Starting from Samsung Galaxy S10, Samsung Galaxy smartphones do not come with a 3.5mm headphone port/AUX port. Therefore, users of Samsung Galaxy S20 (successor of Samsung Galaxy S10), have to use an adapter called “AUX adapter” or “AUX to USB-C adapter” to connect their Samsung Galaxy S20 to AUX devices such as wired headphones, earphones, external speakers, car audio, etc.

However, users have reported their AUX adapter does not work with the Samsung Galaxy S20. They have further reported that speakers or headphones do not produce sound when connected via the AUX adapter.

In this guide, we will explain what causes the AUX adapter to not work and provide five (05) solutions to resolve it.

Note: Solutions in this guide will work on any Samsung Galaxy S20 model (S20, S20 Plus, S20 Fe, and S20 Ultra models.)

Editor’s note: We created these instructions using a Samsung Galaxy S20 running Android 12. Depending on your device’s software version, some steps and menu positions may look slightly different.

What Causes the AUX Adapter (USB-C to AUX) to Not Work On Samsung Galaxy S20?

These are the 06 main reasons that can cause the AUX adapter not to work with Samsung Galaxy S20:

1. The adapter is not compatible with Samsung Galaxy S20.
2. The adapter is broken or has a hardware-level defect.
3. The USB-C port on your Samsung Galaxy S20 is either clogged with dust or malfunctioning.
4. Your Samsung Galaxy S20’s settings have been misconfigured.
5. The device connecting to the other end of the AUX adapter is either defective or incompatible with the Samsung Galaxy S20.
6. Software glitches in the Android operating system.

Note: If the AUX adapter you bought does not work with your car, this means the adapter does not have a built-in DAC. We have included a supported adapter in this guide that will work with your car.

How to Fix AUX Adapter Not Working On Samsung Galaxy S20

Fix 01: Check the USB Type-C Port

First, you need to make sure the USB type-C port in your Samsung Galaxy S20 is working correctly and there is no dust inside of it disrupting the connection.

To check the port, you can plug in any type of device that exchanges data such as a computer, laptop, Type-C audio device, etc. This will ensure the data transfers between the Galaxy S20 and the other device of the connection without any interruptions.

If you notice any connection issues when connecting the devices, you can do the following to resolve them:

• Unplug and replug the device.
• Clean the USB port.
• Take your Galaxy S20 to a repair center.

Fix 02: Enable “USB Audio Routing”

The “USB Audio routing” feature on Android smartphones allows to stream audio to multiple devices. This feature mostly works for car audio. If you want to connect the AUX adapter to your car audio, then you must try this solution.

By default, the “USB audio routing” feature is disabled on the Samsung Galaxy S20. Therefore, you can enable this feature manually on the Developer options.

Here is how you can enable “USB audio routing” on your Samsung Galaxy S20.

1. Enable Developer options if you haven’t done so already.
2. Open Settings, and go to “Developer options”.
3. Scroll down and toggle off “Disable USB audio routing”.

Fix 03: Check the Volume

This might sound like a no-brainer but sometimes users can get confused with the volume controls of the Galaxy S20. Therefore, you need to ensure you have set the Media volume to the max level since you are using an adapter to connect devices to your phone.

To increase the media volume, you can follow the steps below:

1. Go to Settings.
2. Tap on “Sounds and vibrations”.
3. Tap on “Volume”.

4. Increase the volume of “Media”. (you can also increase the volume for Ringtone, Notifications, and Alarms as you want to)

Fix 04: Purchase an AUX adapter that has a built-in DAC

If the AUX adapter doesn’t have built-in DAC (digital-to-analog), it may not work with some audio devices that use analog audio signals.

We found a supported adapter for your Samsung Galaxy S20 smartphone which has built-in DAC support. You can purchase the adapter from Amazon. Here is the name of the product.

Product Name: PEPPER JOBS C2PDA USB-C to 3.5 mm Headphone Jack Adapter 2-in-1 USB-C to AUX Adapter with Fast Charging

Note: We are not affiliated with this product manufacturer or the seller. Make sure to review the product before buying.

Fix 05: Do a Software Update or Reset your Galaxy S20

As we mentioned at the beginning of this guide, software bugs, and glitches are possible causes of why the AUX adapter does not work with your Galaxy S20.

To fix software-related issues, you have two options. One is updating the system software of your Galaxy S20. The other one is doing a factory data reset, which is a more drastic solution.

When you update the device software, it will replace the current Android system on your Galaxy S20 with the newer, updated system. When you do a factory data reset, it will remove all the personal data of your Galaxy S20 and potentially rule out bugs and corrupted data causing connection issues.

To update your Galaxy S20, follow the steps below:

1. Go to Settings.
2. Scroll down and tap on “Battery and device care”.

3. Then tap on “Software update”.

4. Finally, tap on “Download and install”.

To do a factory data reset, you can follow the steps below. Ensure to back up any important data before doing a factory data reset:

1. Go to Settings.
2. Scroll down and tap on “General management”.
3. Then, tap on “Reset”.

4. Select “Factory data reset”.

5. Enter your screen lock password or PIN.
6. Confirm to begin the reset.