Cleaning the Headphone Jack?

I just noticed some grey/black parts inside of the headphone jacks of all my iPods.
I think they result from the repeated plugging in and out of the headphones.
1. Do you have that, too?
2. Should I clean it or better leave it as it is?

Anybody else having dark spots on the inside of the headphone jack?

Similar Messages

How do I properly clean the headphone jack?

My headphones started to short out a couple weeks ago and at first I thought it might be the headphone jack itself on my iTouch. Even though I figured out it was the headphones, I decided it probably wouldn't be a bad idea to clean out the headphone jack itself. Does anyone have any suggestions about how to do this properly? I don't know if a q-tip is safe but I also don't think it will fit...
Any knowledge on this would be great!

A regular 3.5 jack to jack won't cut it. You need something like this DIY iRig or a dedicated product.
tt2

My daughtrts ipad 2 only recognises headphones. and the internal speaker will not work. we have reset the system three times, cleaned out the headphone jack, and chrckrd the side switch above the volume. alos we ensured it was not in do not disturb mode

On our ipad the speaker has quit working. Sound is only heard when you have head phones plugged in. We have reset the system three times cleaned out the headphone jack. Changed languages and rest but nothing works. This ipad is important to our daughter it is her tool to communicate with us and now it is not working please help

You've done well with troubleshooting so far. Next step would be to back up and then restore from iTunes. Good luck!

My headphones suddenly won't fit into the headphone jack on the 1st generation ipod touch

Has anyone had the problem where the headphones would only go about 3/4-way into the jack on the ipod touch? I tried cleaning out the jack but there's no lint or dust that I could get out with a qtip or blowing air. Any suggestions?

Could there be a tip from another set of headphones stuck in the headphone jack?
Have you tried another pair of headphones?
Does the plug look OK?

Do i have to send my iPod in if the headphone jack isn't working?

do i have to send my iPod in if the headphone jack isn't working?

- Try cleaning out/blowing out the headphone jack. Try inserting/removing the plug a dozen times or so.
Try the following to rule out a software problem
- Check also Settings > General > Accessibility > Hearing. Make sure that the sound balance is not set all the way to "R".
- Reset the iPod. Nothing will be lost
Reset iPod touch: Hold down the On/Off button and the Home button at the same time for at
least ten seconds, until the Apple logo appears.
- Reset all settings
Go to Settings > General > Reset and tap Reset All Settings.
All your preferences and settings are reset. Information (such as contacts and calendars) and media (such as songs and videos) aren’t affected.
- Restore from backup
- Restore to factory settings/new iPod.
- Make an appointment at the Genius Bar of an Apple store. Seems you have a bad headphone jack.
Apple Retail Store - Genius Bar
Apple will exchange your iPod for a refurbished one for this price. They do not fix yours.
Apple - iPod Repair price
A third-party place like the following will replace the jack for less. Google for more.
iPhone Repair, Service & Parts: iPod Touch, iPad, MacBook Pro Screens
Replace the jack yourself
iPod Touch Repair – iFixit

Why does my volume control on my iPod touch only work when i have Earbuds or Headphones or a speaker connected to the headphone jack, and not also when there is nothing in the jack?

I can't adjust the volume of the iPod Touch when it has nothing plugged into the headphones jack, but i can adjust it when i have earbuds or headphones or a speaker ;plugged into the iPod Touch

Try cleaning out/blowing out the headphone jack. Insert/remove the the headphone plug a dozen times or so.
Try the following to rule out a software problem.:
- Reset the iPod. Nothing will be lost
Reset iPod touch: Hold down the On/Off button and the Home button at the same time for at
least ten seconds, until the Apple logo appears.
- Reset all settings
Go to Settings > General > Reset and tap Reset All Settings.
All your preferences and settings are reset. Information (such as contacts and calendars) and media (such as songs and videos) aren’t affected.
- Restore from backup
- Restore to factory settings/new iPod.
- Make an appointment at the Genius Bar of an Apple store since you likely have a hardware problem. Could be a bad headphone jack.
Apple Retail Store - Genius Bar

How do I clean the ear jack???

When the ear/headphones are in the iPod's ear jack, it does send sound to the right ear piece. How could I clean the ear jack without sending it to apple?

