Why is my iPhone jack suddenly too shallow?

March 3, 2010 1:14 PM

The headphones for my iphone don't go in all the way. What did I break and how do I fix it?

I've been a happy iPhone 3GS user since last summer, but a problem cropped up today. For some reason, my headphones no longer go all the way into the headphone jack. On the headphones that come with the iPhone, they go in up until the top white line, but no farther. This is a problem because, although the headphones still work, they fall out readily and the connection isn't always good. Other headphones have the same problem.

I'm wondering what I did to the headphone jack that might have caused this problem? It doesn't seem like anything is lodged inside of the jack and I don't see any obvious distortions in the silver ring. Is it worth bringing this into Apple or are there some home remedies I can try?

Thanks!

posted by eisenkr to Technology (4 answers total)

Best answer: There is likely something inside the jack, try taking a pin and some pliers and curving the very very tip of it and seeing if you can fish anything out. I fixed my sister's ipod that way, she had a tiny pebble in it.
posted by lizbunny at 1:27 PM on March 3, 2010

Best answer: Get a can of compressed air and blow it into the headphone socket most likely its a piece of lint or something from your pants.
posted by majortom1981 at 1:41 PM on March 3, 2010

Response by poster: You guys are awesome! There was a 1/16" cylinder of lint lodged in the jack. I managed to coax it out and everything is as snug as it ever was.
posted by eisenkr at 1:54 PM on March 3, 2010

For future reference the Apple genius bar was willing to remove my pocket lint from the headphone jack when the same thing happened to me.
posted by vegetableagony at 6:39 PM on March 3, 2010