Let’s start with the fact that Samsung is one of my favorite brands, but I was surprised when I discovered that the Samsung S21 headphone jack was missing. Yes, you’ve read this right. You don’t get a headphone jack on the 2021 Samsung Galaxy S21.
Okay, I admit it — it shouldn’t be such a surprise since they removed it from their previous models, starting with Note 10 (2019) and Galaxy S20 (2020), but somehow I hoped to see it again.
Why would Samsung remove it, and is there a way to use your headphones despite the missing 3.5mm jack?
Is There a Samsung S21 Headphone Jack?
Well, the simple answer is — NO. Regardless of your variant, there’s no headphone jack on the Samsung S21. But the good news is that you can use your buds or connect your headphones to your phone using an adapter.
What comes in the Samsung S21 box?
Samsung Galaxy S21 has four models, and the box you get contains the same list of things, with no exceptions.
- Samsung S21 (Released in January 2021)
- Samsung S21+ (Released in January 2021)
- Samsung S21 Ultra (Released in January 2021)
- Samsung S21 FE (Released in January 2022)
Remember the time when you bought a new phone and received chargers and headphones in the phone box? Well, those days are gone. Most manufacturers today consider these things additional accessories. So don’t be surprised if you have to pay extra for them.
And Samsung is no different. No charging bricks or earphones for Samsung Galaxy S21 buyers, regardless of the model you purchase. They did offer gifts for pre-orders at the start (from 01.14.21 – 01.28.21), but since that special offer expired, you’ll have to cough up some cash for it.
So, what do you get in the box?
Well, the box is pretty small, and you get the most basic accessories. It contains:
- The phone
- SIM removal tool
- USB-C to USB-C cable
- Documents
Samsung S21 – What extras do you need to buy?
The fact that you get a USB-C to USB-C cable within the box doesn’t mean you can charge your phone. You still need the charging block that goes into the wall outlet. In short, you’ll need to buy a charger separately.
If you think you can use your laptop or computer, I have to warn you that it will take forever because your laptop’s USB ports cannot deliver the amperage your phone requires. Also, you should always use original parts, especially for electronics like smartphones.
But if you have tons of charger blocks in a drawer, all good. You can use one of them if they fit the cable (USB-C is oval, not rectangle).
But, if you don’t have a charger from 2017 onwards, you will need to buy a new one.
Note: When buying a wall charger for your Samsung S21, make sure you get one compatible with the USB-C to USB-C cable because it’s the only one that fits this series. You can find it on Amazon for a bargain price.
Wireless chargers
You’ve probably heard that you can charge your Samsung S21 with wireless chargers. But there’s a catch (of course). The Galaxy S21 (all models) only supports 15W Qi wireless charging, so it would be wise to check whether your charger has a Qi certificate.
| Wireless chargers | Image | Price |
|---|---|---|
| Samsung Wireless Charger Dual Fast Charge Pad (2022) 15W |  | Check the Price on Amazon |
| SAMSUNG Wireless Charger DUO Pad; Fast Charge 2.0 |  | Check the Price on Amazon |
| Samsung Electronics Wireless Charger Trio, Qi Compatible – Charge up to 3 Devices at Once |  | Check the Price on Amazon |
All wireless chargers from the list above use Qi connectivity technology, have a USB-C connector and are compatible with a long list of Samsung and iPhone products, including phones, buds, and watches. So yes, they are compatible with your Galaxy S21.
Why is the Samsung S21 headphone jack missing?
Now, there’s more to the list of what’s missing from the Samsung Galaxy S21. The standard for all models doesn’t include a headphone jack.
Officially, it’s how Samsung wants to decrease its products’ impact on the environment. It kind of makes sense since we all have at least ten Samsung chargers at home that fit our new phone. As for the headphone jack, they claim they are just adapting to trends.
This might be true, but we must remember that Samsung has several models of buds being sold as an additional accessory. How convenient! Does it sound familiar? Yes, it’s Apple’s recipe for accessories.
Using Galaxy Buds with your Samsung S21
So, you want to use your wireless buds with your new Samsung S21. Can you use the one you already have or do you have to buy a new one? While you can use the ones you have, you can also consider Samsung’s own range of earbuds.
| Buds | Description | Price |
|---|---|---|
| Samsung Galaxy Buds Pro | Great sound, supports ANC (Active Noise Cancelling), the internal battery lasts up to 5 hours, and if you take them out of your ears, the music will actually stop playing. | Check the Price on Amazon |
| Samsung Galaxy Buds2 | Good sound quality, supports ANC, and has a 5-hour lasting battery. Excellent value for money. | Check the Price on Amazon |
| Samsung Galaxy Buds2 Pro | Great sound, supports ANC, battery can last up to 6 hours. In-ear design. Best value. | Check the Price on Amazon |
| Samsung Galaxy Buds Live | Buds are shaped like beans and fit well within ears. Not as expensive as Samsung Galaxy Buds Pro, and it provides excellent sound with a 6-hour battery life. They have ANC, but it doesn’t function as it should since they are not in-ear buds. | Check the Price on Amazon |
I must mention that despite the fact Samsung makes these buds, they are not flawless, and sometimes (not so often), you might face issues with Galaxy Buds. Lucky for you, there’s a solution to every problem.
How do I connect headphones to the Samsung Galaxy S21?
What if I want to use wired headphones and the Samsung S21 headphone jack is missing? Well, if you want to use your wired headphones, it is possible despite the fact you don’t have a headphone port on your new phone, but you’ll need an adapter, and your headphones should have a specific type of USB.
Luckily, you can find an adapter that fits your needs on Amazon, and its price won’t burden your budget.
So, the key to using headphones with your new Samsung Galaxy S21 is that they have USB-C, which matches the 3.5mm Aux Adapter. It’s actually very simple to use. All you have to do is:
- Plug the Aux Adapter into the USB-C port on your phone.
- Plugin your headphones into the Aux Adapter.
- And that’s it! Enjoy your music!
And, as for headphones you want to use, check whether the headphones you own have USB-C, and if not, you can find headphones with excellent reviews on Amazon.
Note: For those wondering what USB-C is, I’ll try to explain. It’s like an advanced system of sending audio data since it uses both analog and digital signals (not at the same time, of course). The role of a 3.5mm jack is to convert a digital signal into an analog signal before it’s sent. And that explains why you need an adapter.
Oh, and if you prefer a video explainer, I found the perfect one for you!
Conclusion
So, yes, the Samsung S21 headphone jack is missing, but it’s not the end of the world. You can always use buds, or you can use headphones with USB-C and Aux Adapters.
Even with the missing charger, the Galaxy S21 is yet another excellent product from the Samsung factory.
I really hope this article helped and that you now know that despite the missing headphone jack, you can still enjoy music using your headphones!
