How To Fix Headphones Wire? (6 Easy Methods To Follow)

Wired headphones are convenient to use since they allow you to listen to music without being limited by signal coverage.

Headphones, like other electrical gadgets, are powered by electricity, although they require a low voltage. As a result, you may have come into contact with an exposed headphone cable while sustaining no bodily harm.

This is the foundation of many people’s arguments. They believe that exposed headphone wires are not hazardous. Headphones have variable impedance levels. Some of them have higher current resistance than others.

Broken headphone cables are more likely to cause a short circuit. The excessive charge can flow when exposed wires come into contact with each other, causing overheating. This can result in short circuits, which can damage your audio source and headphones.

Quick Answer, How to Fix Headphone Wire?

1. Sand off the thin enamel covering on all wires, including the ground wire, before soldering.
2. Twist and solder together.
3. Wrap each wire with electrical tape with care.
4. Insert and heat the heat-shrink tubing to wrap the headphone cord securely.

How to Fix Headphones Wire?

Fraying is common in headphone cables, particularly near the plug. This usually occurs when they are subjected to repeated yanking, bending, and tugging. When the jack is constantly pushed inside the audio port, it will not stay in place.

There are quick fixes for fraying or exposed wires that require little money and effort.

First Method: Using Adhesive Tape

Step 1: Locate the source of the problem.

Before you begin the repair, you must first establish the source of the problem with the headphone region. To find out, place headphones in your ears and listen to some music. Now, pay close attention to determining the cause of the problem.

If the headset only works on one side, the other side of the headset most likely has a short in that earphone. If you don’t hear any sound on either side of your headphones, the problem could be a broken headphone jack plug.

Now, take another pair of headphones and plug them into your phone or computer. It is a test to ensure that the headset, not the device’s headphone plug jack, is broken.

In other words, if you try another pair of headphones and still can’t hear anything, the problem is with the device’s headphone connector, not the headphone driver.

Short-circuit issues are most commonly seen in the exposed wire close to the headphone connector or in the headphones themselves. Because many hits produce physical wear and tear in this posture.

Step 2: Twist the headset cord till it works

After determining the source of the problem, twist the wires as desired until the headphones work again. These are simple operations; simply bend and straighten the broken headphone driver cord, and even tap around the damaged area a few times.

When you do this by accident, the broken connections of the headphones will come into contact with each other. The audio signal will be sent at this point, and the headset will normally resume normal operation.

To precisely detect the instant the two ends of the wire touch, you must wear headphones while listening to music.

Furthermore, you merely need to carefully twist the wire to halt the operation at the appropriate time. Nonetheless, the broken wire may be at the wire’s core. This is an extremely unusual occurrence, yet it is not necessarily non-existent.

In this case, you need carefully inspect the entire length of the headphone cord to determine the correct location.

Step 3: Apply adhesive tape to secure it

The final step is to use adhesive tape to connect the two broken pieces. Of course, you’ll need to prepare a roll of adhesive tape for this.

Apply pressure to the area near the defect with one hand, while the other wraps tape around the headphone cord. As long as the duct tape and tight tape are not removed, the headphones should operate well.

To ensure that the broken headphones continue to work for a long time, you must restrict the impact and relocate at the sticky point.

Second Method: Using Electrical Tape

Step 1: Gather All of the Required Tools and Materials

Before you begin repairing the wires, make sure you have the following items:

• coiled electrical tape
• lighter
• Cutters for wires
• sanding paper (optional)

You most certainly have these items at home or at work. If not, you should be able to find them in a neighboring store. You can use your utility knife to cut insulated wire.

Step 2: Separate and cut the wires

If you can see the copper wire outside the insulator, the procedure is straightforward. In many circumstances, you must discover the particular part that needs to be repaired.

Cut the malfunctioning or broken region with wire cutters or a tool knife. There will be two different headphone cords. After cutting the cable, remove the insulation from the wires to properly see the issue regions.

If your headphones have two cables, each half of the cable will include many copper wires and a red wire. If your headphones have a single thread for the two channels, you’ll see a green wire in addition to the others already listed.

Separate the wires so that they do not contact. The red and copper ones should likewise be in their designated locations. You can also remove the insulation to make the area cleaner and more manageable.

