Your Headphone Jack Isn’t Broken, There’s Just Lint In It

If you put your phone in your pocket or your belly button, there is a very good chance that there is lint in your headphone jack. Even if it doesn't look like there is lint in your headphone jack, there's still probably lint in there, because you've been repeatedly packing dark colored fuzz into a dark hole and you just can't see it.

I have put together this informative blogging post because in the last couple months, three separate Motherboard employees have been all like, "I need to get a new phone [and/or headphones] because my headphone jack isn't working." And then I have said, "No, you just have lint in there. Stop putting your phone in your belly button."

In all three instances, I was right—turns out there is also a lot of lint in pockets, backpacks, etc. My reward? The opportunity to publish this piece of service journalism. (Full disclosure: The first Motherboard employee who I had this enlightening conversation with was myself. It was a difficult internal monologue.)

Removing the lint from your headphone jack is a rewarding experience; you'll probably be shocked with the sheer volume of lint that can fit inside there. Here is an image of the lint I removed from my coworker's phone, reproduced from above for dramatic effect:

That's a lot of lint!!!!

I have found that needles or safety pins are your best weapons here, so procure one and let's GET LINT. You are going to want to stick it in the jack and recklessly and without abandon yet still gently scrape around in there. It's not a hard task, but it does take perseverance. After you get started, a flashlight from a friend's phone can help reveal lint that's been dislodged but not removed from the jack. Again: Sometimes you can't even see the lint with a flashlight because it blends in very well with the inside of the headphone jack. Remain vigilant and be thorough!

If you are thinking right now, "I have an iPhone 7 and therefore have no headphone jack," let me tell you something before you cast aspersions: There could be lint in your lightning port. It's happened to me. It could happen to you.