You’re working away on your laptop and music pumping through your headphones. The dreaded low battery pops up! You’re in the zone and don’t want to stop. Can you use headphones while charging your laptop?
People can use headphones while charging their laptop as long as the charging cord and the outlet that the charging cord is connected to are not faulty. Laptop manufacturing companies have safety precautions to ensure people can wear headphones while charging their laptops.
Now that you know that you can wear headphones while charging your laptop, you may be wondering when you should not wear your headphones while charging your laptop and why some experts tell you not to.
Wearing Headphones While Charging Laptops
You can wear headphones that are connected to your laptop while the laptop is charging as long as the charging cord that is plugged into your laptop and the outlet that it is plugged into is not faulty. If the charging cord or the outlet is faulty, do not wear headphones while your laptop is charging!
If you wear headphones while your laptop is charging, and the charging cord or the outlet is faulty in some way, you can get electrocuted and possibly suffer severe injuries, depending on the intensity of the electrocution.
Bluetooth Headphones
You can wear Bluetooth headphones and pair them to your laptop while it is charging. Even if the charging cord or the outlet is faulty, and you will not get electrocuted because the Bluetooth headphones have their own power source. The power source that they rely on is stable, so they won’t electrocute you. They are not relying on the laptop’s power to function as regular headphones do.
Over Ear Headphones
If you are worried about getting shocked or electrocuted while wearing headphones that are connected to a charging laptop, wear over-the-ear headphones rather than earbuds. Over-the-ear headphones don’t actually touch your ears very much, and the parts that do are typically made out of foam or leather materials that don’t conduct electricity.
If you do not own over-the-ear headphones and are worried about getting shocked or electrocuted while wearing headphones connected to a charging laptop, but you own Bluetooth headphones, then use those instead. Most laptops nowadays have Bluetooth capabilities, so you can listen to music or watch videos on your charging laptop without worrying about getting shocked or electrocuted.
You should be aware that if you do wear headphones that are connected to your laptop while it is charging, your laptop will charge slower than normal. However, you likely won’t notice it unless you are really paying attention to how quickly your laptop is charging or typically charges.
People who have gotten shocked or electrocuted while wearing headphones that are connected to a charging laptop have always been wearing earbuds, which have metal parts that touch your inner ears while you are wearing them. The metal parts that touch your inner ear can cause serious injuries if they shock you. This is why it hurts so much when you get shocked while wearing earbuds!
Has Anyone Been Harmed Because They Wore Headphones While Charging Their Laptop?
Although it is rare that people are severely harmed while they are wearing headphones that are connected to a charging laptop, it can and does happen. One person on record has died while wearing headphones that were connected to a charging laptop.
In November 2011, a 34-year-old man was found dead in his home, still wearing headphones that were connected to a charging laptop. Both the laptop and the charging cord were partially burnt, so there was likely a small electrical fire that was caused by faulty wiring in the power outlet or the charging cord. However, the man did not die from burns. Instead, it was deemed that the man died from electrocution. Source
Many people have gotten small shocks from their headphones, but very few people have been harmed while wearing headphones that were connected to a charging laptop. It can happen, but it rarely does.
Is It Safe to Wear Headphones Connected to Charging Laptop?
It is safe to wear headphones that are connected to a charging laptop. Laptop development and manufacturing companies enforce many safety precautions that prevent people from being harmed while they are wearing headphones that are connected to charging laptops. They know that people want to use their headphones while their laptop is charging, so companies make their products so that people can do this safely, as long as the charging cord and outlet are not faulty.
According to a quality control engineer on Quora, the battery and the charging cord are somewhat isolated from the rest of the laptop to prevent the possibility of electrocution or fire. Also, low voltage bolts that shock you while you are wearing headphones can’t really harm you – it is the high voltage bolts that can harm you.
Headphones that plug into the headphone jack on your computer are also typically encased in plastic, which doesn’t conduct electricity well. This means that most shocks that have the potential to harm you will not be able to reach you, even if you are wearing headphones while a laptop is charging.
It is not safe to wear headphones while your laptop is charging if the outlet it is plugged into is faulty or not grounded, you are using a faulty adapter, or if you are next to a source of water. So, make sure that the outlet or adapter it will be plugged into is working properly before you wear and connect headphones to a charging laptop.
Final Words
Now that you know when you can wear headphones connected to a charging laptop, go and enjoy listening to your music or watching videos while your laptop charges. Just make sure you connect your laptop to a grounded and stable outlet, and that your charging cord is not damaged in any way.
If your charging cord is somehow compromised, use Bluetooth or over-the-ear headphones rather than earbuds, and you will still be able to connect your headphones to a charging laptop without worrying about electrocution.
