We all have witnessed the incident when someone video calls you, you want to listen to some songs or watch videos on your iPhone, but the audio does not seem to come out of the speakers. Most of us panic and freak out about the iPhone not working properly and running into such problems. However, the main reason is that the iPhone thinks that an earpiece, headphone, or external speaker is connected and tries to project the audio through it even when nothing is connected.
Thus, the iPhone automatically switches on the headphone mode in such a case, resulting in the audio being inaudible from the inbuilt speakers of the device. This can be the cause of the dust, lint, or moisture accumulation in the headphone jack, software issues caused by the operating system update or some application, disconnecting the Bluetooth speaker, headphones, or earpiece while on a call or listening to music, using of damaged or poor-quality earphones. We have curated this article showcasing fixes to get iPhones out of the Headphone Mode using some straightforward and practical methods listed below.
Fixes for software-related problems-
Sometimes the bugs and glitches associated with the newly released operating systems or some applications interfering with the system settings can make the iPhone feel like headphones, or any other external audio device is connected to it even when it is not. So the simple solution for fixing this issue is to make the iPhone exit from the headphone mode using the following methods.
#1. Plug and unplug your headphones
The most practical, easy, and quickest fix for the problem of an iPhone stuck in headphone mode after dropping in snow or any other reason is to sensitively remove the earphones from the 3.5 mm earphone jack and plug it back again. The internal electrical connectors inform the iPhone every time a headphone is connected. Hence removing the headphones from the jack will allow the circuit to break. This will send the information to the iPhone that a headphone is disconnected and shall result in the device exiting the headphone mode.
#2. Check the audio output settings.
The next thing you should consider in this list of fixes to get iPhones out of Headphone Mode is to check and change the audio settings of your iPhone. If the audio settings of your device are set to emit the audio out of a Bluetooth device or an earphone, then you won’t be able to hear the audio from your iPhone’s speaker. If this is the issue, you can resolve it by changing the audio output settings by connecting it to an external Bluetooth speaker or any other audio source in the following ways.
Step. 1→ Navigate to the settings pane of your iPhone and tap on Bluetooth.
Step. 2→ Then, turn on the Bluetooth of your iPhone by toggling the switch and Power up your Bluetooth speakers.
Step. 3→ Now, pair and connect the external Bluetooth speaker with your iPhone. (Play a video or a song to check if the connection was successful.)
Step. 4→ At last, disconnect the external speaker by turning off the Bluetooth of your iPhone and check if the headphone mode is disabled.
On iPhones running on iOS 11 and later, the users can use the AirPlay button in the Control Centre section to verify that the iPhone is selected as one of the audio output devices. If this setting is enabled, click on it to allow your iPhone to project the sound from the smartphone’s speakers.
#3. Enable and disable Airplane Mode.
Suppose you use AirPods or any other BlueTooth earphones or headphones with your iPhone and face the problem of the iPhone stuck in headphone mode after dropping in snow even when the headphones are not connected. In that case, the ideal thing to do is enable and disable the Airplane mode on the iPhone. By turning on the Airplane mode, all the cellular, voice, WiFi, and Bluetooth connections are temporarily disabled, allowing the smartphone to reset all the system settings. The simplest way to turn on the Airplane mode in any iPhone is via the Control Center.
- In 2nd Gen iPhone SE or earlier-
Step. 1→ Unlock your iPhone and swipe up from the bottom.
Step. 2→ Look for the option with the symbol of an Airplane and click on it to turn it on.
Step. 3→ Finally, wait a few seconds and tap on the Airplane button again to turn it off.
- In iPhone X or 11-
Step. 1→ First, open the control center by swiping down from the top right corner of the screen.
Step. 2→ Click on the icon of Airplane to enable Airplane mode.
Step. 3→ wait for some time and tap on that icon again to disable the Airplane mode.
#4. Restart the iPhone
Another simple yet effective method for solving the issue of “Phone thinks headphones are plugged in water damage iPhone” is to restart or soft reset the iPhone. Restarting the iPhone will force it to refresh and reload all the system settings and configurations to its default values. Go through the instructions given below to restart your iPhone.
- Restarting 1st Gen iPhone SE, iPhone 5, or earlier
Step. 1→ First, long-press the power button at the top of your phone until you see the Power Off slider.
Step. 2→ Then, slide the bar to the Turn Off option to switch off the iPhone.
Step. 3→ Now, tap and hold the power button again till the Apple logo pops up on the screen to Power on the iPhone.
