types not accepted by streaming app
- This is a rare issue that might cause the beeping in your headphones – different or unconventional audio file types that cause your software to glitch.
Fix:
- Convert your playlist to a single file type that is compatible with both your main and accessory device.
Fix for Windows/Mac main devices:
You can easily find settings for your headphones on your laptop or desktop. Simply click the bluetooth icon and/or sound settings.
- If you are connected to a laptop, there are built-in audio troubleshooters for different operating systems. Run the troubleshooter and it will show the types of problems you encountered and the recommended solutions.
- Update your drivers in Settings > Device Manager for Windows, or System Preferences > built-in speaker for iOS for problems or technical glitches. Your headphones might only need compatibility patches by updating your sound controllers.
Caveat, Not All Headphones Are Created Equal
Headphone quality also affects some of the causes mentioned above. Trusted brands sell products that are more reliable and encounter fewer issues compared to others.
It is also highly advised to check the User Manual of your devices to see whether unfamiliar gadget activities are normal or need fixing. Because the beeping sound might differ from one device to another, you need to know whether it is an appropriate beeping (such as a beeping that warns that your device is disconnected, or approaching low battery levels) or beeping in error.
If all else fails, there is likely a guide at your fingertips for each brand of headphones you own. If you haven’t found a solution to your problems yet, it might be time to look at issues that are specific for Bose headphones, Skullcandy headphones, etc.
Also, don’t hesitate to reach out to the company’s tech support, as this will also help them address the problem and create a permanent solution to errors in the future. In the era of automatically installed firmware updates, if you are experiencing a glitch it is probably being experienced by another user, too.
Conclusion
Technology keeps on getting better everyday but nothing is 100% perfect. We should still expect problems in this kind of device.
This article was created to help you diagnose and troubleshoot headphones that are making a beeping noise. You need to figure out whether the beeping is normal or abnormal, and follow the steps above. Remember these and you’re far less likely to have a frustrating experience.
If you still don’t have a fix, it is time to seek out brand-specific advice! Failing that, you don’t have a choice except to contact technical support.
