If your Switch's headphone jack isn't working, first try another pair of headphones, disconnect any Bluetooth audio device, check the headphone volume settings and look for lint in the jack. If none of that helps, the jack itself has probably failed. On the original Switch and the Switch Lite it's part of the game card reader assembly, so the game card reader repair replaces it.
Checks to try first
1. Try another headset
Test a different pair of wired headphones in the Switch, and test your usual headphones in a phone or laptop. Nintendo suggests both steps. If your headphones don't work anywhere, it's the headphones, not the console.
2. Check Bluetooth audio
If you've paired Bluetooth headphones with the Switch, disconnect them, or turn them off, while you test wired headphones, so you know where the sound should be going. If you use Bluetooth headphones and they've gone quiet, Nintendo suggests turning up the headphones' own volume, removing the saved pairing and pairing them again.
3. Check the volume and headphone settings
- Turn the volume up with the console's + and − buttons, or from the Quick Settings menu (hold the HOME Button).
- Check whether the "Lower Maximum Headphone Volume" setting is on. Nintendo lists it as one of the first things to check, because it can make headphones sound far quieter than you'd expect.
- Install the latest system update. Nintendo lists this first too.
4. Look for lint
Pocket fluff and dust collect in headphone jacks and stop the plug seating fully. Shine a torch into the jack. If you can see debris, a short burst of air or a wooden toothpick used very gently can clear it. Don't use anything metal. Then push the plug in firmly. Nintendo's advice is to make sure it's fully inserted.
5. Wiggle test
With a game playing, move the plug gently in the jack. If the sound cuts in and out, or only one side works, the jack's contacts are probably worn or damaged.
When it's the jack itself
If sound works through the speakers and through Bluetooth, but not through any wired headphones, and the plug seats properly, the jack is the likely fault. Nintendo's own troubleshooting page ends at the same point: if headphones work on other devices but not on the console, it needs a repair.
Original Switch and Switch Lite
On the original Switch and the Switch Lite, the headphone jack isn't a separate part. It's one assembly with the game card reader. That's why a failing jack and game cards that won't read can turn up together on these models. If you're having both problems, read my guide to a Switch not reading game cards as well.
The repair is to replace that assembly, which fixes the jack and the card reader together. It's a fixed £55 on the Switch game card reader repair page. Book that service and mention that it's the headphone jack you need fixing.
Switch OLED and Switch 2
The OLED and the Switch 2 are built differently, so the game card reader repair isn't the right booking for a headphone fault on these. Get in touch, tell me the model and what you've tried, and I'll let you know the options before you post anything.
Not sure which you've got? Here's how to tell which Switch you have.
Is Nintendo a better option?
If your console is still under Nintendo's warranty and hasn't been damaged, Nintendo should be your first stop. Out of warranty, Nintendo's capped prices are up to £120 for a Switch and £108 for a Lite, and they may swap your console rather than repair it. I repair the console you send and give you it back.
Before you post it
- Remove the game card and microSD card.
- Back up your saves if you can. The repair doesn't touch the storage, but it's a sensible habit.
- Don't send the dock or Joy-Cons.
I test the jack and the card reader on my bench before it goes back insured and tracked. It's no fix, no fee, with a 12-month warranty. For every other price, see my Switch repair cost guide or the Nintendo Switch repairs page.
Frequently asked questions
Why does the game card reader repair fix the headphone jack?
On the original Switch and the Switch Lite, the headphone jack and the game card reader are one assembly, so replacing that part replaces the jack at the same time.
My headphones are really quiet on the Switch. Is the jack broken?
Not necessarily. Check the Lower Maximum Headphone Volume setting and the console volume first, and try another headset. A failing jack usually cuts out, crackles or only plays on one side.
Can I fix a Switch OLED headphone jack with the same repair?
The OLED is built differently from the original and the Lite, so get in touch with the model and the symptoms and I'll tell you what's involved before you post it.
