How to Wear Headphones

Quickly learn how to put on different types of headphones

Co-authored by Amber Crain

Last Updated: August 26, 2022

No matter what kind of headphones you’re using, they may take a bit of adjustment to get the perfect fit. On-ear and over-ear headphones are the most traditional, with the ear cups fitting snugly over each ear. In-ear headphones and earbuds need to be placed inside the ear. In-ear headphones are gently pushed into the ear canal, whereas earbuds hang in the outer part of the ear-fold, directly over (but not inside) the ear canal.

Method 1

Method 1 of 3:

Wearing On-Ear and Over-Ear Headphones

1
Plug the headphones into your audio device. Your device, whether it’s an iPod, laptop, or smartphone, has an audio input that your headphone jack should fit into perfectly. An mp3 player only has one input, which takes any guesswork out of the equation. For a laptop or larger device, you may need to check around the perimeter and on the back to find the right audio input.
- The headphone jack should pop into the input without having to be forced. If yours won’t fit, the headphones may be incompatible with the device.
- If you have wireless headphones, use your device’s Bluetooth connection to link the headphones to it.
2
Check for “L” and “R” labels near the ear cups. Many headphones specify which ear cup goes over the left ear and which one goes over the right. Check around your ear cups for the “L” and “R” markings, which mean "Left" and "Right."^{[1]
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- If you find these markings, follow the instructions for distinguishing which ear cups goes over which ear.
- If you don’t find these markings, you can wear the cups over either ear.
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3
Slip the headphones over your head. The band that connects the cups should fit snugly over the top of your head. Most headphone bands are adjustable, so if the fit isn’t comfortable, try adjusting it. Tug at the band to see if it gets smaller or larger, then adjust as needed.
4
Place the ear cups directly over your ears. Adjust them a bit so that the cups cover your ears comfortably.^{[2]
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Research source} Over-ear headphones, which have large cushions as ear cups, create a slight seal effect over each ear, which cancels out noise during use. On-ear headphones are smaller, and the cups are usually around the size of your ear. They will fit directly over the ear hole.
- You may need to remove your earrings if you find that the cups push into the jewelry uncomfortably.

Method 2

Method 2 of 3:

Wearing In-Ear Headphones

1
Place the squishy tip just inside your left ear hole. In-ear headphones look a lot like ear buds, but they aren’t worn in exactly the same way. Ear buds hang from the crevices of your ear-folds, whereas in-ear headphones are inserted directly into the ear canals. Start by situating the squishy tip gently in your ear hole, over the canal. Don’t push it in, just get it in place.^{[3]
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2
Pull the left earlobe down and push the tip into your ear canal. Tug your left earlobe down gently with your right hand, which will widen your ear canal. Use your left index finger to carefully push the squishy tip of the left ear speaker into your left ear canal.^{[4]
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- You do not need to push far. The tip fits just inside the canal.
3
Release the left earlobe to create a seal. Once you’ve inserted the speaker gently into the ear canal, let go of your earlobe. Your ear canal will return to its normal size, causing the walls of your ear canal to hug the speaker. This creates a seal, which ensures good audio. Without getting that proper seal, the audio quality might suffer.^{[5]
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- You've achieved the proper seal when the sound around you is almost impossible to pick up. You will feel enclosed, in a way, because all sound is isolated in your canal.
4
Do the same thing with the right ear. Gently pull down the lobe and insert the speaker. Release the earlobe to create the seal, which cancels out background noise and provides quality audio. You may need to repeat this a few times until you get a feel for how your headphones fit. Always be gentle and never shove the speakers into your ear canals.^{[6]
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5
Experiment with tip sizes. In-ear headphones aren’t one size fits all, and there should be a range of squishy rubber tips that came with your earphones. These different sizes fit different-sized ear canals. Start with the smallest tips first and, if those doesn’t fit comfortably, go up a size. Keep trying until you find the size that creates that perfect seal.^{[7]
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- If rubber tips aren’t working for you, go online to purchase foam tips. These tend to work well for most hard-to-fit people.

Method 3

Method 3 of 3:

Wearing Ear Buds

1
Check for “L” and “R” labels on your ear buds. Some ear bud brands may specify which speaker goes into which ear. “L” means left ear, and “R” means right. The most common kind of ear buds, such as those made by Apple that come with iPods, usually do not have this.
- If you don’t see a clear marking, you can place the speakers in either ear.
2
Hook the first bud into your left ear hole. Situate the bud in your ear by hooking it into the into the ear hole. The plastic stem connecting the bud to the wire should line up in the same direction as your jawline. Do not push it into your ear canal. It should hang in the crevice in the outer part of your ear-fold.
3
Repeat with the right ear hole and adjust as necessary. Repeat the same action for your right ear by gently situating the rounded bud into the outer part of your ear hole. Adjust carefully and avoid pushing the ear bud into your ear canal.
4
Look into accessories if you're having trouble with the fit. Ear buds are notorious for falling out of the ears, especially during exercise. If this is happening to you, search online for accessories that you can pair with your buds to keep them in place. There is a wide range of different approaches to this, so do a little research and choose the accessory that best addresses your issue.

Community Q&A

Question

What about wireless headpieces?

Community Answer

Depending on the kind they would be similar to regular headphones. Follow the steps in this article.
Question

How can I wear headphones with pierced ears?

Community Answer

Don't wear over-the-ear ones, as they can rub against the piercings, causing them to hurt. However, in-ear headphones and ear buds should be fine as long as the cord doesn't become tangled in the piercing.
Question

Can I wear in-ear earphones without using the given eartips?

Community Answer

You can wear them, it just is less comfortable. The ear tips are used to make the part that goes into your ear larger and more comfortable but if you lose one or just don't like to use it, you don't need them for the in-ear earphones to work.