The headphone jack on my ASUS laptop seems to be malfunctioning.

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ratatoskr

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Oct 1, 2017
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I've been using an Asus ZenBook UX330UA for about half a year now. Recently, whenever a pair of earphones/headphones is plugged directly into the jack, I can hear a low crackling noise while wearing them whenever audio isn't playing. This isn't the case whenever I connect them to the laptop via a USB audio adapter.

So, should I just bring this laptop in for repairs, or is there some way I can remedy this myself?
 
Solution
10tacle
It is not unusual for audio jacks (both input ports and plugs) to either wear out over time or be contaminated with foreign debris or even moisture causing static backfeed (crackling). You can try inserting your headphone plug into rubbing alcohol that has at least 90% Isopropyl alcohol (the higher the better) then insert it into the port and twist around. Then remove it. Let it air dry for several hours before using. Make sure of course you do this with the battery removed and being unplugged from the power adapter.
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10tacle

10tacle

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It is not unusual for audio jacks (both input ports and plugs) to either wear out over time or be contaminated with foreign debris or even moisture causing static backfeed (crackling). You can try inserting your headphone plug into rubbing alcohol that has at least 90% Isopropyl alcohol (the higher the better) then insert it into the port and twist around. Then remove it. Let it air dry for several hours before using. Make sure of course you do this with the battery removed and being unplugged from the power adapter.
 
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ratatoskr

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Oct 1, 2017
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Alright I'll try that, any recommended brands of rubbing alcohol (I'm in the UK btw)
 
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10tacle

10tacle

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It's all pretty much the same stuff because it's a chemical compound so I wouldn't worry too much about the brand. The focus is on the Isopropyl alcohol content percentage. Typical drug store rubbing alcohol here in the US is about 70% so I'm not sure what it is there in the UK. You may have to order it online to get a higher percentage. We can buy higher content in electronics stores here. By the way: if this still does not work then you may have some wiring going back between the input jack and the motherboard connection. That's assuming you don't have the same issue with your headphones in other devices because they too can have wiring issues.
 
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ratatoskr

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Oct 1, 2017
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Alright, ordered some 90% Isopropyl rubbing alcohol, thanks a lot for the help! Just to be sure, is it definitely safe to apply this stuff straight onto a headphone jack?
 
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10tacle

10tacle

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Considering I've been doing it since the 1980s with stereo receivers and computers since the 1990s, I'd say yes. Just take the basic precautions as I stated and you'll be good. Also make sure your headphone jack is not dripping with fluid. It has to be minimal fluid on it. Let it drip dry a little before insertion. Here's a guide link just to help. He states use a Q-tip but I disagree. It can leave microfibers inside which can cause even more problems down the road:

http://www.tomsguide.com/faq/id-2375542/clean-headphone-jack.html

Also the higher the alcohol the safer for two reasons: less water for corrosion over time and faster evaporation.
 
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