I love any model of the Skullcandy earbuds and have had several models since I discovered the brand. The edgy look and dark colors of the earbuds and charging case always intrigue me, not forgetting the sound quality of the earbuds.
Although the earbuds are great, and I love them, they often stop charging, which becomes inconvenient. Usually, I would leave them in the case and connect them to a power outlet for a couple of days, and the buds would miraculously start charging.
Although this has worked most times, it slowly takes a toll on the batteries, and I had to find an alternative way of getting the earbuds to charge.
Below are suggestions from other Skullcandy users that have helped me get the earbuds charging without affecting the health of my earbuds.
Key Takeaways
- If the buds are not charging, the major problem usually is that the charging pins on the buds, in this case, are not touching properly. That could be because of dirt in the case and on the pins on the earbuds.
- The first solution is to clean these pins and check whether the buds start charging. Remember also to clean the charging port on the case.
- Also, if the charging case is not charged, the earbuds will not charge when placed in the case.
- A damaged or poor-quality charger/cable will not charge the earbuds’ charging case, making you think the Skullcandy buds are damaged.
- Sometimes, if you leave the case connected to a power outlet and the earbuds inside for extended periods (two to eight hours), they will start charging.
- Other users have charged their earbuds by changing power outlets and charging cables.
- If these solutions do not work, contact Skullcandy and request replacement earbuds, especially if the current ones are still under warranty.
Why Are My Skullcandy Earbuds Not Charging
A variety of things and situations can result in the earbuds not charging. Below are some of these reasons and how to solve them and get the earbuds charging.
Check the Charging Pins
When Skullcandy earbuds are new from the shop, they usually have stickers on the charging pins on the earbud. If you do not remove this sticker, the buds will not charge when they are in the case.
Therefore, ensure you remove these stickers on both earbuds before charging them.
Additionally, if you have had the earbuds for a while, the lint and other dirt tend to get into the charging case and on the charging pins on both the buds and the case.
When the dirt accumulates, it interferes with the connection between the earbuds and the case, making it difficult to charge the buds.
The dirt can also get into the charging port on the case, thus preventing the case from charging.
You can overcome all these issues by cleaning the case and earbuds using Isopropyl alcohol or water, cotton swabs/microfiber clothes, and a soft-bristled brush.
Clean the charging contacts and a charging port on the case.
First, use the brush to remove any visible dirt in the case’s charging port and on the charging pins in the case, and on the earbuds.
Next, dampen the microfiber cloth or the cotton swab with water or the isopropyl alcohol.
Finally, gently clean any remaining dirt off the buds and the case. Once you are done, wait for the water or alcohol to dry before placing the buds in the case and connecting them to a charger.
Cleaning the Charging Contacts Could Fix the Charging Issue
Ensure the Earbuds Are Correctly Placed in the Case
Most Skullcandy earbuds have a slot for the right and left earbuds in the charging case. If you place the bud in the wrong slot, the earbuds will not charge even if the case shows it has power.
To overcome this, shift the buds, put them in alternating slots, and check whether they start charging.
Ensure you hear a click when placing the buds, which means they have been inserted as required.
Put the earbud in their corresponding slots. When you put the buds correctly, they should start charging, and the LEDs on the earbuds should turn red.
If the buds do not charge, try closing the lid and see if it shuts all the way down.
If not, slowly wiggle the buds or place them in the alternative slots.
While at it, also ensure the charging pins in the case retract inwards when you press them and come out when you release them.
If they do not do this, that means they are damaged and should be looked at by a professional, or you can contact Skullcandy’s customer support.
If the case closes all the way and the buds still do not charge, fold a small piece of paper and put it under the lid of your case to use as padding.
Doing this ensures the earbuds are firm in the case but ensures the paper is small enough to allow you to close the lid.
Use an Appropriate Charger and Cable
Sometimes the problem is not with the earbuds or the charging case but with the power outlet you use to charge them.
It could also be that you are using a damaged or low-quality charger that is not adequately charging the buds.
If you can access the cable that originally came with the buds, use it with a 5 Volts/3.6amps (18-Watt) rated charger.
Anything lower or higher than that has the potential to affect how the earbuds charge significantly.
Also, remember to use a quality charging cable that is not broken.
If the Skullcandy earbuds still will not charge, try a different power outlet, especially if you were charging them through a computer, laptop, or TV port.
Additionally, consider trying different chargers if you can, to rule out the possibility of a damaged charger being the problem.
Factory Reset the Earbuds
A software glitch can also prevent the earbuds from indicating when they are charging, or it can prevent them from charging altogether.
Fortunately, this can be solved by factory resetting the earbuds, which will erase all information stored on the earbuds.
Once they reset, you can set them up afresh, and if the issue is software-related, the earbuds will go back to charging normally.
There are multiple models of the Skullcandy earbuds, and they follow different resetting procedures. You can find the user manual of your specific Skullcandy earbud on the support website, which will guide you on resetting it.
Always forget the earbuds from the connected devices list on devices paired with the earbuds.
Once you reset the earbuds, you must re-connect them to the source devices since the previously saved information would have been erased.
Resetting Skullcandy Dime Earbuds
Leave the Earbuds and Case Charging for a While
If the earbuds still won’t charge, put them in the case and close it. Then connect the case to a power outlet and leave it connected for anywhere between two to eight hours.
If you are lucky, the earbuds will recharge after that duration, but you will still have to visit a technician or contact Skullcandy since the issue will happen again.
If the earbuds have any power left, connect them to a source device and play music or audio until the battery completely runs out before recharging them.
Some people will tell you to power them on and leave them so the battery runs out, but that will not work. That is because the earbuds are programmed to automatically power off when they are left in pairing mode for too long. So, you must play audio if you want the battery drained.
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Place the Earbuds and Case in an Optimum Temperature Environment
When recharging or using the earbuds, make sure not to use them in environments with extreme temperatures, i.e., too hot or too cold.
Do NOT use the earbuds in environments with extreme temperatures.
The earbuds are meant to be used in room-temperature environments, and if you expose them to extreme temperatures for too long, they will malfunction. They may stop charging, or the battery may stop holding a charge for as long as it should.
If you suspect the damage is due to exposure of the buds to extreme temperatures, place them in a cool place and wait for the temperature to stabilize before recharging them.
Contact Skullcandy Customer Support
Your last resort is to contact Skullcandy’s customer service team and request any troubleshooting tips you have not already tried.
Therefore remember to tell them of the steps you have already taken and ask how to claim a replacement if the warranty still covers the buds.
Frequently Asked Questions
- Question: How do I know if my Skullcandy earbuds are charging?
- Answer: Usually, the LED on the earbuds and the charging case will tell you if the buds are charging. When you place the earbud in the case, it will light up to show it’s charging, and it can even notify you when the battery is running low.
- The catch is to know what each LED color means, and that is where the user manual comes in.
- Question: Do Skullcandy earbuds charge while the case is charging?
- Answer: Yes, Skullcandy earbuds charge while the case still charges, and it is ok to charge both simultaneously.
- You can also charge the case while the earbuds are in use.
- Question: Can you overcharge Skullcandy earbuds?
- Answer: No, you cannot overcharge the Skullcandy earbuds, or any model, since they will stop charging once the battery is full.
Conclusion
Earbuds often have different issues and can stop working from time to time. However, most issues can be solved if you follow the proper steps.
Always have the user manual handy and customer support contact information; these problems will not be such a big deal.
Additionally, ensure you understand the warranty terms and conditions before purchasing a pair so you do not get stuck with dead earbuds. Luckily Skullcandy has all this information on their support website.
