Tips for Caring for Wireless Headphones

You've finally decided to treat yourself to some stylish new headphones and have dropped a few hundred bucks on them. What happens next? There are strategies to mitigate the inherent durability trade-offs associated with wireless headphones. These aren't your childhood playtime headphones—as consumer electronics, they require some safeguarding.

Fortunately, we've developed a guide to help you maintain the best possible condition for your headphones. Here's how to get the most use possible out of your most recent purchase so that you won't need to buy a new toy for at least a few more years.

Learn Battery Hygiene

Keeping everything your wireless headphones require to function is the largest maintenance tip. in particular, supplying the headphones with power. That essentially implies developing better battery charging habits for the majority of people.

You should be aware, though, that the battery in your headphones is far smaller than the one in your phone. The battery life of your headphones will drain far more quickly than that of your mobile device. True wireless earbuds aren't made to last for much longer than a year, which is another reason why they have such limited lifespans.

Never use these headphones again if you notice any swelling where they shouldn't be. A battery that is swelling indicates that it has failed and is getting close to the point where it may burst and catch fire.

It's also not necessary for your batteries to bulge in order for them to be close to dying. If you find that your headphones or earbuds don't seem to be able to survive the day, it's time to recycle that product or obtain a new power cell. Although it is really unpleasant, having another point of failure is a reality.

Use a Case Pious

Although it may seem apparent, using the case that came with your wireless headphones is a good idea. It provides some protection from you, your bag, and the outside world, but it also doubles as a handy caddy for extras like adapters in case you need them. It's also a great way to keep moisture out of gadgets, especially if you throw in a couple of cheap packets of silica gel.

Because of how much room it takes up in a backpack, most people eventually stop using the case, but in my opinion, it's an essential component of any wireless device. Even if a case is just made of cloth, it helps shield headphones from bending, cracking, and scratching by making it harder to apply significant stress to the headphones directly. Just go the extra mile and keep your headphones in a case. Every time you place them in your backpack unprotected, you run the risk of tiny damage that builds up over time.

There are lots of alternatives on Amazon and the websites of other big-box retailers if, for whatever reason, you don't like the case that came with your headphones. Even though there are many options and each case is unique, any case you receive is preferable to none, as long as it is not mishandled.

Keep Your Charging Port Safe

The charging port on your new wireless headphones is their weakest feature. Even if you don't abuse your headphones, the small solder connections on that assembly—whether it's a USB-C, microUSB, or Lightning port—will be the first to break. Your charging port will ultimately break from normal wear and use, making it impossible for you to charge your headphones. This is due to a sequence of minuscule solder spots that secure a plethora of minuscule metal prongs to an even minuscule circuit board, hence maintaining your port's attachment to the interior components and functionality. Any pressure applied there could cause harm to those small points.

You need to find a means to lessen the force that is imparted to the port assembly during operation in order to stop this from occurring. You can easily accomplish this with a simple attachment if you never use the port to update your headphones and instead rely on Bluetooth.

Put on a Cable Guard

If your headphones are connected, look for rubber seals surrounding the connector or jack. A cable guard may relieve some of the pressure on the tiny solder spots inside the connection of your cable if it appears thin or brittle in the event that something crashes into it or bends it excessively.

You don't really have to second-guess yourself here because these are fortunately inexpensive and widely available online. However, by all means, look around for a cable cover that better suits your style.

Clean Once a Month

Yes, cleaning electronics can be a hassle and something you can put off indefinitely. But if you wear in-ear headphones, leaving them on for too long will not only make them look bad, but they will also stop working properly.

Whether you use in-ear or over-ear headphones, we suggest carrying a tiny supply of cotton swabs at all times to make things easier. Although you shouldn't put them in your ears, you should use warm, soapy water or alcohol to clean the hard-to-reach areas of your audio equipment.

What If This Is Insufficient?

The truth is that your headphones will ultimately break even after following all of these precautions. In addition, it's possible that a fluke accident or coincidental circumstance will cause your headphones to break. Risk is a fickle thing; therefore, it happens! That's why we frequently draw attention to typical failure locations and drawbacks in the design of every product. The likelihood that your headphones will endure a long time increases significantly if you directly address the most frequent points of failure, although this is not a guarantee.

Battery-operated wireless headphones are always going to be among the hardest items you own to maintain, and they will wear out far faster than other similar-functioning gadgets in your possession. Even though wired headphones may come with an "inconvenient" cable attached, you can easily patch them with electrical tape and a pocket knife until you can buy a more substantial replacement. Unless they start offering changeable batteries soon, wireless headphones won't have that option, and making that kind of business decision doesn't really bring in a lot of money.