Ground springs for connector receptacles. The ground springs may protect circuitry in an electronic device from stray voltages when a connector insert is inserted into a connector receptacle housed in the electronic device. One example may have a contacting portion located such that when a connector insert is mated with the connector receptacle, the contacting portion of the ground spring electrically connects to a shield of the connector insert before a ground contact of the connector insert electrically connects to a signal contact on a tongue of the connector receptacle.