- Try blowing it out
- Insert/remove the headphone plug a dozen or so times.
- Insert a plastic or wood stick the size of the plug. However, be careful not to break it off inside the jack
If the jack needs replacement Apple will only exchange your iPod for a refurbished one for this price:
Apple - Support - iPod - Repair pricing
A third-party place will replace the jack for less. Here is one place:
iPhone Repair, Service & Parts: iPod Touch, iPad, MacBook Pro Screens

The music sound from my i pod is muffled through my headphone.. does the headphone jack need replacing

Iv had my ipod for few years.. now the sound through the headphone is muffled i brought new ones but the sound is still the same.. does the headphne jack need changing and how much will it cost ?

- Try cleaning out/blowing out the headphone jack. Try inserting/removing the plug a dozen times or so.
Try the following to rule out a software problem
- Check also Settings > General > Accessibility > Hearing. Make sure that the sound balance is not set all the way to "R".
- Reset the iPod. Nothing will be lost
Reset iPod touch: Hold down the On/Off button and the Home button at the same time for at
least ten seconds, until the Apple logo appears.
- Reset all settings
Go to Settings > General > Reset and tap Reset All Settings.
All your preferences and settings are reset. Information (such as contacts and calendars) and media (such as songs and videos) aren’t affected.
- Restore from backup
- Restore to factory settings/new iPod.
- Make an appointment at the Genius Bar of an Apple store. Seems you have a bad headphone jack.
Apple Retail Store - Genius Bar
Apple will exchange your iPod for a refurbished one for this price. They do not fix yours.
Apple - iPod Repair price
A third-party place like the following will replace the jack for less. Google for more.
iPhone Repair, Service & Parts: iPod Touch, iPad, MacBook Pro Screens
Replace the jack yourself
iPod Touch Repair – iFixit

I dropped my iPod 5 in water and it says that I have headphones in it when I don't how do I get the water out of the headphone jack ?

I dropped my iPod 5 in water and it says that I have my headphones in but I don't how do I get the water out often headphone hole ?

- Try cleaning out/blowing out the headphone jack. Try inserting/removing the plug a dozen times or so.
Try the following to rule out a software problem
- Reset the iPod. Nothing will be lost
Reset iPod touch: Hold down the On/Off button and the Home button at the same time for at
least ten seconds, until the Apple logo appears.
- Reset all settings
Go to Settings > General > Reset and tap Reset All Settings.
All your preferences and settings are reset. Information (such as contacts and calendars) and media (such as songs and videos) aren’t affected.
- Restore from backup
- Restore to factory settings/new iPod.
- Make an appointment at the Genius Bar of an Apple store. Seems you have a bad headphone jack.
Apple Retail Store - Genius Bar
If not under warranty Apple will exchange your iPod for a refurbished one for this price. They do not fix yours.
Apple - iPod Repair price
A third-party place like the following will replace the jack for less. Google for more.
iPhone Repair, Service & Parts: iPod Touch, iPad, MacBook Pro Screens
Replace the jack yourself
iPod Touch Repair – iFixit

No sound on my mac book and a red light in the headphone jack

as in the title,
The sound controls dont work and I have a constant red light out of the earphone jack, with the earphones in all is okay but without ....silence

The red light is the digital in light, that is how it reads the headphone jack. The reason the sound doesn't work is because a switch to turn the speakers back on is stuck (note that if you boot the computer, you will hear the startup tone).
There are several ways to fix this...
Some have found that putting the headphone plug in and out several times (maybe twisting it a little) will work.
Others have used a toothpick to adjust the switch (I don't advise this because the toothpick may break).
Instead of a toothpick, many have used a paperclip (probably best to use an insulated one). I couldn't get this to work, but I would suggest straightening, folding in half, then twisting the paperclip and moving it around in the port.
You can also use a sewing pen/needle.
I have seen all of these methods online, but they didn't work for me. I took a que from this instrucable and cleaned my jack with a dry q-tip. I then cut off most of the end and turned it around inside the port. This worked, but after I put the headphones back in the same problem came up, I just did the same procedure again and it worked again (even after I plugged the headphones back in and took them out).
PS: I woud suggest putting some q-tips and possibly some scissors in your MacBook bag in case the problem arises on the move.

I have an ipod touch 4th gen ... love it .. but only one problem... the headphone jack is giving trouble.... help me plz!!

i have an ipod touch 4th gen ... love it .. but only one problem... the headphone jack is giving trouble.... help me plz!!

