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Three Tips for Getting Earphones to Fit Properly

by Robert E. Calem on July 27, 2011

man wearing earphone Even the best in-ear headphones can sound awful and feel uncomfortable if they're not seated properly in your ear. Here's how to get a proper fit.

Size Matters: The key to a proper earphone fit is using the right size ear tip. So try the various sizes of foam and silicon tips that come with your earphones. One ear may be slightly larger than the other, so you may need to use a different size for each ear.
Seat the eartip firmly: To get the best sound, you need to seal your ear canal with the eartip. So simply pushing an eartip into your ear often isn't enough to create a proper seal. Try gently pulling on the outer rim of your ear to ease the tip into a comfortable position. You should notice a drop in ambient noise when the tip is seated correctly. And when you're listening to music, you'll notice more range, especially bass.
Secure the tip for sports: If you find that your earphones fall out while exercising, try looping the cable that connects them behind your head and around the top of each ear. For eartips that are angled to fit in the ear canal, place the side marked “L” in your right ear and the side marked “R” in your left ear. Some headphones, like those made by Shure are designed to be worn this way, so check before swapping sides.

Topics

Phones and Mobile, Headphones, Music and Video, Tips & How-Tos, Tech 101

Discussion

From Jackie @ freeismylife on July 27, 2011 :: 9:58 am

My ears are very small and most in-ear earphones don’t fit. I started using the Jabra brand years ago and their gel tips are are great for a good fit. I do have earphones from other brands that use the interchangeable tips but they still don’t fit as well.

From Marcia on July 27, 2011 :: 8:30 pm

I dont understand how one tries on all the earphones when they are in plastic packages and not available for trying on. THank you.

From Josh Kirschner on July 28, 2011 :: 12:42 am

Better earphones come with a variety of eartip sizes. So after you purchase, you should try the various sizes to see which fits you best. Obviously, you can’t try on the different tips before you buy the earphones.

From Glen Steen on August 27, 2022 :: 7:50 am

Earphones are in plastic to for your protection. There is no telling how clean a persons ears are or what infections they may have in their ears.

From Sausha Johnson on August 08, 2011 :: 3:23 pm

I need headphones—but I want them to connect to my iphone. Does anyone make these? I can only find earbuds that I cannot make fit.

From Josh Kirschner on August 08, 2011 :: 4:47 pm

Most headphones/earphones should work with your iPhone. If you have an external case on your iPhone, that can sometimes make the fit trickier, so look for earphone models that have a straight post (rather than an L-shaped post). Often the straight post models are longer and won’t be blocked by the case.

From David on September 13, 2011 :: 10:43 am

Is there a set that allows use of a HTC EVO in conjunction with Peltor ear muff hearing protectors?
I am a woodworker and wear the Peltor Worktunes. The problem is I cannot hear my cell phone ring not can I feel the phone in vibration mode when working. Consequently, I miss a lot of phone calls. Any suggestions?

From Josh Kirschner on September 13, 2011 :: 12:54 pm

Any set of earbuds should work as long as they are small enough to fit inside the Peltor cuff and the wire doesn’t interfere too much with the seal around your head (which it shouldn’t. Or, it appears that Peltor has a Blutooth model, which you probably could then sync to your phone for booth music ad other sounds (e.g., ringing).

From Paul on October 12, 2011 :: 8:28 pm

I have the very annoying problem of my left ear canal being smaller than my right ear canal. So I always make sure my headphones come with multiple ear gels and usually mix and match sizes. Even with that method the earbud in my left ear always falls out during running. I’ll try that method of wrapping the cord around the ear, though that doesn’t look that comfortable.

From Alex on December 26, 2013 :: 12:21 am

I just bought Motorola buds because they are as Motorola says “easy on your ears” and they are… It fits perfectly in my right ear and sounds amazing but my left ear just does not fit at all. I tried all sizes but nothing works how I want it to. I hope I’m just putting them in wrong with my hand but I just wish my left ear were normal. Did you find any tricks to making it fit or make your ear expand… I know that sounds stupid but I love music and I just wish I could have a normal left ear.

