Headphones Won't Plug Into Macbook Air

I have the Macbook Air, Retina 13-inch 2020 which I bought a little over a month ago. Today I took it out and tried to plug in my headphones into the headphone jack but they would not go in. There appears to be nothing stuck in them and I have tried to use a toothpick to try and take dust/dirt out but that didn't work. I've also tried shoving the wire in with force but that did not work either. If anyone has any other ideas they would be greatly appreciated.


Solution 1:

If your headphone jack cannot go in, there are only three reasons why this will occur:

  • The port is obstructed
  • The headphone jack is the wrong size
  • There's a manufacturing defect of the MacBook port

You can't remove dust or dirt if there's no dust or dirt to remove. Also, you don't want to use a tooth pick as that will push objects in further and can even damage the port. Compressed air is a better option and if you can do it from the back of the connector (requires opening the case), that would be the most effective method.

Forcing a connector is highly discouraged; if you can't make the connection with the reasonable amount of force that's required, stressing it could break things. If it doesn't go in, something is wrong and excessive force will make it worse.

Verify that the headphone jack can be inserted into other devices and that you are indeed using a 3.5mm jack. Finaly, try other headphones. If none can fit, then it's very likely you have a Mac with a manufacturing defect. If that's the case, try contacting Apple Support. You may have some luck with them swapping out the case even if you're outside the warranty period.

Solution 2:

Your MBA is still under warranty. Either have the store you purchased it from or Apple themselves address the situation. I would not offer up the fact that you prodded around the headphone jack with a toothpick.