How To Fix a Loose HDMI Cable Connection
One of the physical problems with the HDMI connection is the weight. The cable is held into the port by friction. That is usually okay if you aren’t swapping cables often. Or if the port isn’t at a weird angle. Or if anything hits the cable for any reason. Really, there can be a lot of things that can happen to the cable and port that cause the HDMI cable connection to become loose. Is there a solution? How can you fix a loose HDMI cable connection safely? Let’s discuss!
Put Down the Flat-Head Screwdriver!
If you take a very close look at the HDMI port, something inside will usually be bent. The port has a unique shape and it has been deformed. Your immediate thought might be to bend it back in place with something small and flat. Like a Flat-Head screwdriver.
While this might work in the short term, it likely won’t fix the problem When metal bends, it will still retain some of its strength. The more you bend it, the weaker it gets. You can bend it back in place and the HDMI connection will be fixed for a little while. But if the problem is gravity (as it often is), the connection will loosen again. You want a more permanent solution.
Now Pick Up a Phillips-Head Screwdriver!
If you look just above your HDMI port, there is a little Phillips-Head screw. Believe it or not, this was designed to hold your HDMI cable in place! There are multiple solutions out there (we’ve got examples of two below). Basically, if you go to your online or local electronic store and search for “HDMI lock,” you’ll find something.
The solution to fix your loose HDMI cable connection is fairly simple. You remove the small Phillips-Head screw and use it to secure your HDMI cable directly to the back of your device. There are lots of different sizes and shapes of HDMI locks. You will find one that works with your device and cable combination.
What About a Cable that Just Works?
Why don’t HDMI cables all have some sort of locking solution as part of their design? We can’t answer that but we’d bet it has to do with money (additional cost of manufacturing) and customer service. If every cable had a locking solution, many customers would want to use it. Most of the time, the friction fit is enough. The locking solution is only needed when you have a problem. But if every cable had a locking solution, many consumers would think, “Well, if it is here, they want me to use it.” Cue the customer service calls.
There are HDMI cables with locking solutions. Unfortunately, all the ones we’ve found are older (HDMI 1.4 or older) and not Ultra High Speed certified. If you want all the latest gaming features, you are going to have to buy your HDMI cable separately from the locking solution. Together, they will fix your loose HDMI cable connection.
