How Long Do Earbuds Last? Lifespan & When To Replace?

Not all earbuds are made of the same quality, material, and technology that’s why some of them can last a long time while some of them will break within a few days. You may already be an earbuds user or thinking about buying a new one, but you have a question in your mind “How long do earbuds last, and when they will need to be replaced?"

How long do earbuds last? The average lifespan of the earbuds is between 3-6 months depending on how often you use them. While some Earbuds can last more than 2 years, It varies on the brand and the usage.

When earbuds will need to be replaced? Generally, the best replacement time is when you feel distortion in the sound and loss of sound on one side or both sides. This is the most common problem in all earbuds.

Can You Sleep With AirPods In**?

Now, you know the average lifespan of the earbuds and the most common reason why your earbuds stop working. But you might be thinking about how to increase the lifespan of your earbuds and how to take care of them. Scroll down and you’ll find out how long do earbuds last, how to maximize the lifespan, and how to avoid the reasons why earbuds stop working? When to replace your earbuds and more.

How long do earbuds last and expected lifespan of earbuds?

How long your earbuds last depends on how well they are made, how much you use them, and how you treat them. When you buy a $10 earbud and use it roughly every day, you might find that the cable frays after six months or the earbud stopped working. The best-wired earbuds can last as long as five years when you spend $50 and maintain them.

Earbuds usually last for six months or so, depending on which brand you use and how you treat them. Generally, they should be replaced when their sound deteriorates or ceases entirely. Everyone has a different experience with them. Some people have earbuds that never last longer than two weeks; others can have earbuds that last for a year or more. You might have a question in your mind now, how do identify and how long do earbuds last usually.

Sometimes the same brand of earbuds lasts much longer than others. How can that be? Rather than the brand of earbuds, it is because of the conditions in which they are placed.

It’s essential to consider your treatment habits and the model or brand of your earbuds when determining the average lifetime of earbuds. But if you take care of the earbuds you’re using, these may typically last up to years.

Why did your earbuds stop working?

Earbuds’ longevity can be affected by a variety of factors. But there are specific reasons why they break down. The main thing all of these factors have in common is that we damage our earbuds by mishandling them in a way, for instance, by tangling them or getting sweaty in them. The following nine factors are the most common reasons for earbuds to break:

Overtaking The Cord

Several earbuds have long cables, and they may drop to the ground if left too low. A long cord can be damaged by rolling chairs over it, stepping on it, or getting stuck on a computer chair or table.

And the result? You’ll have to throw it out!

Hanging From The Cord

Hanging earbuds off the desk or an edge is a standard practice many of us perform daily. As a result, you are bending the cord at an angle of 90 degrees, adding extra stress to the wire. When the point of the earbuds appears bent, they will eventually break or may get pinched!

While working or sleeping, many of us leave our earphones hanging from our desks, couches, or beds. If we’re doing this practice then we should ask ourselves this question how long do our earbuds last? The wires are put under unnecessary stress when earbuds like this are left in place, particularly when identical sections are bent repeatedly.

Forgetting That The Earbuds Are In Your Ears

I’m sure you’ve all had this experience: you’re watching a movie or playing a video game, and you get up to use the restroom or get some food and SNAP.

If your earbuds are yanked out of your ears or violently unplugged from your computer, they are either pulled out or violently damaged. Tension at connection points and in internal wires could cause many problems.

These problems compound until eventually a complete breakdown occurs. Try not to stand up too fast if you have trouble forgetting your earbuds are in your ears.

Getting Cords Knotted Up

There are many articles and videos on how to wind up your earbud cords to accomplish knot. There is a big problem here; all those loops, knots, and tangles increase the load on the wiring and result in unexpected failures.

Keeping the earbuds loose in all nooks and crannies is essential to avoid snapping.

Traveling Without A Case For Your Earbuds

Make sure you transport your earbuds in a case to keep them safe. You can also use a soft pouch if this isn’t possible.

A knotted cord of earbuds occurs whenever your earphones are placed into your backpack, purse, or pocket. All cables will be pulled on, crushed, bent, pinched, twisted, and ultimately damaged.

Hardcover earbuds like the FiiO HB1 or softcover pouches are commonly found with high-quality earbuds. The earbuds case is really useful to keep your earbuds safe while you’re traveling and protect the earphones from rubbing against the other items in your pocket or bag.

Pulling A Cord Instead Of A Plug

Many people pull on the cord rather than the actual plug when removing their earbuds from their phones or computers. Your yanking your earphones puts a lot of stress on the connection points (near the earpieces and the input plug), and the internal wire will break.

