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How To Straighten Headphone Wires: 5 Surefire Tricks To Untangle

It’s not like you were playing with your headphone wires like a little girl playing with her long hair, but on one fine day, you find your headset cords in a terrible mess. You wished you could learn “how to straighten headphone wires” to save your day for one last time.

The truth is the bad habit of leaving the headphones on the desk and picking them up for everyday use can permanently damage their copper wires, worsening their sound quality. 

So, what’s the solution?

The simplest way to untangle headphone wires is to use your fingers to remove their knots for 8-10 minutes twice a day. So stay with me as I’m going to reveal 5 simple yet effective ways how to straighten headphone wires.

Here we go! 

🖐️5 Proven Ways To Untangle Headphone Cords: A Step-By-Step Guide

Ways to untangle them

MethodHow Easy Is It to Implement?Does It Work?Steps in BriefTime Needed (approx.)
Use a glass of hot water and tape Fairly easy Yes, it works. Take a glass of boiling water and wrap your headphone cable around the glass without overlap.About 60 minutes 
Run your fingers across the cord Easy and DoableIt does.Take your earphones and go to one end. Then you can start using your fingertips to unfold it.About 8 to 10 minutes 
Use a flat surfaceVery easyDoes workTake a light weighted stuff and use it on the cord of your headphones to straighten it.About 24 to 48 hours
Wrap the cord around a long object like a pencilOne of the easiest Yes, it doesJust take a cylindrical/circular-shaped object and wrap your cable around it.About 40 to 60 minutes
Use a headphone stand Quiet easyIt does work.All you need to do is go and get a stand. After that, you can place it near your desk and use it.About 6 to 8 minutes

1️⃣Use A Glass Of Hot Water And Tape

One of my friends accidentally left his earphones in his pocket, which got washed in the washing machine. 

The result? His earphone wires were severely tangled. Finding no other alternative, he looked around for help and found this step-by-step process: 

  • In a pot, he bubbled some water, poured it into a tumbler, sealed the headsets around the tumbler, and fastened them with the help of electrical tape.
  • He removed the headphones after allowing the water to cool, as directed in this video. It worked flawlessly, removing all knots in the headsets. 
  • They weren’t entirely new, but they were much better than the self-tangling chaos they were.

It was also easy for me to follow these steps because we didn’t need many objects. So what are you waiting for? Try out this method with your messy headphone cords, and you’ll thank me later!

2️⃣Run Your Fingers Across The Cord

Use your fingers

Leveraging your fingertips is the most prevalent method for quickly repairing twisted earphone wires. Almost all of my friends have tried this technique. And it is one of my go-to techniques, so I have mentioned a few things to ensure while you’re doing this.

  • Take hold of the twisted wire with your index and thumb fingers.
  • Transfer the wire via your fingers gradually and extensively, relocating from the bottom of your headsets to the final moment where the jack is.
  • Performing this procedure 2-3 times must help to untwist your headset wires substantially.

Don’t go too fast, or you’ll tighten the tangles! Also, if getting your fingertips in between the bundled cables is difficult, use a marker pen or marker for your help. 

3️⃣Use A Flat Surface

This technique is a bit challenging, but its results can impress you if done correctly. It should be used once you’ve detangled and sorted your headset wires as much as possible but still notice some deformation.

  • Suspend your headsets from a higher location. It could be a railing, coat hanger, door handle, or washcloth rail.
  • Fasten a lightweight item to the opposite end of the cord, near the headphone jack. 
  • Remember that the key phrase here seems to be “light.” Given that you’re by now working with universal gravitation make sure the item you connect to the final moment isn’t too bulky so that the wire doesn’t get compromised or pulled too far.
  • Hold your headsets with the load for 24-48 hours to see a favorable result. 
  • If you do not have a hook for your headsets, place them on a desk instead. Pull the cord taut (while remaining gentle) and safeguard both edges with a thick book.

4️⃣Wrap The Cord Around A Long Object Like A Pencil

Wrapping around a long object

So while you follow this method, you will realize it is reliable. One of my friends suggested that I use this technique, and we did it together in this way:

  • The earbud cord loops and swirls on itself when looped onto a circular cylinder, resulting in constant twisting and tangling along the size of the wire. 
  • When you connect a knotted headset wire to a cylindrical item, the friction between the wire and the outer layer keeps the cord moving. 
  • As you grab the already-coiled headset cables in one place, it tightens even more, culminating in kinks or strict loops along its size. 

Here’s a quick note:

Tightly wrapping earbud cable pieces over a finger excessively causes them to knot patchily and bend on themselves. So don’t wrap the headset cord more than 3-4 times. 

5️⃣Use A Headphone Stand

I got myself a stand for my headphones; honestly, it was the best decision. Spending on a headset stand or clamp may be worthwhile if you have many headphones. This keeps your headsets hanging directly and prevents the wires from distorting together. 

  • Some headsets have removable cables you can coil up and connect to the hold. 
  • They’re tiny and straightforward to use, and they could be helpful if you don’t have a significant amount of space. 
  • Install a stopper beneath your workstation and place a headset stand on your desk/shelf. 