From Alex on January 05, 2014 :: 12:49 am

Thank god, I was just putting them in wrong, nevermind…

From Robert on October 06, 2014 :: 10:56 am

:^)

From Abdul Moheet on August 23, 2012 :: 4:23 pm

I just got some JVC air Cushion and they came with some memoryfoam tips should i use those and would they be healthy and a good fit for my ears

From Suzanne Kantra on August 27, 2012 :: 10:21 pm

Memory foam can provide a great seal, if inserted properly, which means better quality sound. As far as whether they’re healthy, just make sure you swap out the tips according to the directions that come with your earphones.

From EddieW on August 27, 2012 :: 12:28 pm

I have used Sony earbuds for years. I always get a great fit. I recently bought a Bluetooth LG headset HBS 700 that seems very cool and discreet. However, I can’t get a good fit with any of the tips. I even tried swapping the perfectly fitting Sony tips, but the fit still is not right. How can this be?? Isn’t it dependent on the tips? Or is there some other issue at play?

From Suzanne Kantra on August 27, 2012 :: 10:07 pm

It doesn’t look like your earphones come with double flange tips, which could make a difference. You should be able to find replacement double-flange tips that fit. However, I’ve found that it’s not just the earphone tips, it’s also the shape of the earphone itself or the presence of a stabilizer that makes a difference. The Sennheiser Adidas CX 680i Sports Headset has a stabilizer, as do a number of headsets from Jabra and Plantronics.

From The confused on October 31, 2012 :: 4:59 pm

I just got skullcandy earbuds for 30 dollars. The right one fits but the left one doesn’t. I tried your tricks and they didn’t help. My ears are the same size and I tried swapping out the tips of the earbuds but that didn’t work either. Any suggestions?

From Suzanne Kantra on October 31, 2012 :: 6:03 pm

If they didn’t come with foam tips, try those. They fit a wider range of ears. Comply is a good brand. http://www.complyfoam.com/

From Lola on November 26, 2012 :: 3:59 am

Super helpful article! Thanks for the tips

From Michail on February 10, 2013 :: 6:07 am

I find that the Sony Ericsson Earphones don’t fit in my ears, but nokia ones do!!! This is weird.. Also, I need to find a certain earphone that works within the next 2 weeks. Help is necessary…
THANKS

From JAMES on March 05, 2013 :: 1:29 pm

I AM A LITTLE LATE TO THE PARTY, BUT I JUST BOUGHT SOME NICE KLIPSCH EARBUDS AND NONE OF THE TIPS SEEM TO FIT JUST RIGHT, SO THAT THE BASS IS HEARD WELL, UNLESS I PUSH THEM IN, AND PUSH IN OFTEN.
I TRIED ALL THE DIFFERENT SILICONE TIPS.
ARE THERE AFTERMARKET ONES I COULD PURCHASE?
I JUST SAW THE COMPLY LINK, AND AM GOING TO CHECK THAT OUT.
WOULD THAT BE YOUR MAIN SUGGESTION?

From Josh on November 29, 2013 :: 2:19 pm

my earbuds dont fit well. ive tried all these things. Please help!!!!!!!! they just fall out

From Harlee Jaye on August 11, 2015 :: 7:22 pm

These comments saved me and allowed me to keep my new Jam headphones. As per many others, I had to wear mine ‘backwards’ and also change the ear pieces several times and finally wound the cord around my ear for BEST fit. They now work really well for walking the dog and other things!
I sure appreciate your making a blog about this, as I am fully computer literate but never tried in-ear buds before as I never ‘fit’ anything correctly in my life.

From Josh Kirschner on August 12, 2015 :: 7:46 am

Glad you found the tips helpful. Once you get the in-ear buds to fit properly, they provide great sound and noise blocking.