LED in Headphone Jack glowing red!?

I recently had my headphones plugged in and when I pulled the plug out of it an LED turned on right inside the actual jack itself.
Since then I cannot control the volume level of my mac via the keyboard/volume meter on the actual bar. I am able to mute the sound but when the little volume level window shows up in the middle of the screen there is a little "( \ )" picture underneath it.
I've never seen this happen before, if you know how to fix this issue please post ASAP, thanks.

Hello and Welcome to Apple Discussions. 
Unlike the older iMac G4 (Flat Panel) the iMac G5s and iMac Intels have Optical Digital Audio ports inside their standard 3.5mm Audio ports. Unfortunately many of us hear (pun intended) aren't familar with the iMac you have so you'll need to post elsewhere.
G4 (Flat Panel; 700MHz - 1.25GHz): G5 (1.6 - 2.1GHz):
The only thing I could suggest is to go Apple Menu > System Preferences... > Sound > ... and check that you aren't set to digital output or something similar....
kind regards
mrtotes

Similar Messages

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    you can fix this by "cleaning" the audio jack. the computer thinks that a digital output is connected. if you go to sound under system preferences, and it says digital output rather than internal speakers, then this is the problem.
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    http://discussions.apple.com/thread.jspa?messageID=3700681&#3700681
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  • Headphone jack has red light

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    There is a micro switch that can get stuck....use your headphone plug and try plugging and unplugging it several times.....there have been numerous threads about the problem...you might also try using 'Search Discussions'...enter 'Red Light'
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  • Headphone jack displaying red light

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    It means your digital audio out has switched on. You can insert a plastic toothpick in the hole and try and switch it off. The switch should be at the 3 o'clock position and go towards the 6 o'clock position. Some people also have had luck inserting their headphone jack and pulling out a few times. Another recent report was that inserting the headphone jack and turning it in the hole helped.
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  • Headphone minijack - glowing red

    Wondering if anyone has any ideas as to why I've lost a factory default on my System / Sound Preferences. There is no more "analog (built in speakers)" option to speak of and Audio Midi Setup doesn't recognize the internal speakers on the laptop either.

    you can fix this by "cleaning" the audio jack. the computer thinks that a digital output is connected. if you go to sound under system preferences, and it says digital output rather than internal speakers, then this is the problem.
    I used a tightly rolled up piece of toilet paper to clean the jack. I twisted it up, stuck it in the jack, and then moved it around for a while. the red light went off and my internal speakers started working. someone else used a toothpick.
    also, before i fixed this, i couldn't turn the volume up or down (unless i was using headphones) and the volume level screen that shows up on the screen had a circle with a line thru it...like the no smoking signs, but small and just under the volume bars.
    http://discussions.apple.com/thread.jspa?messageID=3700681&#3700681
    good luck

  • Sound jack glowing red

    Hello,
    So since a week, my sound jack is giving me a red light. I did some research on it, and what came out is that the sound jack is probably stuck and that if you put a toothpick in it gently it will be all good.
    But this wasn't the case with me, so I did more research. And I saw a post with a few tips. Nothing worked but there was 1 last tip, run a repair disk with the install CD. I tried that and it said that it couldn't be repaired and had to reinstall osX (I couldn't mount it anymore). So I reinstalled osX and even now the sound jack will turn red when hearing music.
    My biggest fear is that it's a hardware problem, and I have to give it to an apple centre. They didn't do a good job a few months ago, they fixed 1 hardware problem but caused 100 software problems. So yeah, I don't like the apple care thing.
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    Greetings Robin.

    I've had this intermittent issue on my 2009 MBP for years now, it comes and goes and I've never had any issues with sound whatsoever, both through speakers and through the port itself. I wouldn't worry about it, especially if it isn't causing any issues.

  • No sound, stuck on digital audio output, red LED only sometimes, headphone jack doesn't "grab" male end

    Borrowing my boyfriend's computer after my own Macbook died, he had given up on the audio on his Macbook Pro as a logic board issue but I think it might be fixable.
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    Possibly create a new user profile to test if it is a software issue. If it still has problems once tested on another profile it is most likely a hardware fault, and the only option is to take it to Apple. Honestly though it sounds more hardware related due to the power outage impacting it's performance instead of a program. Good luck buddy.

  • No sound from internal speakers, red glowing light in headphone jack

    Okay. Have seen a few posts on this topic, but scattered symptoms, resolutions and ideas. Here is my timeline and plan:
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    I have had the same syptoms as the above people in my PowerBook and was hating life without sound. i got to thinking about what earlier people had posted and concluded it could not be a software problem, that it had to be a hardware problem. I thought, maybe the headphone jack was just dirty, you know, plugging headphones/speakers in and out of the computer many times, it could have just gotten dirty. If I just clean it with rubbing alcohol, maybe that will do the trick. It did! I have been going two days and am doing great!
    THE BOTTOMLINE!
    Clean the headphone jack out! I used a q-tip and rubbing alcohol. (I have found that making my own q-tip with a toothpick and a small amount of cotton works better because it is thinner than the stick for a q-tip. Just twist the cotton to the edge of the toothpick.)
    For all you people out there who try this and it works for you post for other people so they can be more confident that it does work.

  • Is it dangerous to look at the red light in the headphone jack?

    I recently purchased an early 2009 model white MacBook. Today I was installing Windows on it and I noticed a red light coming out of the headphone jack. I thought there must be an LED in there to help you locate it in the dark. I was curious about it so I crouched down next to the computer and looked inside the jack to see what the deal was.
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    Thank you both for your replies.
    GfulDedFan wrote:
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    GfulDedFan wrote:
    As far as harmful rays, I doubt that it would be harmful because I've read about this audio problem before but never with a cornea damage attached to it.
    I did look inside the jack directly at the light. I think it might be the retina that would be at risk if anything, but in any case, I sure hope nothing was damaged.
    JoeyR wrote:
    The power for the lasers used for digital audio is very low.
    Is it a laser?
    JoeyR wrote:
    Especially if you didn't find it uncomfortably bright.
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    JoeyR wrote:
    If you've ever, even very briefly, had a low power laser pointer hit your eye, you'd realize it is super bright.
    Fortunately I haven't, but someone who did have a laser pointer aimed at their eye told me they noticed it when they felt a burning sensation on their eye.
    JoeyR wrote:
    Any damage would almost always be nearly immediate. If you haven't had a problem, you're fine.
    Do you think any damage would be readily apparent right away, in the form of pronounced discomfort or noticeable vision problem?

  • Internal speakers suddenly will not unmute.  My headphones work, and there is a red light coming from the headphone jack

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    No, not forceful - gentle.
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