When it comes to earbuds, I will place JLab in the budget-quality earbuds. When they work, they work great, but sooner or later, you will run into some malfunction.
If you are here because your JLab earbuds won’t turn on, you might not be alone.
A few weeks ago, I faced the same issue with my JLab Air Sport that I primarily used for my gym sessions. One day they just gave up on me.
After a brief search, I found a weird trick on a forum that magically revived my earbuds that I will share with you below.
But during my search for a solution, I found a number of reasons why JLab earbuds might not turn on, and I am going to share them with you.
How to Turn On JLab Earbuds?
Before we dive deep into troubleshooting your JLab earbuds, I just want to make sure you know the correct way to turn your JLab earbuds on.
![JLab Earbuds Won’t Turn On [Try This Weird Fix]](https://techrandm.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/06/3-1.jpg)
Ok, I have to rant a little before going forward. I have purchased more than 30 earbud models from different brands, and all have implemented different ways to turn them on.
Even the same brand will implement different methods on different models. Why can’t they make life easy for users and implement a familiar method to turn on the earbuds and pair them?
Anyway, the same is the case with JLab models. There are different methods to turn on different models.
For the JLab Air ANC and Air Executive, you have to press both earbuds buttons for 3+ seconds.
For Epic Air Sports, you have to hold the buttons for 2+ seconds; for Epic Air Pro, you just have to take them out of the box.
Confusing right?
I can’t list down the turn-on method for each model, so I am going to link a very useful page from the JLab website where you can find the manual for your specific model.
In the manual, you will find the correct way to turn on your JLab earbud at the top.
Now, let’s get back to our main topic – what to do when my JLab earbuds won’t turn on?
JLab Earbuds Won’t Turn On – Troubleshooting
Your JLab earbuds can refuse to turn on for a number of reasons. In this guide, I will go through the most common reasons first, and then we can discuss the serious stuff later.
So, let’s start with the most obvious question – i-e is your earbuds charged?
Battery Is Low on Charge
I know this is pretty basic stuff, and you have probably already tried this, but you should confirm if your battery is sufficiently charged.
Earbuds low on charge will not turn on, or at least one of your JLab earbuds won’t turn on.
If this is the first time you are using your earbud after unpacking, don’t forget to remove a little piece of paper that goes between the earbud charging pin and the case (see image below)
If your JLab earbuds are not charging, write the troubleshooting guide I linked here. It contains step-by-step instructions to solve your charging problem.
So if charging is not the issue and your earbuds have sufficient charge, you can move on to the next troubleshooting step.
Unit Is Defective
When I got my JLab earbuds, they worked fine right out of the box, and I used them for months before they went bad on me.
However, while searching for a solution to my issue, I saw a lot of people complaining about DOA (dead on arrival) products.
Apparently, the quality assurance department at JLabs is not great and faulty units occasionally slip through.
![JLab Earbuds Won’t Turn On [Try This Weird Fix]](https://techrandm.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/06/4.jpg)
If you, too, got a malfunctioning unit right out of the box, you don’t need to make any efforts to revive them or make them work.
Just return them and get a new pair (read the warranty claim and return process below)
Battery Is Dead
Each earbud has a separate tiny battery, and then there is a battery inside your JLab charging case as well.
All three batteries are lithium-ion and if very prone to going bad if you don’t take good care of them.
That includes proper charge and discharge cycling, not charging when hot, and not storing them for a long period without charging.
![JLab Earbuds Won’t Turn On [Try This Weird Fix]](https://techrandm.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/06/5-1.jpg)
If your are not seeing any life whatsoever on your earbuds or the charging case, a dead battery can be one reason. From experience, I can tell you that it happens quite often.
Unfortunately, the cost of replacing the tiny battery inside the earbuds or the case outweighs that of getting a new pair.
Since they are budget earbuds, you are better of throwing them away and getting a fresh pair of other JLab earbuds. Perhaps an opportunity to upgrade?
Here is a list of Best Selling Earbuds on Amazon. Interestingly, you will find a JLab model in top 5 in this list.
Earbuds Are Very Hot or Very Cold
Batteries don’t discharge as expected when they are very hot or very cold. They perform optimally at normal room temperature (68 – 74 Fahrenheit).
If your earbuds are very hot or very cold for some reason, they might not receive appropriate voltage from the battery and hence won’t turn on.
If that is the case, wait a bit and bring your earbuds temperature back to normal room temperature and then try working them.
Earbuds Are Water Damaged
As budget earbuds, JLab earbuds are not very waterproof and can easily get damaged when exposed to excessive humidity, water, or sweating.
Do you remember getting your earbuds in any situation where they might get water damaged? If yes, perhaps that’s the reason for their malfunction.
Water can fry the delicate internal circuitry and render your earbuds useless. Since they are tiny and cheap, repairing them isn’t an option (at least not economical).
You will be better off replacing them with a new pair. Here are some good quality alternatives that you can consider (a bit pricy but worth every penny)
Earbuds Are Physically Damaged
JLab is not known for its sturdy quality and solid build. Even in the same price bracket, the build quality is average at best.
So if you drop your earbuds or the case, there is a pretty good chance of wrecking something inside for good.
Do you remember dropping your earbuds recently? If yes, it probably has damaged something inside.
![JLab Earbuds Won’t Turn On [Try This Weird Fix]](https://techrandm.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/06/2-1.jpg)
Inside each earbud, there is a small printed circuit board (PCB) that houses the electronics, speaker, and mic. These are very delicate and prone to shocks.
Again, since they are budget earbuds, repairing them will be futile, and replacement is a better option.
Try This Weird Reddit Trick
Last but not least, I found something on on Reddit that saved my earbuds. I still don’t understand why it worked on my JLab Air Sports, but it did.
Here is what you are going to do.
Charge your case fully overnight. Put your finger on the touch button of the earbud while it is still in the case (important!), and then take it out while maintaining your finger on the touch button. Do the same for the other earbud.
It doesn’t make sense, but it worked for me and other users in the Reddit comment section.
If it works for you, let me know in the comment section. I am curious if it works on other JLab models as well.
Claim Your Warranty
If your JLab earbuds are on warranty, you are better off returning them and getting a new fresh pair.
JLab offers 30 Day return or exchange policy where you can return any item within 30 days. To initiate a return, visit their dedicated warranty page.
JLab also offers 2 years warranty for workmanship and material. If your earbuds die without any shock or harsh treatment, you can claim your warranty within 2 years of your purchase.
Contact JLab Support
If nothing in this DIY troubleshooting guide has worked for you and you are still with dead JLab earbuds, perhaps it’s time to ring the support team and ask for their help.
You can contact them on their support page or send them an email at support@jlabaudio.com.
If you are in the US, you can call them at 1-405-445-7219 for a quick chat.