My iPhone sometimes stops outputting sound after I remove my earbuds/headphones? How can I fix this?
Though the fix for this particular issue has remained unchanged for some time now - which can be surprising because it is so un-elegant - this issue continues to come to us from iPhoneFAQ readers. It also continues to pop up on Apple's iPhone discussion forums and on other iPhone related websites. So, we figured we'd publish the all-too-uninteresting solution.
For those unfamiliar with the issue, on occasion, the iPhone will stop outputting sound out of its external speaker after headphones are removed from the headphone jack . Essentially, the iPhone thinks the headphones are still connected and will continue to ouput sound only through the headphone port until you're able to "convince" it that the nothing is plugged in. Often, even powering down and back up one's iPhone won't solve the problem.
Why? Because that attempted solution is just too fancy. Believe it or not, the only known fix to this issue is to repeatedly insert and remove a device from the headphone jack. Remember to play a song or otherwise output sound when plugging and unplugging your earbuds, headphones, etc.
We've forwarded this solution to everyone who has written in with this same issue, and we've yet to hear back from anyone reporting that it did not solve the problem.
I have had this problem twice. I sent my iphone back to apple and in three days got a brand new phone. And i mind you, this happened twice. Two new phones, same issue. So i recomened given Apple a call if your battery is not so good and you have this problem
I just ran into this issue today and used compressed air and sprayed it right into the headphone jack and the damn thing worked fine without even rebooting.
Thanks a lot ...
Its magic ... is this an iPhone feature ... :)
lol ..
I tried blowing air into the headphone jack after I had tried plugging and unplugging. it worked!! Unbelievably!!!
Worked like there wasnt an issue in the first place.
Thanks. Was starting to get a little frustrated and taking the jack in and out and resetting. Simply blowing in it worked. Good advice.
thanks for your advice, compressed air totally worked!! even after falling into a spa at Snoop Doggs pool party at Jupiters Casino!!
Thank you, ba55ey. Blowing in air worked. I think the jack might have a minor short cut or stuck so it's still think the ear bud was plugged in. I tried several other tricks but only this blowing in air method works. Thanks again for sharing this trick and saved my trip to Apple store!
Just in case, here is the method copied below:
Submitted by ba55ey (not verified) on February 11, 2011 - 11:08pm.
I tried blowing air into the headphone jack after I had tried plugging and unplugging. it worked!! Unbelievably!!!
Worked like there wasnt an issue in the first place.
lol mates.. this must be a iphone feature and i think the founder should be paid some millions , iphone coop what ya think... worked ..double thanks to you guys for the findout i was already getting pissed..
wow, I can't believe that this honestly worked! I actually didn't even have to used compressed air, I just blew into it, sort of like the old super nintendo games. It works just fine now. Thanks!
that worked perfect spent and hr on the phone with rogers and 5 mins on the net searching and ur solution worked perfect!!! :) much thanks from a DJ who uses his phone 23 outta 24 hrs a day lol!!! THANK YOU THANK YOU THANK YOU!!!!
lol. i was having this issue for a couple of days now. wow. all i did was just blew in the headphone jack and now it works. wow wow wow. thanks. :)
Same here, thanks for the tip. You saved me a bunch of panic.
why it didn't for me :(
Compressed air did it for me. On the first try, the audio was back. Plugging a headphone jack did jack.
where do you get compressed air
Thanks for that, ive been tearing my hair out wondering what had happened to the notification sounds, thanks again :-)
I just did that. And it worked lol. Tried the other method on no dice. Just get a computer duster or if u got a compressor just blow it out. Sometimes they tend to gather alot of lint debre and other crap.
This worked for me too!
Unbelievable!!! It worked for me too!!! Thank you!!!
Thank you so much! I can barely afford this phone so I don't have a warranty, I really appreciate this :L I didnt think it would work for me, thank you thank you thank you LOL
OMG that was amazing and it worked.! I dread going to AT&T with my IPhone only to be sent into the next state where the closest apple store is to have it looked at and eventually traded or sent off because they cant figure it out. Thank you
omg.
well
i did everything what others told me
i inserted and removed sooooooo many times my bundle earpiece almost broke
and yet it didnt fix the problem.
then again,
i "turned it off" and turned it back on--omg--it worked as if nothing had been wrong.
make sure u turn it off properly thou, whcih is pressing top button and square button together for 10sec.
i hope this helps others :)
hi i am iphone expert
if any one have problem conslt me
my email is hashim_hunny@yahoo.com
the problem which is now disscussing is speaker problem
there are few issue for this problm
1) clean ur head jack port
2)thing wich i am going to told u is very important n u have never before
the major defect for speaker not working without handfree is clean k usb port
the lower side of the usb port clean it with tooth pick is will reslove ur problem
if it presist still then contact me
my cell number is +923314001302
my email hashim_hunny@yahoo.com
You're adivce worked out of all the ones i read. I cleaned the usb port on the bottom of my phone with a toothpick and some dust had got in there. Turned the phone off and on again and now sound works and i dont get a message popping up every 5 seconds saying this accessory is not optimised for the phone. Must have been some short somewhere
anyway thanks for the advice
Well Dear I have same problem with I phone 4 gs. When I insert usb pin for charging it pops up and there wont be sms ping or I can not hear the speaker voice, I thought it has something to do with moisture, as my phone was just got dipped in water for seconds. But on viewing the comments over here I felt That I am not the victim of this problem. As someody mentions some lint deber and what not could be the problem. And after blowing air by mouth in the usb port it work to the some extent but occuring again.
