How do earphones work ? Earphones, or headphones, work similarly to speakers in that they turn electrical energy into sound by using magnetism and the vibration of air. While a large speaker vibrates the air in the space around it to create sound, a pair of earphones only vibrates the air inside the ear canal. Earphones are usually designed as either closed-back or open-back, which affects how much sound can escape from them. Subscribe- @TodayILearn 755 views04:46