Only One Bluetooth Earbud Works At a Time: (Reasons and Fixes)

Were you listening to music on your earbuds and suddenly you realize that only one Bluetooth earbud works at a time?

That’s why you are searching for solutions to fix Bluetooth earbuds when only one side works.

If yes, this article is for you.

Bluetooth earbuds come in pairs. You can connect them both or separately at a time.

But the problem arises when you want to play music on both of the earbuds but one earbud doesn’t work.

Don’t worry, I am here to provide you with all the possible reasons why only one Bluetooth earbud works at a time.

Not only that, I will give some 100% working solutions by which you can fix one earbud not working issue.

So keep reading the article till the end.

Quick Solution to Fix One Wireless Earbud Not Working

Here are some quick solutions for fixing one-sided Bluetooth earbud issues:

• Charge Both Earbuds: Ensure both earbuds are charged for at least 15 minutes.
• Clean Earbuds: Check for dirt or debris; gently clean with a dry cloth.
• Repair Damaged Cord: Use insulating tape to cover any damaged areas on wired earbuds.
• Proper Connection: Ensure wired earbuds are plugged in correctly or for wireless, check the pairing with the charging case.
• Check Other Devices: Disconnect from other Bluetooth devices that might be connected to the earbuds.
• Distance and Obstacles: Reduce distance and obstructions between the earbuds and the connected device.
• Reset Earbuds: Follow manufacturer instructions to reset the earbuds.
• Restart Device: Restart the device to clear any software issues.
• Re-pair Earbuds: Unpair and re-pair the earbuds with the audio device.
• Audio Settings: Ensure balanced audio settings on the device.
• Disable Sound Enhancements: Turn off special sound enhancements that might interfere with earbud functionality.
• Update Software and Drivers: Keep Windows and audio drivers updated to prevent issues.
• Check Audio Files: Verify the type of audio file being played.
• Consider Replacement: If all else fails, consider replacing the problematic earbud.

Hope this helps you swiftly tackle your 1 left earbud not working issues!

Also Read: How to Fix Broken Earbuds?

Only One Bluetooth Earbud Works at A Time

Let’s explore why one of your earbuds might not be working and how to get it fixed.

1. Low Battery in One Earbud

Wireless earbuds without cables have their batteries and require separate charging, which means their battery lives can differ.

Usually, one earbud (usually the right one) takes on more tasks, like handling the connection to your phone, while the other links to the first earbud.

Because of this, one might lose power quicker, leading to potential audio loss in that earbud.

To solve this, charge both earbuds for at least 15 minutes and then see if the problem is fixed.

If your sound problems are because the earbuds aren’t charging correctly, take a look at our guide for tips on getting them working again.

2. Dirty Earbuds

First, check that your earbuds are clean and dry. Sometimes, dirt, ear wax, or tiny fibers can block the sound from reaching your ears.

Take a moment to inspect your headphones for any debris.

If you spot any dirt or debris on the earbuds, gently wipe it away with a dry cloth.

If they’re wet, using a microfiber cloth can help absorb the moisture.

Microfiber cloths are designed specifically for this task and won’t leave behind extra fibers.

After using your earbuds, avoid stuffing them into pockets or bags, as this can cause issues. Consider using a case to keep them safe and clean.

3. Damaged Earbuds Cord

If one of your wired earbuds isn’t working, try using insulating tape to cover the damaged area and tidy up the cord.

This can help solve the problem of only one earbud working.

4. Earbud Jack Not Plugged in Properly

If your wired earbuds aren’t plugged in properly, you might face the problem of only one earbud working.

To fix it, try re-inserting them.

For wireless earbuds, if you encounter the same issue, ensure the charging case is paired correctly to solve the problem.

5. Other Bluetooth Devices

Typically, Bluetooth headphones usually link up with only one sender. In simpler terms, they can’t team up with two gadgets together.

Once they’re hooked to the iPad, these headphones won’t link with any other gadgets. This rule applies to many headphones.

However, some Bluetooth headphones have gotten better—they can link with multiple players at the same time.

So, if your Bluetooth headphones aren’t working, try unhooking them from another device.

It’s likely that your one-sided headphone is quite common.

Disconnecting will make the headphones go back to their original pairing setting. Then, you just have to pick the sender and connect again.

6. Distance Between Earbuds and Device

If your music suddenly sounds choppy because one of your headphones stops working while you’re listening, it might be due to distance from the transmitter or lots of things blocking the connection.

Normally, Bluetooth headphones can connect within 33 to 100 feet, but that’s in open spaces.

If there are too many obstacles or strong wifi signals around, it can mess with the connection.

To fix this, try getting closer to the transmitter and your Bluetooth headphones. Also, try to avoid other things that create signals.

7. Earbuds Need Reset

Different earbuds have different ways to do this. You might want to check the manual or find an online guide for your specific earbuds.

(We have guides for many top brands like Beats, Skullcandy, Sony, and more — so use the search bar above if you need them!)

Usually, holding down the power button for a while can reset them. Other times, you might need to press a certain set of buttons to reset the earbuds.

Putting the earbuds in the charging case and taking them out can also work like a gentle reset.

Also Read: What to do if my Earbuds are disconnecting frequently?