Hi Sir,
I am using iphone model 3GS my cell got a probelm that if any calls me i can't hear through reciever but if i on the speaker i can able to listen from it please let me know what is the problem please and tell me the solution from it.
Hashim, my friend, you are a gentleman and a scholar! I tried all the other fixes and this was the only one that worked (after working this issue for about a week). Thank you. My daughter also thanks you - now she can play angry birds with sound again!
Ive tried all these fixes towards my iphone but no luck. Can anybody give any recommending to what i should do. Please this needs to be fixed immediatly.
I have recently had this problem and tried turning it on and off , checking ths sound settings, and giving it a good blow down the jacksie, to no avail then without realising it worked ..... I removed the bumper used to strengthen signal and Hey Presto it returned with all sounds working. Must be something to do with the volume buttons catching. May I also add, check that notifications is enabled too as this can knock off sound in some Apps. The earphone jack is a little tempermental too. iPhone this issue needs resolving. And what good is the bumper if you have to remove it to recharge???????
yo i might do that thanks
Are you sure the phone was brand new and not refurbished? They ususally give you a reconditioned phone. Also if I call Apple as suggested, do you really think they would do something about the battery?
The best solution - http://www.popularmechanics.com/technology/how-to/gadgets/4258816
Man, I was almost giving up but then I gave one last chance and it fucking worked!
Did exactly like the link you posted and then blew very strong and close to the jacket and it worked.
Thank you, from Brazil!
The popularmechanics solution seems to be working for me. Thanks for posting!!
My audio wasn't working without headphones on iPhone 4S. I read about putting headphones in and out. Cleaning top microphone. Using a toothpick for a switch I can't even see. But gently pushed on either side of home button and the sound came back on.
I've had this happen to my Samsung A940, my Iphone, and my new Asus Eeepc. I think it is either something in the air or happens to lots of gadgets. The only fix for all is put the plug back into the jack and then pull it back out again. Works for them all.
had the same problem. the real cure is to slice a milimeter circumference off the rubber tubing on the headphone jack so that more of the metal jack is slightly exposed. i know this sounds silly but trust me it works.
well i never had sound on my iphone without earplugs or usbcable connected with the computer.. and even with the ' trick ' from in-out it didn't work
Thank you .... this really worked!!!
I have had my iPhone for a few months now and this is the first problem I have had with it so far. I went to an Apple store and they fixed the problem immediatly by spraying compressed air into the earbud jack. They used an extension that looked like a earbud jack, but it had small holes placed throughout the extension and then hooked up the compressed air hose to the end of the jack and let er rip. He then reset the phone and everything began running normally.
I've had this happen a lot and actually i've found just blowing really hard directly into the socket works now. (rebooting afterwards). Its a pain in the ass though. If your phone is hacked then using the fast reboot in boss prefs saves some of the pain.
I tried to plug and unplug the headphone a lot of times after I read your advise and it didn't work for me, but I just turned the iphone off (red slide button) and turned it back on and it worked. I don't know if this is a battery issue, but if it happens again, I will go to apple store and check my battery out. I don't think that it would be a smart move to turn it on and off all the time (if this happen quite often).
Good luck!
I had this problem too but I decided to take a look inside the headphone jack and there was a small piece of aluminum stuck inside possibly from my allergy pills that was tricking the phone into thinking the headphones where still connected. Not saying this is your problem but try and look inside and see if anything is in there causing interference.
Just confirming this problem exists on my brand new iPhone 3G w/ 2.1 firmware.
Plus, I have never used the headphones jack. The problem seemed to start when I was playing a game that had sound (EA's Spore) and an incoming phone call occurred. Ever since then, I get no "normal" sound notifications, but can play sounds manually through Settings, etc.
This fix did do the trick, though. Thanks!
It worked man I trired to put inside the jack in and out !!!!!!
I had this problem after having my iphone in my pocket. I tried resetting it on the phone settings, doing updates through itunes and unplugging and replugging the headphone jack and nothing worked. I was about to give up when all I did was squeeze the middle of the phone and the sound suddenly came back on the speakers. I'm not sure why but maybe the pressure from being in my pocket affected it and when I did the same type of pressure it worked. So if all else fails then just try lightly squeezing the phone, not hard pressure but a light squeeze. It made mine work so... Good luck:)
This same problem happened with my iphone mid call. It just went silent. Further studies showed no sound would come through the speakers and adjusting the volume revealed it thought the headphones were attached. I used the fix it shown here to no avail. Reflashed software prior to this and blew in the jack hole as a last resort. Turning it on and off did nothing. I let it rest, went out and had a beer, came back and turned on a song; *Hey Presto* it worked fine... Seems okay now. I'm glad cos this is my third iphone in 5 weeks: I've had 2 replacements so far for other reasons and have told apple there won't be a third. Pitty, cos I do love the phone.
I found that high temperature makes this..
(when You had Your phone in the pocket - temp was higher, when You let him "rest" the temp was lower. I have this issue very often - solutions from net are not working form me.
When I start the call I have to hold my iphone with 2 fingers and not to close to my head ( when I hold the phone close to my ear he is warming fast and the issue comming up.....
Anybody can see the correlation between temperature of the phone and the issue?
I have. I can always play a song or a game and the sound will be working fine but the moment it heats up it goes to headphone mode and nothing can be heard out the speakers. this is my only problem with this phone and it is making me mad. none of the solutions posted here have worked so far...
This worked for me. Nothing else did.
I recently had just dropped it in a snowy driveway.
I squeezed the middle and it made a small click noise. Then it worked.