Table of Contents
Learn how to Fix ‘iPhone Stuck in Headphone Mode’ issue in this guide. You’re not the only one whose iPhone got stuck in headphone mode. Sometimes, for no reason, you might suddenly not be able to hear anything through your phone’s speakers. This can be very annoying when you’re trying to use your phone normally. You can fix it though, so don’t worry. Your iPhone will work normally again.
You can follow the steps in this guide to fix the problem, whether it’s easy or takes a little more work. First, try some easy steps to fix the problem. This could mean restarting your phone or looking for trash in the headphone jack. But there are more complicated things you can try if that doesn’t work. Some of these could involve resetting your iPhone to its original settings or a different set of settings.
It’s likely that the methods in this guide will help you fix the problem, whether it’s a software glitch or a hardware problem. After you do these things, you should be able to listen to clear sound through your iPhone’s speakers again, without any problems. Okay, let’s get your iPhone back to how it was before. We mentioned below are the simple ways how to Fix ‘iPhone Stuck in Headphone Mode’ issue.
What is ‘iPhone Stuck in Headphone Mode’ issue
The “iPhone Stuck in Headphone Mode” issue happens when an iPhone believes headphones are put in when they aren’t. The phone’s speaker is messed up because it tries to send sound through headphones that aren’t there. People who want to make calls, listen to music, or watch movies without headphones have trouble because the sound goes to the headphone jack that doesn’t work.

Several things can cause this problem, including problems with the software, dirt or gunk stuck in the headphone jack, or a headphone jack that doesn’t work right. Having trouble using your phone’s sound the way it’s meant to can be annoying. A lot of the time, people try easy fixes like cleaning the headphone jack or restarting the phone. If that doesn’t work, they’ll get professional help. If you want to know more information about this issue visit Apple Official Website.
Causes for ‘iPhone Stuck in Headphone Mode’ issue
- Glitches or bugs in the software: The iPhone can get stuck in headphone mode sometimes because of bugs or glitches in the software. This can happen when running apps clash, when software updates don’t finish, or when system files get damaged.
- Dirty Headphone Jack: If dust, lint, or other small particles build up in the headphone jack, the iPhone may think the headphones are put in when they aren’t. This could make the gadget stay in headphone mode forever.
- Damage from Water or Moisture: Water or moisture can damage the headphone jack’s internal parts, which can cause the iPhone to act strangely, like getting stuck in headphone mode.
- Hardware Problem: Sometimes, there may be a problem with the headphone jack or other parts on the iPhone’s circuit board that are connected to it. Wear and tear or damage to the item itself could be to blame.
- Third-Party devices: If you use third-party headphones or devices that don’t work with your iPhone or are broken, it can get stuck in headphone mode. This could be because of bad electrical lines or signalling.
How to Fix ‘iPhone Stuck in Headphone Mode’ issue
Disconnect Your Bluetooth Headphones
- Open the Settings app and tap on Bluetooth.
- Next to your Bluetooth headphones, tap the “i” icon that looks like a “i.”
- Select Disconnect. Alternatively, you can select the Forget This Device option to unpair the headphones.
Plug and Unplug Your Wired Headphones
- Temporary iOS glitches can mess up your iPhone’s headphone detection mechanism and prevent it from detecting the removal of headphones.
- If it’s just a one-off glitch, simply plugging and unplugging your headphones will help you fix the problem.
- Plug your headphones into your iPhone’s 3.5mm or Lightning port, and then disconnect them.
- Open the Control Center on your iPhone by swiping down from the top-right corner (or swiping up from the bottom if you have an iPhone with a Home button).
- Check if the headphone icon still appears in the volume slider.
Change the Audio Output
- Listen to music or watch videos on your iPhone.
- Open the Control Center.
- Tap and hold the AirPlay icon.
- Select iPhone from the list.
Clean the Headphone Port
- Accumulation of dirt, dust, or lint within your iPhone’s 3.5mm headphone jack, Lightning, or USB-C port can lead the device to incorrectly detect headphones as plugged in, even when they’re not.
- Inspect the port on your iPhone for any debris.
- If you find any, you’ll need to clean it out.
- Turn off your iPhone before inserting anything into its ports to avoid causing a short circuit or introducing a static charge to the electronics.
- Once powered off, use a cotton swab or a paper clip to remove any dirt or debris from the port gently.
- You can refer to our guide on cleaning iPhones for more help.
Check for Water Damage
- Check ports for debris.
- If no debris, but device stuck in headphone mode, could indicate water-damaged iPhone.
- Water damage from spilling coffee or sweat.
- Check Liquid Contact Indicators (LCIs).
- Open SIM card tray.
- Look for small sticker inside.
- Sticker color usually white or silver.
- If water damage, LCI appears red or pink.
Install iOS Updates
- Odd chance: Your iPhone might be stuck in headphone mode due to a software problem.
- Apple should release a fix via a software update soon.
- Go to Settings > General > Software Update to check for new updates.
- Download and install any available updates on your iPhone.
Restart Your iPhone
- Restart your iPhone to fix temporary issues in headphone mode.
- Press and hold the Side button with one of the Volume buttons (or just hold the Side button on iPhones with a Home button) until the power slider appears.
- Drag the slider to the right and wait for the iPhone to turn off completely.
- Press and hold the Side button again to turn the iPhone back on.
- Check if the iPhone outputs audio through its built-in speakers.
Factory Reset Your iPhone
- iOS updates ineffective: Consider factory resetting iPhone.
- Factory reset: Erases all data, reverts settings to factory default.
- Back up iPhone first.
- If issues persist, check warranty status.
- Make Apple Store appointment for technician check.
- If software issue, Apple covers repair cost under warranty.
- For physical damage, hefty charge without AppleCare+.
- Avoid third-party repair shops to maintain warranty.
Conclusion
Finally, having an iPhone that won’t move out of headphone mode can be annoying, but there are useful ways to fix it. If you follow the steps above, you should be able to figure out what’s wrong and get your phone working normally again. Whether it’s cleaning the headphone jack, restarting your iPhone, or doing something simple with the software like changing the settings or updating iOS, you can probably get it to work again.
This could mean there’s a bigger problem with the hardware if none of these work. That’s why you should get help from Apple Support or go to a valid service center. To keep important data from getting lost, always back up your data before you try to fix something. There is a way to get your iPhone out of annoying headphone mode and back to using all of its features. You just need to be patient and determined. Remember to stay calm and follow the steps.
Question and Answer
Keep water and dirt away from your iPhone, clean the headphone port often, and make sure your device is up to date to avoid problems in the future. To make the headphone jack last longer, you might also want to use Bluetooth or wireless headphones.
Software problems on your iPhone might be making it not work right. Restoring it from a backup might help. But restoring probably won’t help if the problem is with the actual parts.
You can use Bluetooth headphones or a speaker until the problem is fixed if you’re having trouble with sound. You can also use a Lightning to 3.5mm headphone connector if your iPhone lets you.