An earphone is a small speaker designed to fit in or over your ear so you can listen to music, podcasts, or other audio privately. Unlike a regular speaker that fills a room with sound, earphones direct sound straight into your ears, so only you can hear what's playing.

Earphones come in different styles. Some nestle inside your ear canal (often called earbuds), while others rest just outside the opening of your ear. Headphones are larger and usually cup around your entire ear. All of these let you listen without disturbing people around you, which makes them perfect for the school bus, airplane trips, or times when your brother is trying to study while you want to listen to your favorite songs.

Modern earphones often connect wirelessly to phones and computers using Bluetooth technology, though older versions used cords plugged directly into the device.