Have you verified that it is the headphone jack that is the problem by trying opther sets of headphones?
Have you tried cleaning the jack by using a QTip or similar ite?
If you confirmed that the headphone jack is the problem Apple will ony exchange the iPod for $99, $149 or $1999 depending upon the capacity.
A third-party place like the following is less expensive. Google for other places.
iPhone Repair, Service & Parts: iPod Touch, iPad, MacBook Pro Screens

My ipod touch is having problems with the headphone jack when I rotate a little song stops

my ipod touch is having problems with the headphone jack when I rotate a little song stops

Hey Silverdemon, sounds like a short, most likely in the headphones. Try a different set of headphones with this iPod or try the headphones with a different device. If the problem stops with your iPod or it moves to another device, then replace the headphones. If within 1 year of date of purchase Apple will replace the headphones for free if problem is a defect, not abuse. If the problem continues with a different set of headphones, check the port for damage and foreign debris. If you note debris, attempt to remove it, if damage noted contact Apple and set up an appointment to have it evaluated. if nothing appears wrong, try plugging / unplugging to jack about 12 times maybe corrosion on the contacts if so that should clean it. Next thing to try reset your iPod. After that try restore from backup. Last resort, restore to new. Just make sure you make a full backup to your computer before you restore so no data is lost. If nothing works, contact Apple and set up an appointment to have your iPod evaluated. Good luck, Cheers.

My Macbook Pro speakers aren't working and the headphone jack is emitting a red light when I try to play something with sound. HELP!

The question says it all. It worked perfectly last night and stopped working this morning. A whole day has gone by and the speakers still don't work. I've plugged in headphones and that works.
When I try to increase volume or decrease volume, it shows me the mute sign which makes no sense at all. When I try to unmute, it stays muted.
HELP I'M ON THE VERGE OF BREAKING THIS P.O.S. LAPTOP

SO I just now had the same problem. A million threads online suggested to try inserting headphones, toothpicks, or even qtips to try and switch the "switch" inside the headphone jack. Everyone had great results from using the toothpick method. Well that didn't work for me. here's what FINALLY WORKED!!--> I wrapped a toothpick in fashion tape (fashion tape is basically stretchy double sided tape. If you don't have any ask some girls and someone will have). My thought was that maybe this "switch" didn't need to be flicked or pushed like a button. Maybe it was stuck in like a button that has been pushed in. I used the sticky toothpick to pull up the button/switch. Basically, take the toothpick and pressdown on the switch (supposedly the botton is inside the jack at the 6 or 7-0clock position) and then press the toothpick away (so that you are pushing in the opposite direction [1-oclock]). do this multiple times so you're flicking the toothpick back and forth. Just make sure you press firmly enough in the 6-oclock position so the tape can get stuck to the button.
Two tips for this method:
1) I had tried a manicure q-tip first, which in hindsight could've cleaned out the headphone jack, facilitating a surface that can get stuck to the fashion tape effectively.
2) You can see in the photo attached that I wrapped the tape on the toothpick a little past the edge so that there was extra tape on the end of the toothpick. That was (and this is just my theory) to make up for the fact that toothpicks have a tapered end. I figured that having this extra loose bit of tape at the end would allow me to reacch into any nook or crany of the headphone jack where this mysterious "button" might be lurking.

Cleaning dirty headphone jack?

I am the owner of a 3rd gen iPod. Recently, the headphone jack has been cutting out a bit when the plug gets moved around, most likely a dirty/scratchy jack. Does anybody know if regular electrical contact cleaner spray can be used on the iPod? I've never heard of any type of jack, pot, or electrical connection that couldn't be cleaned with the the spray, but I just wanted to make sure.
thanks!

Good post! I had a problem similar to this a while back with my Eris where the headphone icon would stay in the notification bar. I had to use basically the same solution (I think I used a toothpick, though a Q-Tip is probably safer). I do find it funny that you blew into the hole, as I did the same thing, also being a former NES player. Why did that always work?!?

How do i use the headphone jack as an input on a macbook pro 9,2.... the option just isn't in the sound app.

how do i use the headphone jack as an input on a macbook pro 9,2.... the option just isn't in the sound app.
all i have is the internal mic option, can anyone help?
thanks

You should also ask this in the MacBook Pro forum. This is the forum for the white and black plastic MacBooks that were discontinued in 2010. You should also post this question there to increase your chances of getting an answer.
https://discussions.apple.com/community/notebooks/macbook_pro

Cleaning the Headphone Jack?

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