It should be noted that the red/green cables are intended to convey audio. You can’t get good audio if the copper and red wires are touching. In certain circumstances, no audio is heard at all.

Step 3: Remove the wire coatings.

After you’ve separated the wires, you should burn the wire coatings. In the previous phase, we discussed audio transmission cables. They are enamel-coated. Remove this insulation before reconnecting the wires.

How do you go about doing this? Set the wire’s tip on fire with the lighter for a fraction of a second. Use sandpaper to clean the wire tips if you have it. Some individuals use sandpaper instead of lighter for this purpose, however, you can combine the two if necessary.

Repeat for the remaining portion of the cable.

Step 4: Reconnect the Wires

After you’ve removed the coatings, twist the red wires from each side of the cable together. Repeat this process until they are securely attached and cannot be detached by accident. Replace the copper wires with the same procedure.

Ensure that the red/green and copper wires do not come into contact with each other while you work. Otherwise, you may be unable to repair the cables. If you don’t check on this, the headset may short circuit when you try to use it later.

Step 5: Apply electrical tape to the twisted wires.

Cover the twisted part of the red wires with electrical tape if the wires are not in touch. Check that they will not interfere with the copper wires.

After that, use the tape to cover the entire area where the wires were linked. Do your homework to verify that no wires are left exposed.

If your headphone wire is damaged in more than one area, repeat the technique. It may take you a little longer, but the tricks stay the same.

Step 6: Test the Headphones

You have now finished taping your headphone cables. It should be operational without issue. To see if you’ve repaired the damage, connect your audio source and listen to some music.

Third Method: Using Heat-Shrink Tubing (Repair without Solder)

Because many individuals are afraid to repair their headphones with electrical tapes when soldering is involved, let’s look at how heat-shrink tubing can assist them.

Soldering, as previously stated, is a little more involved and dangerous. Nonetheless, it works well for repairing serious headphones wire damage.

As a result, heat-shrink tubing may be a better option.

Except for a soldering kit, you’ll need all of the supplies and tools outlined in the last sophisticated approach. Aside from that, a heat-shrink tube would be useful.

Here are the actions to take:

Step 1: Remove the insulators

To disclose the stripped wires, use the wire strippers to remove the insulation. Do not sever the cables.

Step 2: Disconnect the Wires

Color-code the headphone wires. The right-side headphone wires are red, whereas the left-side cables are green/blue. Gold or copper ground wires are used.

Step 3: Melt off the Coating

Using a lighter, melt the varnish material that is covering the wires. You can use sandpaper alone or in conjunction with other materials, as we did in technique one.

Step 4: Disconnect the Wirings

Twist the colored wires together and use electrical tape to separate the ground and colored wires.

Step 5: Select the Most Effective Heat-Shrink Tubing

Plastic materials such as PVs, PEP, or polyolefin should be used to make the best heat-shrink tube. Choose one that fits the size of the wire on your headphones.

This guarantees that you have a good fit. Remember that when heated, these tubes contract between one-sixth and one-sixth of their diameter.

Step 6: Clean the Wrapping Area

Wipe the wires dry with a clean cloth and isopropyl alcohol. This gets rid of any excess trash or grease.

Step 7: Place the Tube

Place the tube in the frayed area. Wrap the tube as tightly as possible for a more compact finish.

Step 8: Apply heat to the area that has been wrapped

To heat around the wrapped region, use the heating device included with the heat-shrink tubing package or a lighter. Be careful not to overheat the tube, since it can catch fire or melt. Use pliers or anything else that can shield your fingers from the heat as you do this.

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Fourth Method: Using Heat-Shrink Tubing (Repair with Soldering)

You will need the following items before you begin:

• Soldering iron
• Stripper/knife/cutter for wires
• Heat-shrink tubing / electrical tape
• fewer calories (or sandpaper)

Step 1: Begin by removing the wire

Remove the insulation to expose the wires inside. If you detect two wires that are entwined, carefully separate them using a knife/cutter. Remove the outside shielding by cutting it with a wire stripper (1/4′′ to 1/2′′ cuts). Continue cutting until you come upon a broken wire that needs to be repaired. The inside layer of the headphone cable may disclose wires of varying colors. In general, colored wires (red, green, blue, or copper) carry sound, while the ground wire is a single bare and uninsulated wire.

