Last Updated: on September 26, 2023 by Jack
It’s both frustrating and confusing when you plug your headphones into your phone jack, and the phone starts acting crazy. Headphones being plugged in can cause many issues with the phone that indicate a problem somewhere.
Some of the most common issues that plugging your headphones into your phone can cause are:
- Volume changing randomly
- Skipping tracks or playing/pausing music
- Screen turns itself on
- Changing to internal speaker
- Opening apps such as Spotify, Siri or Google Assistant
There are a few different reasons why these issues can be happening. Here’s how to troubleshoot the problem and stop the phone from acting crazy and doing random actions.
Dirty or Clogged Headphone Jack
The main culprit is usually the phone’s headphone jack itself, which needs a bit of a clean.
A common problem is dust, debris or lint filling up the phone jack and causing a poor connection between the phone and the headphones. Bad contact can easily cause the phone to start acting weird.
Start by giving the jack a bit of a clean to clear any obstructions with something soft or using compressed air. A cotton bud, small pin, or paperclip will suffice as long as you’re gentle and don’t force them too far in, causing further issues.
A complete cleanout isn’t required; just a few simple swirls inside the phone jack work wonders. You can then try plugging the headphones back in to see if the phone starts behaving properly.
If the problem persists without sounding condescending, double-check that the headphones are going right the way into the phone socket. If the headphones keep popping back out even slightly, it can cause the phone to start acting randomly. Check out our article on how to stop headphones popping out if you’re having this issue.
Issues with Button Controllers
Earphone inline controllers are another major culprit in causing phones to act crazy, as many different functionalities can cause issues or confuse them. Not recognising or sending the right signals will be evident, as the phone will produce audio and other related issues mentioned further up.
The issue can be physical, where it’s something as simple as a stuck button on the remote or even a loose controller wire. Earphone controllers with built-in microphones are notoriously bad for causing problems.
Check the buttons aren’t stuck, especially the microphone one. Also, a damaged or worn-out microphone cable will certainly cause the phone to start acting strange by sending the wrong signals to it.
You can even get a sort of phantom issue with some headphones where the phone thinks it’s receiving signals from a controller that isn’t even present. The cause of this could be wrong phone settings or a non-compatible or damaged set of earphones.
Either check your phone’s settings to disable any inline remote controllers or try a different set of earphones altogether.
Headphones Are Damaged
Though we mentioned the microphone wire being potentially damaged, it could just as easily be the headphones or earphones themselves causing the issue.
Loose, frayed, or damaged cabling in any way will either cause the phone to flip out and do random stuff, or the earphones will simply give out the wrong sound experience.
Damaged wires are the most obvious cause, but the actual headphone unit themselves could be faulty from purchase. One thing to note is that the internal wiring of some headphones might be slightly outdated and not designed to work with newer phone ports.
The simple solution is to try a different set of headphones or plug them into another device to rule them out as the issue. Most newer phones use Bluetooth, which you can use with a wireless set of earbuds or similar to see if that bypasses any wired issues.
Software, Settings or App Issues
If you’ve eliminated the possibility of it being headphones or the jack, something could be happening with the phone’s settings or software, causing the erratic behaviour.
First, check any recent apps you’ve downloaded or opened and close or remove them to see if that resolves the problem. Some apps can cause conflicts with the phone in general or even mess around with the audio settings.
Browse through the phone’s audio settings to see if there’s a potential headphone mode or any other similar settings that you can adjust to halt the problem.
If you are using an iPhone, then you’ll want to ensure it’s not stuck in headphone mode, which can be resolved fairly easily by following the video tutorial below:
It sounds like generic advice, but check your phone for a software update. Sometimes, the issue can be something as simple as outdated software playing havoc with your phone and producing all sorts of weird problems.
Search up your phone model online to see if there are any well-known audio issues related to headphones on forums, YouTube, blogs and the manufacturer’s website. If you have a user manual, then have a look at it to see if it can assist you with any settings you can adjust to stop the phone acting up when headphones are inserted.
The Phone Needs Repaired or Replaced
If none of the troubleshooting steps above resolve the issue, then it could be a hardware problem with your phone’s audio circuitry or headphone jack. No matter what you try, wired headphones or earphones will cause it to trip out unless repaired.
It’s the absolute last thing you want to hear, but if it’s broken, the first thing to do is contact the phone’s manufacturer for assistance. They’ll be able to best advise you on how to get it repaired or replaced.
If the manufacturer isn’t very cooperative, then a local mobile phone repair centre is your next best bet if you’ve got the cash for it. You shouldn’t be looking at too much money for a jack port fix, though we realise it still might not be an option for everyone.
As mentioned further up, you can always opt to use a pair of Bluetooth wireless headphones or earphones to bypass the whole port issue altogether.