This is a great way to keep your headsets organized and prevent them from getting tangled. Earphone stands are available online in the majority of electronics retail outlets.

🤔How To Stop Headphone Wire From Curling: 5 Simple Tips To Solve The Mess!

Solve the mess

1️⃣Use A Headphone Case While Traveling

When you insert your headsets in a big storage backpack, they don’t remain firmly in place, and the headphone cables become twisted or kinked over time. This can also decrease the useful life of your headsets. So, how to stop the headphone wire from curling?

If you intend to use your headsets for an extended period, do not keep them in your travel bag. Instead, you can use a dedicated headset or a pocket-carrying case to secure your headsets.  

The carrying case is the best option since it safeguards the headphones from visible damage and keeps the wires from being in a mess. It’s a great way to keep your audio gear organized.

2️⃣Use The “Over-Under Method Of Cable Coiling”

Folding your cables correctly before putting them away prevents kinks. The majority of us coil our cables in on ourselves around our palms, spinning the tangled wires with each turn. This technique is incorrect because each twisted coil generates a spin in the cord, which is visible when unfurled.

Instead, try the ‘over-under’ technique, which backstage event coordinators widely utilize worldwide. Here’s how it’s done:

  • Begin by holding the closure of the cord on one side, then tumble your other hand further down the cable to form the first coil.
  • Spin your hand so that your hand is facing outwards for the following coil.
  • Scoop up the cord with your palm in that place, then twist your hand back inwards as you raise it to wrap it.
  • Alternate between the 2 phases until the cable twisting is completely encased.

3️⃣Use Velcro Straps

Do velcro straps help?

If you do not wish to buy a wire yoyo, you can store your cables organized with everyday household items. Zip ties or velcro fasteners are one option. Tie them just several times around the wire to keep them from getting tangled.  

This is a cheap and straightforward method for keeping your cords organized! Zip ties are available at any retail shop, and velcro straps are available at most fabric shops.

4️⃣Use a Cable Organizer

If you do not wish to purchase any of the following items, you can retain your cables organized with a cable organizer. Numerous cord organizers are available, but most do the same work: keep your earphones in place, so they don’t spin together.  

It comes in a small and classic design which is easy to carry from one place to another. With a free roll, earbuds can be taken out immediately without any mess, making your life easier.

This is an excellent choice for an organized workplace or home and is small enough to fit perfectly in pockets, handbags, or backpacks.

5️⃣Use A Hair Dryer At Low Temperatures

Using Low Temperature

You can utilize a blow dryer to influence your headset cables if they have become helplessly twisted. A low-heat blow dryer can softly warm up the wires, plastic insulating, and sensitive metal finishings, making them more malleable and more straightforward to operate. 

You can bend or mold the original cables back into their natural role once they have heated up significantly and become more feasible. Pay close attention to their organic alignment so that you can work with it rather than against it.

To prevent thermal damage, maintain the hair dryer on low heat and avert, placing the nozzle near the wires.

⭐Get Wireless Headphones (Bonus Tip)

If you have the money, purchasing a pair of wireless headsets is the best alternative (and the excellent one). Make sure to select a high-quality headset brand. This will remove the issue of dangling cords, and you will not need to be concerned about them!  

Ensure that your device has Bluetooth functionality and that you’re ready to go. Bluetooth headphones typically cost $50 or more, but they’re worth investing in if you’ve got many cords lying.

💡How To Straighten Headphone Wires FAQs 

FAQs about straight earphones

Why do headphone wires curl up? 

Natural wear and tear cause scrunched or twisted headphone wires. In addition, we are constantly changing the position or alignment of our headsets. We keep them down if we need to take a break from our work, then place them back on, and during the process, we turn and bend the cables.

How to straighten a kinked cable? 

Take the remaining length of the cord via the tussle. Cables generally have tangles because they loop around themselves and pull firmly. The knot will show up undone if you pass the free end of the wire somewhere under the twist. You should repeat the previously mentioned steps until the tangles unfold.

Can the headphone jack be repaired? 

Yes, you can repair it. If none of the above fixes works, you might need to access the gadget and perform more invasive repairs. Remember that trying to open your device may void your guarantee and cause irrevocable damage if the maintenance is not done correctly. It is always better to take advantage of the guarantee and repair your device by authorized technicians.

Do headphones tangle themselves?

Yes, headphones can tangle themselves because of the wire’s “agitation” and the motion and cartwheeling of your headsets in the space where they are stored. It’s not just because of your chaotic bag. 

Why do iPhone headphones tangle so easily?

Scientific studies have stated that iPhone earpiece clumps are caused by the length of the cord and the back-and-forth movement the wire experiences. 
The longer your headsets are in your backpack, the further tangled they will become. It appears to be intuitive, but scientific research now backs it up!

About the Author

How To Straighten Headphone Wires

Rach Wellard

Rach Wellard is the driving force behind Sound & Solitude. Her mission is to help you discover the profound impact of sound in your daily life and to explore the beauty of solitude. With a deep passion for the connection between soundscapes and emotions, she brings a unique blend of expertise and personal dedication to our platform.

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