Step 2: Cut the wire

Cut the headphone wire if the wires inside are destroyed and threads are visible. This will make them more uniform and easier to work with.

Step 3: Sand the wires to expose the copper

Sand off the thin enamel covering on all wires, including the ground wire, before soldering. Using a sanding block, sand away until the copper is visible. If you don’t have any sandpaper, you can burn it off using a soldering iron or a lighter.

Step 4: Twist and solder together

Solder the connections after twisting the wires together. Melt a thin coat of solder over the wires with your soldering iron. Allow the wires and molten solder to cool completely.

Step 5: Wrap electrical tape around each wire with care

After the internal wires have completely cooled, wrap each bare wire with electrical tape to keep them from contracting and causing a short-circuit.

Step 6: Insert and heat the heat-shrink tubing to wrap the headphone cord securely

Insert the heat-shrink cover carefully into your headphone cable and apply enough heat to constrict it. This cover is designed to preserve and insulate your recently repaired headphone wire. If you don’t have heat-shrink tubing on hand, you can wrap the wires with electrical tape.

Fifth Method: Using Mould Sugru

Sugru Mouldable Glue is a silicone rubber-based moldable adhesive putty. This is great for DIY projects, mounting needs, electrical repairs, and so much more. It is moldable, flexible, long-lasting, waterproof, and insulating.

Here’s how to use it to mend frayed headphone wires:

Step 1: Clean the Wire

Isopropyl alcohol should be used to clean the region around the wire to remove any excess dust, debris, or oil. Pour a tiny amount of isopropyl alcohol onto a clean towel. Allow the area to dry after wiping it down.

Step 2: Mold the Sugru Mouldable Glue around the wire

Mouldable Sugru Glues, like playdough, are soft and pliable. Mold the material around the signal wire with your hands after rolling it in your fingers. You have about 30 minutes before the glue sets to shape and rearrange it as desired.

Step 3: Wait for 24 Hours

Allow the material to be set permanently by leaving it at room temperature for at least 24 hours.

Sixth Method: Using Cable Savers

If you’re not much of a do-it-yourselfer and need a quick and easy fix, consider these Jetec cable savers. These are mostly used to prevent having frayed wire. However, you can still place them on exposed wires to provide additional support and backup for your headphone cables.

You can put them to use by following these three simple steps:

Step 1: Select the appropriate cable saver size

These cable savers are available in a variety of sizes. Look for the size that will best fit your headphone cords.

Step 2: Wrap

Wrap the cable saver around the section of your headphones’ wire that is fraying.

Step 3: Adjust

Wrap the cable saver all the way to the end of the wire (where the headphones’ cord joins the plug) to ensure it stays securely in place.

Final Thoughts on How to Fix Headphones Wire?

Headphone wires are one of the most vulnerable components of any headphones, yet they are also one of the most disregarded. Your headphone wires are exposed to faster wear and tear with each tug, twist, and turn, leading them to fray or be entirely torn off.

Worse, if you take special care of your headphones, only to return home one day to discover them chewed out by your pets.

While headphone cables are still powered by electricity, they are powered at a very low voltage. The voltage level of these cables is determined by the impedance of the headphones.

They are, however, usually not high enough to induce electrocution. This implies that even if you unintentionally contact it, you will not feel anything.

Exposed Bluetooth headphones wires are more likely to cause a short circuit. This is common when the wire insulation is worn away or exposed.

Short circuits occur when an excessive amount of charge travels to an unexpected wire. It can lead to overheating, which might harm your Bluetooth headphone and audio source.

Not all broken items require urgent repair. A simple do-it-yourself repair can sometimes solve a problem. Nothing makes an audiophile happier than having a worry-free listening experience.

You can also try to purchase wireless headphones or earbuds if you want to avoid this kind of problems such as headphone jack problem, noise from your headphones, or even the radio shack or just simply choose headphone repair by using a lot of tools including a wire cutter to fix your earphone loose wire or damaged wires.

If your headphones are having any additional issues, please see our comprehensive article on how to fix broken expensive headphones.

We hope you found the information you were looking for in this article. We’d love to hear if you’ve successfully ‘saved’ your headphone wires following the tips above. Leave a comment here to tell us about your experience.

FAQs About Fixing Headphone Wires