Why does my phone act erratic when I plug in my earphones?

[Android Central Question]

I have a Asus Zenfone 2 Laser ZE551KL (OS Lollipop) and for a few weeks now whenever I was listening to music the recording instructing the user how to turn on the option for wired headsets would play. I would just let the recording play out and go back to listening to my music.

This week things got worse; the recording plays, the media and ring volumes increase/decrease randomly, the Google search app opens and my music app will open by itself or music will start playing without the app even opening. I cannot listen to music or even plug in my earphones without all of this happening. Its like my phone is possessed or soemthing

I have restarted and it doesn't work. After some Googling, I checked to see if the phone was hacked/had viruses and that came back ok. I also checked to see if the screen was ok or if it has sensitive/dead spots and that was fine.

I am at my wits end and frustrated because I have only had my phone a little over a year.

I am about to try a safe mode restart to see if that works. If it doesn't, I guess a factory reset is the next option and then upgrading, but if anyone can assist that would be great.

 

[B. Diddy]

Welcome to Android Central! Safe Mode is the first thing I would've suggested, so definitely see what happens there.

Do your headphones have a built-in mic and remote play/pause buttons? If so, what happens if you use a simple pair of headphones without those additional features? I'm wondering if your current headphones have a plug that isn't entirely compatible with the device's jack. This can happen with headphones that are specifically "Made for iPhone."

 

[Charlie30]

Hi thank you for replying.

Safe mode didn't work. It wasn't as bad but when the earphone was in the jack and it was turned/moved everything started to happen again.

Did a full factory reset and it is still happening.

The earphones is plain ole Sony ones I got from Amazon. Its the same pair I have been using since I got the phone. I don't know what could have happened to make it start to go berserk like this.

I did try an actual headset with a mic (Samsung brand) and it seems to have been ok.

I use my phone daily for music. I can't live without using the earphones and I am not a fan of headset with the mic.

 

[B. Diddy]

Make sure there's no debris in the jack -- use a can of compressed air to blow it out, and a toothpick to root around.

 

[Garviel Loken]

I had the same exact issue

Its faulty ear phones

simple fix really.

Youve figured it out anyway

 

[Jend1979]

It's not your headphones. It's the phone. Both my Galaxy7 and now the Galaxy9 that I just got does it. I cant figure out how to fix it either.

 

[bgallagher500]

Me too... S8

 

[NullPointerException]

Same issue with a first-gen Pixel. Any headphones/earbuds with a 3-pole jack make the phone act possessed. However, I discovered that any headphones/earbuds with a 4-pole jack (for mic, play/pause, etc.) work fine. The one caveat is that even with a 4-pole jack the phone will still act possessed if you use the play/pause buttons or mic, but at least you can listen to music. I assume this indicates that the 4th contact inside the jack is faulty. (With a 3-pole jack, the mic contact is shorted to ground, but with a 4-pole jack it is left floating until those extra features are used)

 

[SwagUhLit]

...

It's the earbud/headphone that is causing this... It's not the phone. Just get a new pair of earbuds

 

[Rowan Fearnley]

My tablet on Android does the exact same thing. No matter what headphones

 

[B. Diddy]

Welcome to Android Central! Which tablet? Did you make sure the headphone jack is clear of any debris?