Surface Headphones 2+ - no sound on my left ear cup

Richard Roy 0 Reputation points Microsoft Employee
2026-04-01T23:02:37.56+00:00

My Surface Headphone left ear cup stopped working today. I am unable to get to a support agent via the numbers provided, the automated system does not recognize the input for Serial so the call cannot be transported to Support agent.

Surface | Surface Headphones | Other
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  1. S.Sengupta 32,351 Reputation points MVP Volunteer Moderator
    2026-04-02T00:23:40.83+00:00

    On Windows:

    Settings → System → Sound → Device Properties → Balance (Both Right and Left must be equal)

    Try it on another device- if you experience the same then likely hardware.

    Reset For Microsoft Surface Headphones:

    • Press and hold the power button for ~20 seconds
    • Wait for reset tone / light pattern
    • Re-pair the device

    Visit:

    https://support.microsoft.com

    Steps:

    1. Sign in with your Microsoft account
    2. Click Surface Devices
    3. Proceed accordingly.

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  2. AI answer

    2026-04-01T23:02:49.59+00:00

    Follow these steps to troubleshoot the left ear cup audio issue on Surface Headphones 2+ (same audio guidance as Surface Headphones 2):

    1. Check audio source selection in Windows 10/11
      • Select the Audio icon on the right side of the taskbar.
      • If listening to music, select Surface Headphones Stereo.
      • If making calls, select Surface Headphones Hands-Free.
        If the wrong profile is selected, audio may be limited or misrouted.
    2. Confirm headphones are the active output device
      On the PC or phone, make sure Surface Headphones are set as the audio output device (not built‑in speakers or another Bluetooth device).
      • On Windows: use the taskbar Audio icon as above.
      • On iOS: open Control Center → press and hold Music → tap the icon in the upper‑right → choose Surface Headphones.
      • On Android: open Bluetooth settings → ensure Surface Headphones are at the top for calls and music; disconnect other devices if needed.
    3. Check connection mode and capabilities
      In Windows 10:
      • Go to Start → Settings → Devices → Bluetooth & other devices.
      • Under Surface Headphones, verify it shows Connected voice, music, not just “Connected voice”. If only voice is connected, disconnect and reconnect the headphones.
    4. Update firmware using the Surface app
      • Open the Surface app on Windows.
      • Select Surface Headphones and check for a firmware update.
      • Install any available update and test audio again.
        For details, see Update Surface Headphones from the documentation.
    5. Check equalizer and audio settings
      • In the Surface app on Windows, go to Surface Headphones → Equalizer and ensure no extreme EQ setting is applied that might mute or heavily reduce one channel.
      • Also verify audio is not playing on another paired device.
    6. Reset Surface Headphones to factory settings
      • Perform a factory reset as described in Reset Surface Headphones.
      • After reset, pair the headphones again with the PC/phone and test both ear cups.

    If, after these steps, audio still only plays from the right ear cup, the left driver or internal wiring is likely faulty. In that case, use Device Service and Repair at https://support.microsoft.com/devices to start a service request for the headphones instead of calling by phone.

    References:

    AI-generated content may be incorrect. Read our transparency notes for more information.

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