How To Connect Headphones To The TV Without Headphone Jack

Modern TVs do not have headphone jack because they use the latest technologies like HDMI and Bluetooth etc. Still, you can connect your headphones to a TV even without a headphone jack/socket.

As you know headphone jack is a 3.5mm AUX jack that is not liked today because it cannot deliver surround sound and high-definition audio in good sound systems.

However, it is very popular and most widely used by many devices. It is the same jack used on your mobiles and tablets.

How To Connect Headphones To The TV Without Headphone Jack

Modern TVs provide other outputs by means of which you can connect external sound systems and hear more powerful sound and bass rather than the low cheap built-in TV speakers.

But audio outputs except the headphone jack cannot connect your headphones to the TV directly. There are various converters/adapters that let you convert the output and connect the headphones.

There are several methods available that can help you do this. We have discussed them briefly.

 

3.5mm Socket To Dual RCA Plugs

Check your TV for analog audio output that you can find on the back. These will be two RCA sockets mostly red and white. Make sure they are for output and not for input.

If the sockets are for audio output the next process is simple and straightforward. You need to buy a TRSF to Dual RCA Adapter which has a 3.5mm socket (female 3.5mm) and two RCA plugs.

Convert 3.5mm Socket To Dual RCA Plugs

The arrangement will be such that your headphone will be plugged into a 3.5mm socket of the adapter and two RCA plugs will be plugged into two RCA sockets on the TV.

This method is not only simple but also very cheap. You don’t need any technical knowledge. When the adapter comes before you, you will understand what you have to do.

Also Read: Connect Soundbar To TV Without Optical Cable or HDMI

1/4″ Female to 2 RCA Male

Many headphones have 1/4″ plugs instead of a 3.5mm jack and if you are also one of those people then you have 2 options to connect your headphones to the TV if the TV does not support a direct connection with your headphone jack.

connect headphones to TV using 1/4

First, you can buy a 1/4″ TRSF to Dual RCA Adapter that will give you a simple arrangement. Just plug your headphones into a 1/4″ socket and RCA plugs into the RCA socket on the TV. It is a more reliable way than the next one.

If for some reason, you cannot find the above cable, you have another option as well.

You need to buy a 1/4 Inch Female to 3.5mm Male Adapter. Now you have an arrangement like on the top#1. In the next step, you will need to buy a 3.5mm Socket To Dual RCA Plugs Adapter.

The arrangement will be such that a 1/4″ male jack will be plugged into a 1/4″ female socket and the male 3.5mm jack will be plugged into the female 3.5mm jack of the 2nd adapter. The male RCA plugs of the second adapter will be plugged into the RCA sockets of the TV.

The second step although not very complex still seems strange. However, when you have no other option, you will surely adopt it.

If your TV has only Digital Audio Output

3.5mm jack or 1/4″ jack used in your headphones are analog audio. But what if have to connect your headphones to that TV?

In such a case, you will need to buy a Digital to Analog Audio Converter but it is a bit expensive than adapters.

Digital to Analog Audio Converter

There are many converters like this available so you have to make sure that the required inputs and outputs are available.

Make sure that the inputs available on the converter are similar to those digital outputs on the TV. These are mostly optical and coaxial.

Also, check the output of the converter if it is possible to plug your headphones into the converter either directly or by using an adapter.

If these two requirements are met, you can buy that converter.

Related: How To Connect/Hook Up Speakers To TV

If your Headphone is Wireless/Bluetooth

Today wireless products are most loved. No one likes wires so wireless/Bluetooth audio products are most liked by audio lovers.

Wireless and Bluetooth is the latest technology that you cannot find in old systems. If your TV and headphones are also modern and support this feature, you don’t need to worry about anything because you can pair them directly.

In case one of your devices is old and lacks this feature while another supports it. The better will be to use a wire connection. You can also find some wireless kits that can connect wirelessly on one side and with wire on another end.

Caution:

Here are some people asking you to modify the wiring of TV and give headphones access directly. Although it works, we don’t recommend it if you are not fully expert of it. You may get an electric shock and the warranty on TV if available will also get invalid.

Frequently Asked Questions

Read the following answers to your common queries.

Do all TVs have an audio input port?

Almost, all TVs come with multiple input ports for audio and video. For example, you can connect DVD players, streaming devices, external speakers, Blu-Ray players, gaming devices, etc. Read the specification of the TV or the user manual to know the location of different types of ports.

What type of headphones do I need for my TV?

You can use any headphones with your TV. However, check the connectivity options first. The headphones can be connected through a 3.5mm audio jack using a cable. Moreover, you can connect via RCA stereo outputs using an adapter. Smart TVs have Bluetooth for wireless pairing.

Ending Thoughts

There were almost 4 different ways you can use to connect your headphones to the TV without a headphone jack on the TV. We hope one of these methods will work fine for you. How you connect depends upon your choice. If you still face any difficulty let us know.

Hi, I'm Noor Alam, founder of SpeakersMag.com. I love music and got my Bachelor's degree in Sound Engineering. Now I have started my own blog about music products. Just like you, I also love different music products and in my spare time, I share my knowledge with audio lovers on this site. Read more about me
Hi, I'm Noor Alam, founder of SpeakersMag.com. I love music and got my Bachelor's degree in Sound Engineering. Now I have started my own blog about music products. Just like you, I also love different music products and in my spare time, I share my knowledge with audio lovers on this site. Read more about me

1 thought on “How To Connect Headphones To The TV Without Headphone Jack”

Leave a Comment