You should never unplug from anything by pulling the cord. Tension is the primary cause of earbud failure. Several earbuds come with L-shaped jacks that are durable and secure even if the line is tugged.

Your earbuds are usually violently unplugged from your laptop/computer when not using them. In this case, the sudden extreme tension on the internal wiring and connections can be a real problem. Damage will eventually occur to the compounds as a result.

Contact With Sweat And Moisture

Undoubtedly, water is the biggest enemy of electronic devices that are not waterproof. Your phone, tablet, laptop, and even your earbuds may be damaged by it.

Listening to music while exercising has become a habit for many of us, and guess what? While you’re jogging or exercising, sweat interferes with your earbuds.

Whenever you listen to music while exercising, make sure to get “sport earbuds” or something suitable for minimal sweating and moisture.

Exercise earbud products consider this and are sweat-resistant. To prevent sweat from dripping down your face, you may want to wear a headband.

Wearing a cap, helmet, or beanie will expose your earbuds to moisture. It is also possible for these devices to get wet if you use them right after a shower or when caught in the rain.

Sleeping With Earbuds

When you go to sleep, you can’t control what you do, so if you have your earphones in, the cords can get bent and twisted as you roll over or turn in bed. Wires can also get tangled in your clothes or blanket, and these motions are repeated for hours, causing damage to the earbuds.

At night, many people listen to music or audiobooks to relax. Using wireless earbuds or a speaker, such as an Amazon Echo, will help you sleep with some sort of sound.

Turning The Volume Up Too Loud

Vibrations produce sound waves, so the beat will be more excellent if louder. The earbuds can warp if they are exposed to too much sound. Earbuds are delicate devices with few components.

Using high-end earbuds won’t prevent annoying or buzzing sounds from occurring within a few days if you’re used to hearing music in a loud sound.

The audio will gradually degrade and shift as you stop hearing sounds at specific frequencies. You will listen to sounds seeming more “tinny” and buzzing with more time, and other annoying sounds will become more common.

Few Other Reasons Why Your Earbuds Break

Quality earbuds may last for up to three years. When your new pair stops working after just a few months, it could be due to one or a combination of these factors:

• You bought a low-quality device. Even though you can find affordable quality earbuds on the market, dirt-cheap models are not meant to endure heavy use.
• You received defective earphones. The earbuds may have been impaired when you first received them. See if a replacement or refund is available under warranty.
• Your earbuds may be mishandled. Wearing out your earphones’ internal components may be caused by how you use and store them.

What are the signs that your earbuds are breaking?

What’s the best way to determine whether your earphones are already damaged or about to break? Look for these signs:

Loss of Sound In One or Both Earbuds

The most common earbuds issue among people is one side left working and you only hear sound in one earbud. If you’re facing this issue, the first thing you’ll need to do is check your earbuds settings and If one side is off then make sure It is on. Moreover, If you’ve bought it recently and facing this issue then It might be an issue of broken wire.

The Audio Keeps Dropping Out

Have trouble listening to your favorite beats? Is your audio constantly skipping? Does it drop out if you move the wires, such as when you walk or twist the cord? It is already the end of your earbuds’ life.

Audio That Crackles Or Scratches

You are starting to hear static sounds. A blown speaker or damaged wire may be to blame for these issues.

What can you do to protect your earbuds from moisture or humidity?

Follow these tips to protect your earbuds

• When walking through a heavy rainstorm, take off your earbuds.
• After you wash your hair, do not wear your earphones.
• Consider investing in a pair of exercise-friendly or waterproof earbuds if you run or work out regularly.
• You can soak wet earbuds in uncooked rice granules for 24 to 36 hours.

Is It Time To Replace Your Earbuds?

Do you need to replace your earbuds? Follow these steps to find out.

It Is Distorted (Especially When There Is A High Volume)

Whenever you listen to music or audio at higher volumes and suddenly notice distortion, you should replace your earbuds.

Is One Side Louder Than The Other

In some cases, you may notice that there is no distortion, but rather that the levels of the earbuds differ, which is not due to the panning but rather to a broken earbud.

Moving The Cord Causes A Crackling Sound

If this happens, it usually means that the wire connecting the jack to the earbuds is damaged internally.

It will likely damage it beyond repair if you wiggle the area just behind the jack.

Fraying or Cracking Of The Cord

As the cord earbud is worn and torn over time, it may experience the above problem, damaging the exposed inner wires.

Damaged By Water

Two possible things could have caused this: either you have washed them or dropped them in water, or you use them while working out, in which case they have been damaged by sweat.

