You're tapping the button, but nothing happens. No track skip, no ANC toggle, absolutely nothing. The earbuds play audio just fine, but the controls are as dead as Monty Python's parrot. Frustrating, but usually easy to fix.
What went wrong?
The NL25 buds use touch-sensitive buttons that respond to taps on the outer surface. The most common reason they stop working is simple: the firmware got its knickers in a twist. Electronics do this sometimes – they just decide to stop obeying for no apparent reason, like a cat.
Another common cause is that the buds aren't properly paired with each other. If only one bud responds, or neither one obeys, this is most likely the culprit.
Third option: the buds aren't actually on, even though they seem like they are. If there was a protective film on the contact pins in the case and you didn't remove it before first use, the buds may have never charged properly in the first place.
How to fix it
1. Check the contact pin protective film
- If your earbuds are new, check the metal contacts on the bottom of the buds. There might be a thin plastic film blocking the charging connection. Remove it.
2. Do a factory reset
- Place both buds in the case
- Open the case lid (the opening groove is on one side – don't yank it from the hinge side)
- Press and hold the case button for 5 seconds
- The buds will flash and reset
- Re-pair the earbuds with your phone via Bluetooth settings
This fixes the vast majority of issues. The reset clears the pairing between the buds and forces them to start with a clean slate.
3. Check your tap technique
- The NL25 controls work via taps on the outer surface of the bud. Single tap, double tap, or long press – depending on what you want to do.
- Right bud: 1x = play/pause, 2x = next track
- Left bud: 1x = cycle ANC mode, 2x = previous track
- The tap needs to be firm and deliberate. You don't need to press hard, but a gentle brush won't register.
4. Charge them properly
- Make sure the buds sit snugly in the case and the contact pins line up correctly. The case LED tells you the charge level – press the case button once to check.
- Let the buds charge in the case for at least half an hour before trying again.
If nothing helps
If the reset didn't do the trick and charging didn't help, you might be dealing with a faulty button or another hardware issue. In that case, you'll need help from Jasse and the service team in Kajaani.
Shoot us an email at info@valco.fi. Include:
- Your order number
- A short description of the problem
- A photo of the buds and the case (just to be safe)
We repair our devices – we don't chuck them in the bin. A lot of bigger companies can't say the same, but we can, and we're happy to do it. Every repaired pair of earbuds gets us one step closer to that Death Star.