8. Device Need Restart

A quick solution is to restart your device. As time goes by, your device collects lots of stuff it doesn’t need and tasks running in the background, which can make it slower and cause issues.

Restarting clears all that out and makes it work better.

Just turning it off isn’t the same as giving your slow device a fresh start. When you shut it down, the processes don’t stop, they just take a nap.

Restarting your device closes all the apps that are running and erases all the temporary storage, kind of like giving it a nice reset.

This might help if your sound problem pops up after a software update because, during this reset, certain parts get changed or removed.

9. Pairing Issues

Your earbuds should connect to each other before connecting to your phone or another device playing sound.

Sometimes, one earbud might disconnect and not work, even though they usually link up on their own.

To solve this fast, unpair the earbuds, then pair them again before connecting to the device playing sound.

How to pair them might be different based on the model, but usually, you just have to briefly put the earbuds back in their charging case before pairing again.

Follow these steps:

• Put the Bluetooth earbuds in their charging case.
• Close the lid briefly (around 5-10 seconds).
• Open the charging case and take out the earbuds.
• As they restart, the left and right earbuds will automatically connect to each other.
• Pair the earbuds with your audio device and check if these steps fix the issue.

10. Imbalanced Audio Setting

At times, your Bluetooth speakers might have one side not working properly due to an audio imbalance.

To make sure you hear sound from both sides, set the slider in your phone, PC, or tablet’s audio settings in the middle.

Certain devices allow volume adjustments for each earbud. If you prefer, you can silence or lower the volume of individual earbuds.

If one earbud isn’t making any sound, you can tweak the volume for that side.

Fixing sound imbalances of earbuds is simple.

Step 1: Go to settings.

Step 2: Access Additional settings.

Step 3: Scroll down and select Accessibility.

Step 4: Click on the Hearing option in the top menu.

Step 5: Make sure the Audio balance slider is set to the middle.

How to adjust the stereo sound on an iPhone:

Step 1: Open Settings, then tap Accessibility (or for older iPhones, go to Settings, then General, then Accessibility).

Step 2: Find and tap Audio/Visual.

Step 3: Make sure the slider is halfway between L and R (for older iPhones, it’s under Hearing).

Step 4: If it’s not in the middle, move the slider so it’s between L and R.

Step 5: You’ll see the Mono Audio option in the list. Turn off Mono Audio by toggling the switch.

How to adjust the stereo sound balance on Mac:

Step 1: Click on System Preferences, then choose Sound, and go to Output.

Step 2: Look for your earbuds or headphones in the menu that appears and select them.

Step 3: Make sure the slider is in the middle, between L and R.

Step 4: To find the Mono Audio checkbox, go to System Preferences, then Accessibility.

Step 5: Scroll down to find Mono Audio, then uncheck the box.

11. Sound Enhancements Setting

Turning on special sound improvements in Windows, like boosting bass or creating surround sound, can make things sound better.

But sometimes, these changes can cause trouble with your headphones, making one side stop playing sound.

To solve this problem:

1. Open Settings.
2. Select the System from the left menu.
3. Click Sound.
4. Scroll down and select More sound settings.
5. Double-click on your audio device in the Playback tab.
6. In the Advanced tab, uncheck the box that says “Enable audio improvements“. Then, click Apply and OK.

12. Outdated Software and Drivers

Outdated software and drivers might make your sound card act up, causing sound issues like your computer not finding your headphones or only hearing sound in one ear.

Make sure to keep your Windows operating system and audio drivers updated to prevent this.

To update your Windows, follow these steps:

• Open Settings and go to Windows Update.
• Click on Check for Updates.
• After the updates are downloaded, you can install them.

Here’s how you can update your audio drivers:

• Click the Start menu icon in the bottom corner, then pick Device Manager.
• Double-click on Sound, video, and game controllers.
• Right-click your audio device and choose Update driver.

13. Audio File Issue

Your earbuds might not play all the sounds. To understand better, take a look at the manual from the manufacturer and the specifications of your earbuds.

Many of you might encounter an issue where one side of your earbuds plays certain sounds while the other side doesn’t.

This can be quite puzzling. What many people don’t realize is that sometimes, they’re listening to Mono tracks, which only play on one side of the earbuds’s speakers.

These kinds of audio files are designed to play on just one side of the headset.

This might lead you to mistakenly believe that the other side of the headset isn’t working.

So, don’t worry if one side of your earbuds is working fine. Just make sure to check the type of track you’re listening to.

14. One Earbud is Damaged

If none of the suggestions mentioned help, your best bet is to swap out your old earbud for a new one.

Doing this should effectively resolve the problem of one earbud not working.

Also Read: How To Fix Bose Earbuds Battery Will Not Charge?

FAQ: Frequently Asked Questions

Conclusion

In conclusion, if you find only one of your earbuds work at a time, don’t panic.

Check for all the possible reasons as I mentioned. Once you find the reason, go for the solution I have provided in this article.

I hope this article will be helpful to you. If you like this article then please do share.

If you have any questions, do comment in the comment section. I will try my best to solve your problem.

Keep visiting our website “EarbudsMag” to get earbuds related posts. Thank you.