Samsung Galaxy S4 Headset Not Working [Troubleshooting Guide]

One of the accessories of the Samsung Galaxy S4 that could easily be damaged is the headset. It is because it’s often used and the cable could easily be damaged especially if not handled delicately. Majority of the users who complained about having experienced this kind of problem said the issue can often be found on the headset itself, although others say the headphone jack could also be blamed.

Damages to the headphones and cable are repairable, however, the physical appearance could deteriorate considerably; the cable will be slit open and taped while the headphones would be forcibly popped open. Owners experiencing this problem are advised to troubleshoot it for them to know where the problem lies. If the troubleshooting is successful, owners would have the option to buy a new headset or send their Galaxy S4 for repair.

Reported Problems

The following are some of the emails we received about problems with Samsung Galaxy S4 headset.

No audio coming out of the headphones but the microphone is working

When I play audio, I can’t hear any sound through the headphones. I’m using the original headset that comes with the phone. The funny thing is that the microphone is just fine because I can record my voice using it. Any insight on this? 

Microphone is working fine and only one headphone sounds off

Whatever I do, I just can’t fix the problem I’m experiencing right now. Only one among the two headphones sounds off when I play any audio on my Galaxy S4. However, the mic is okay because when I call someone, he can just hear me fine. Any suggestions would be appreciated. 

Headphones and microphone are not working

I don’t know if it’s just a cable issue but for days now my headset is totally busted. I mean, there is no sound coming out of the headphones and the mic can’t be used to record audio. Do you guys happen to know a solution for this problem? 

Headphones are working, microphone is not

Just last week, callers on the other end of the line can’t hear me no more but I can hear them well on my headphones. So, I assume the microphone has issues but the headphones are just fine. Is this problem sounds familiar to you Droid Guys? 

Troubleshooting Steps

Again, the purpose of this post will be to help you identify what the problem is or where it lies. However, we cannot provide a real resolution considering that if the problem is with the headset you would probably buy a new one or if it’s with the phone, you’ll be sending it for repair.

Defective headphones, fine microphone. Basically, there are four wires inside the coating of the headset cable; a wire for the left headphone, one for right headphone and one for the microphone. These three components share only one ground wire. In this case, it could be that both the wires of the left and the right headphones were cut off leaving the microphone to work perfectly despite what happened. There is also a possibility that the connectors for both have the problem and not their wires.

To test if it was the cable that was damaged, you can plug the headphone into any device that has a 3.5mm headphone jack. If it’s okay, you should hear audio, otherwise, you might consider purchasing another headset for your premium phone. On a side note, accessories are not always covered by warranty so you can’t claim one even if it wasn’t your fault the headset was damaged.

Only one headphone is working with the microphone. Like the previous problem, there is a possibility that the wire is the culprit and if it were the case, you would also end up buying a new accessory. Another possibility is that there could just corrosions on the connector, thus, you must wipe it off with a clean cloth. Try to squeeze the wire near the headphone that does not work and listen for some static while you do such. If you can hear some, then it’s just a loose connection it might just be repaired.

Headphones and microphone are not working. This is more complicated than it usually is. However, before you go into troubleshooting any further, try to check if the volume slider was set to audible level because it could be just that the phone was muted. While the connector is plugged in to the headphone jack, try to turn it a slowly to see if you could somehow hear an audio even if it’s just a static. Static means it’s just a loose connection and it could be fixed.

On the other hand, try plugging in your headset to another device to see if produces audio. If it does, then there is a problem with the headphone jack. To confirm that, you may plug in another headset or headphones into your phone and if it doesn’t sound off, send the phone for repair. This time, you may be able to claim warranty.

Headphones work, microphone doesn’t. Make sure you set the mic volume to audible level and start recording audio using your phone’s built-in microphone. If you can record, then there’s no problem with the software or the app you’re using to record. Now try to record audio using your headset while setting all levels to full, if you can produce a recording, then it could have been just a temporary device problem. If you can’t, then it is more likely a hardware problem among others. Send your phone to be checked by a technician.

Tell us your phone problems

The solutions we provided here are based on reports and testimonies from owners who have encountered these problems. I also ask my XDA developer friends regarding some of the problems. Now if you have other problems or questions with your smartphone that you want answered, don’t hesitate to send us email at [email protected].

We don’t guarantee a reply to all emails because we receive hundreds of them daily, but rest assured your email messages will be read by me. But I urge you to provide as much details as possible so I could easily find references and compare your problems with reports from other owners. If your problem is as common as others, there could already be solutions that exist and I would surely point you to them. Screenshots often help so attach one if you can.