Ever since Apple removed the headphone jack in 2016, Android phone manufacturers have slowly, but surely followed suit. Samsung — arguably the most popular Android phone brand — has been on the slower side compared to its competition. But starting in 2020, the headphone jack has been missing from Samsung’s flagship Galaxy S smartphones. So that begs a question — does the Samsung Galaxy S23 have a headphone jack?
It may seem like a silly question to ask, given Samsung’s history here, but it’s perfectly valid. Companies change plans all the time. Samsung may not have used headphone jacks for the last few years, but that doesn’t mean it’ll never bring them back. Is the S23 the one to turn around the headphone jack ship?
The Samsung Galaxy S23 does not have a headphone jack
Unfortunately, no. The headphone jack-less tradition continues today with the Samsung Galaxy S23 series. Whether you get the Galaxy S23, Galaxy S23 Plus, or S23 Ultra, none of the phones have a 3.5mm headphone jack.
If you like to use wired headphones that still use a 3.5mm audio jack, you’re out of luck with the Samsung Galaxy S23. The phone does not have the old headphone jack that used to be ubiquitous until Apple popularized the trend of removing it. Samsung’s last flagship phone that still had a headphone jack was the Galaxy S10 and S10 Plus in 2019. Since the Galaxy S20 series and later, Samsung has not brought back the headphone jack.
However, if the lack of a headphone jack is a deal breaker for you, then there are other Samsung phones that have it — and they’re actually cheaper than the Galaxy S23. After all, Samsung chose to remove it from its flagship lineup, but that doesn’t include budget options like the Galaxy A14 5G. With the Galaxy A14, which costs around $200 retail, you’ll find a headphone jack on the bottom of the phone next to the USB-C port. So, if you have a favorite pair of headphones that you just can’t stop using just yet, and you don’t want to deal with adapters or Bluetooth headphones, then the Galaxy A14 could be a possible alternative that’s much more affordable.
Other audio listening options on the Galaxy S23
Just because the Samsung Galaxy S23 doesn’t have a headphone jack, that doesn’t mean you can’t use headphones to listen to your audio. The Galaxy S23 uses USB-C to charge, but if you have headphones that plug in via USB-C, those will work fine. You could also go with a USB-C to 3.5mm jack adapter — they’re plentiful and relatively affordable.
Of course, even more common than wired USB-C headphones are Bluetooth ones. The Samsung Galaxy S23 utilizes the industry-standard Bluetooth 5.3 technology, so you can use some of our favorite wireless headphones and earbuds to listen to your music, podcasts, and audiobooks.
And if you want to listen to your audio in a more public way, the Bluetooth connection can also be utilized with wireless speakers and other audio players, including smart TVs if you have one.
So, even though the Samsung Galaxy S23 doesn’t have a headphone jack, there are still plenty of ways to listen to your audio.