Earbuds are one of the most popular audio accessories on the market. They’re convenient and trendy and give you a sense of freedom that regular headphones can’t offer. Why do earbuds keep falling out? This blog post will explore possible reasons why this might be happening and how to fix it. There are many reasons why earbuds fall out, depending on the model you’re rocking and other variables. Let’s analyze them one by one.
What’s the difference between earbuds and regular headphones?
You should never confuse earbuds and headphones. Earbuds are the smallest type of earphones. They fit directly in your ears, hence their name, “in-ear headphones.” On the other hand, regular over-the-head or on-ear headphones do not go inside your ears but cover them instead.
Earbuds are popular because they are versatile and can be used with almost any portable electronic device for listening to music, watching movies, or playing video games. They’re great when you go out because they do not take up much space in your pocket or bag.
They’re also very convenient for doing sports like running, walking or cycling. You can wear them without discomfort; they don’t fall out as quickly as regular headphones. But sometimes they fall, and it’s annoying. Here are some possible causes.
Do your earbuds keep falling out? Here are some possible reasons
1. Everyone has different ear shapes.
Human ear shapes are as diverse as face shapes, and that’s why custom-made headphones exist. But you don’t need to visit the audiologist for a pricey visit if your budget does not allow it. Sometimes the design was not meant to work with your ears, and that’s a shame.
Try them in the store before buying them, or ask a friend to lend them for a few hours if possible. There should be a return policy in case you don’t like the fit, so use it wisely and find out if your earbuds fall out easily before spending money on something that doesn’t work for you.
2. Due to the ear tips’ material/shape/size
The material and shape of the ear tips play a crucial role in keeping your earbuds from falling. If they’re too big, they won’t fit inside your ears properly or will hurt them after some time. You can try silicone, which is soft and pliable but not as stiff as rubber. Also, if you have a unique shape to your ears, sometimes custom-made models are better because manufacturers cannot consider every possible human ear variation when designing their products for mass production.
To fix this, choose the right ear tips from the ones that come with your earbuds. If the company lets you do it, try to change them for a different size or material.
3. Due to earwax
Earwax is perfectly natural, and everybody produces it. It’s made of dead skin cells, secretions from glands in the ear canal, and other types of debris, such as dust or pollen. Though your ears are accustomed to hearing faint sounds, you cannot hear yourself. Having wax inside them can significantly muffle the sound.
You should never try cleaning them with cotton swabs because this will push the wax deeper into the channel, worsening the problem over time! Earwax can get in the way and cause your ears to become slippery. The ear tips of your in-ear headphones cannot grip the wax and thus fall out.
You can use a soft washcloth with lukewarm water and mild soap to clean your ears and solve the problem of earbuds falling out. Gently rub the ears to remove wax build-up inside them.
4. Your ears may be too close to the jaw
Your ear canal is located on the side of your head and connected to your jaw. A lower jaw that sticks forward more than usual can push your ears closer to where the cable goes into them and make them fall easier. It’s not an issue if they’re too far away, but otherwise, there might be some tension in the cable which makes them pop out with movement or when putting weight on one leg over another, for example.
The muscle movements of your jaw can put pressure on the earbuds and make them fall out. If you notice this is happening, try wearing them differently to see if it changes anything.
Unfortunately, there isn’t much you can do about this, but you can try wearing your earbuds in another way. For example, put the cable over one ear instead of behind both ears so there is no tension when moving around. You could also wear them with an over-the-ear hook to keep them in place if they slip out.
5. You might be wearing them wrong
This a simple yet prevalent reason why earbuds keep falling out. How you wear your earbuds can affect whether they pop out or not. For one, in some models, the cable should go over and behind your ears as it is supposed to keep them in place better than if worn under or on top. Mistaking the right for the left and vice versa can sometimes lead to the earbuds falling out, even if they are the correct model and fit.
Also, you might be wearing them too high or too low on your ears, which can also cause them to fall frequently. If needed, use a clip for attaching the cable at an appropriate height so that it goes around your neck instead of inside your shirt or jacket.
The angle at which you put the ear tips inside your ears also matters. They shouldn’t be pointing down too much if possible; use 90 degrees as a reference line and aim for around 45 instead. If they’re angled upwards, gravity will likely take it sooner rather than later!
6. Your earbuds aren’t meant for doing exercise
Some casual earbuds are not the ideal headphones to use when doing sports. Running, jogging, or cycling can be too much for them, and they might fall out because of the shaking motion.
Sweat and moisture can seep into them and damage their inner components or at least make them stop working until they dry out again. If you need music, then go for wireless ones, which come with ear hooks that keep them in place even if you do vigorous movements; otherwise, get sport-specific models such as those designed by Jaybird, Sony, Plantronics, or any of the best headphone brands in the market really.
Some models are sweat-proof, which makes them great for sports and workout sessions. If you want to check whether your current pair is suitable, try jumping jacks or running on the spot with them around your neck; it’s better to do this test before buying so that you don’t waste money!
You can also use ear warmers or ear protectors to keep your earbuds in place and not let them fall. They will also be slightly more comfortable when you’re working out because they provide a better grip on the skin, isolate some ambient noise around you, and stop sweat from dripping into the ear tips. This doesn’t apply to hot weather workouts, of course!
Another good solution is getting wireless or Bluetooth-enabled headphones made for this type of activity; Apple’s AirPods are an example if you own an iPhone, but other models exist as well.
7. Pressure on the cable
As you wear your earbuds for listening to music, some pressure is put on the cable, making it slip out of place and eventually fall. This happens because all headphones have a limited degree of flexibility. If they’re bent too much or pulled in a particular direction forcefully, then there’s no way around them disconnecting sooner rather than later.
Some sports models feature ear hooks and other solutions to keep the cables in place even if you do a lot of movement. If this is not an option for you, there should be some tension on the cable, and it shouldn’t bend too much or pull your ears closer to one another, as that could also cause them to fall out.
Other models have behind-the-neck wires, which can be helpful in sports too. They wrap around your neck and under the chin to prevent them from shaking too much when you’re on the move. If they fall out, there’s less chance they’ll get lost or damaged this way!
If needed, clip the cable at an appropriate height so that it goes around your neck instead of inside your shirt or jacket; wearing it lower than this might put pressure on the skin, which can cause discomfort after long periods of use.
Finally, getting a pair of wireless earbuds is always a good idea because they don’t have cables you can bend and break. You can also test them before buying if you have a store nearby that sells similar headphones!
8. Ear cartilage deficiency Syndrome
The ear cartilage can also be a factor in falling out, and this usually happens when the ears are too pointy or at least more so than what we’d like to think.
Suppose your ear tips don’t fit properly. In that case, they’re either too small for you (especially if it’s just one side) or worn improperly, which could cause them not to seal the inner part of the canal well enough; this will create air pressure inside that pushes them back into place instead of keeping them in there for as long as possible!
You might have particularly prominent ears because genetics play a role here, but even though you cannot do anything about their shape, wearing your headphones correctly is still essential to avoid problems with these kinds of models. Choosing a suitable model or testing them before buying is also a good idea to see if they suit you.
Do your Earbuds keep falling out? The bottom line
Earbuds fall out of the ears for many different reasons. We’ve gone over some quick fixes to help you eliminate this problem in no time! Now that you know why earbuds keep falling out, it’s time to choose the best solution and avoid having these issues in the future.