The only way you could use it is a bag of rice or a hairdryer set to a low temperature of rice or a low-temperature hairdryer.

However, if it is caused by constant sweating, you should invest in sports earbuds meant for this sort of abuse.

Earbuds That Don’t Hold A Charge Any Longer

If your wireless earbuds aren’t holding a charge, it’s probably time to replace them.

If you plan to use these earbuds for short periods, you could keep them outside their charging case to prolong the battery life.

Make sure you don’t overcharge them and make sure they are plugged in only while charging, and then remove them from the case once they are fully charged.

Regardless of whether your earbuds break, their batteries are eventually going to be the last thing they will have, as all rechargeable batteries fail ultimately to hold a charge.

How to maximize the lifespan of the earbuds?

It is possible to damage or ruin your earbuds in many different ways. Fortunately, there are some excellent ways to extend the life of earbuds.

You most likely purchased a faulty pair of earbuds, and you should return them immediately. If you take good care of your wired earbuds, they will last longer.

Here are some tips you need to follow to ensure your earbuds last a long time

• It is best to remove them by pulling the plastic header, not the cable, out of the device. By doing so, the cable connectors are not stressed.
• Whenever they are not being used, store them in a protective case.
• If they do not have weather resistance, do not use them in wet conditions. You should avoid wearing them when you are exercising heavily.
• Do not listen to the loudest volume for long periods or at high volumes. The louder volume will damage the earbuds.
• Furthermore, you can increase the chances of your earbuds lasting longer by purchasing a good pair of wired earbuds in the first place. If durability is of particular importance to you, look at reviews.

Bad habits can cause your earbuds to break. Nevertheless, there are some good habits you can start to implement to extend the lifespan of your earbuds.

Use A Case And Watch The Cords

Most importantly, the internal cords within the lines make up the earbuds. When just one wire breaks, the whole system comes crashing down.

Making sure the cords don’t get waded means avoiding knots. When you travel with the earbuds in a case, you can ensure that they don’t tangle up or get jostled around, resulting in damage.

The interior cord must be considered an essential part of your earbuds or headphones. As a result, it’s vital to ensure that the cable isn’t knotted or otherwise difficult to use.

You will find that the case will help you transport your earbuds smoothly and without causing any problems.

Clean Your Earbuds

Earbuds may become unusable in the future if sweat and earwax accumulate inside them. To increase the longevity of your Earbuds, you need to keep them clean at all times. Clean these out with a small soft tool or your finger, and gently wipe away all the grime.

Some online tools are available to clean these out, not build up too severely.

Optimize Your Sound With Apps

Your earbuds will eventually be damaged if you listen to songs with excessive bass. You can tone down songs with EQ apps.

The process of adjusting all the bands and music genres to fit your preferences will take some time, but it will keep your earbuds from damage and sound better.

Additionally, you can control the sound in the best way by using apps, which will prevent vibration damage or other issues in your earbuds.

Review The Preamps And Documents

A more advanced solution is to hook. Maximize up your earbuds to a portable preamp that plugs into your phone.

With less distortion and a higher signal-to-noise ratio, the results demonstrate promising results—high-resolution audio files without sacrificing quality.

As a result, your earphones will be less stressed and worn out. Audio is processed much better on these devices than on most mobile devices.

Use High-Quality Sound Sources

The devices can only do so much for the audio to be played at high quality. The above processes can make a difference if the audio files are low because they all begin at the source.

Streaming music for free or downloading low-quality music in large quantities are the most common methods of getting music for free. You can extend the lifespan of your earbuds and make your audio sound better by listening to high-quality files.

Whenever possible, listen to high-quality music, which will extend the lifespan of your earbuds. Additionally, the audio will sound even better. The buzzing bass produced by poor sound quality can cause unnecessary stress and unexpected damage.

Final Words

We hope that now you got the answer to how long do earbuds last. The price of earbuds is an essential factor to consider. Low-end and high-end products have varying prices, and their quality usually reflects their price. In other words, if you want earbuds that will last longer, consider spending more.

In that regard, if you know you will damage or break your earbuds no matter how much you spend on them, then perhaps you would be better off with a cheaper pair if you do not treat them kindly.

Other factors, besides price, are how you treat and care for them. Your earbuds should be kept clean and stored and carried in a manner that would prevent them from getting damaged.

The best advice we can give you is to love your device, take care of it properly, and, most importantly, follow everything stated in this post regarding maximizing your earbuds’ lifespan.

Irrespective of the price and brand of your earphones, you want them to last as long as possible.