- Restarting 2nd Gen iPhone SE, 8, 7, or 6
Step. 1→ First, tap and hold the power button till the Power Off slider appears on the screen.
Step. 2→ Drag the bar to the side of the Turn-Off action.
Step. 3→ Once again, long press the power button until the Apple logo is visible.
- Restarting iPhone X or 11
Step. 1→ Long-press the Power or the volume button to see the Power off slider.
Step. 2→ Then, slide the slider’s bar towards the Turn Off action.
Step. 3→ At last, press and hold the side button to turn on the iPhone.
#5. Reset Network Settings
The final solution in this list of fixes to get iPhones out of headphone mode in case of software-related problems is to reset the network settings of the iPhone. We can reconfigure all the pre-existing saved connections and configurations like Bluetooth headphones by resetting the network settings. This will allow the iPhone to reset all the algorithms related to the audio settings and resolve this problem. To reset or set the default network settings of your iPhone, take note of the simple process mentioned here.
Step. 1→ Head over to the General tab in the settings menu.
Step. 2→ Scroll down to the bottom of the window and tap on the “Reset” button.
Step. 3→ Then, tap on the “Reset Network Settings” button and confirm it in the confirmation window.
By completing this method, all the WiFi, cellular, Bluetooth, and other connections will reset, and the passwords related to them will also be removed from your iPhone.
Fixes for Hardware related problems-
If, by chance, you have dropped your iPhone in the snow, or water, dropped it on the floor by accident, or the earphone jack has dirt or lint stuck in it and is witnessing the issue of headphone mode not turning off even when the headphones are not connected, then go through the solutions listed below.
Clean the headphone jack.
If your headphone jack is dirty or has lint or something else stuck inside, you might have trouble connecting your wired earphones to listen to the audio. This might also cause the iPhone to get confused about the headphone being inserted even when it is not, hence showing the headphone mode enabled. Anyone can clean the headphone jacks of their smartphones by going through the following methods.
Using compressed air to clean the earphone jack-
This method uses compressed air to flush out all the dirt, lint, and debris out of the earphone jack of your iPhone. Purchase or get a can of compressed air from any computer or office supply store.
Step. 1→ Point the nozzle of the can in the earphone jack.
Step. 2→ Press the button on the top to spray the compressed air inside the headphone jack.
Step. 3→ Repeat the second step 3 to 4 times to properly clean the port.
Using a Q-tip to clean the headphone jack-
Step. 1→ Make the Q-tip slim by removing the cotton from the ends so it can easily penetrate the 3.5 mm earphone jack.
Step. 2→ Insert the Q-tip and rotate it slowly inside the headphone jack to remove the dirt and lint.
Step. 3→ Remove it and clean the dirt off the Q-tip. Repeat this until the Q-tip comes out clean.
Using a tapped paperclip-
Step. 1→ Attach a small piece of sellotape at the end of a paper clip with the sticky side pointed out.
Step. 2→ Put the paper clip inside the headphone jack and carefully move it around to remove the lint and dirt.
Check for water damage.
If your iPhone got drenched in the rain or you dropped in the water, and you see the headphone mode being on even when no headphones are connected, this problem arises as the phone thinks headphones are plugged in water damage iPhone. Rest easy, as there is a quick way by which you can easily check your iPhone for water damage.
Step. 1→ Eject the sim card tray using the sim ejector tool.
Step. 2→ Now, flash some light into the headphone jack of your iPhone.
Step. 3→ If the light illuminates a small red dot inside the headphone jack, your iPhone has undergone water damage. The red dot is a Liquid Contact Indicator (LCI) that glows in case of water damage.
What to do if all of these fixes fail to work?
If, even after trying out and using all the solutions or fixes explained above, you fail to solve the problem of your iPhone being unable to turn off the headphone mode, then you should contact the online Apple Support portal. After reaching out to the support staff, they will diagnose your iPhone for the reasons causing this problem and guide you through the process of solving it effectively.
Although the headphone mode is very useful and interesting, being stuck in this mode even when the headphones are not connected can be very annoying. So use and imply the methods explained in this article about the fixes to get iPhones out of headphone mode. All of these fixes are tried and tested by tons of iPhone users, so you can completely rely on them to work.
FAQs→
How do you get your iPhone unstuck from headphone mode?
→ All the solutions listed in this post can help you get your iPhone unstuck from the headphone mode.
How to Turn off headphone mode on an iPhone with no headphones in?
→ You can try out the easy and useful fixes in his article to turn off the headphone mode on the iPhone with no headphones plugged into the phone.
How do I turn off the headphone warning?
→ Anyone can turn off the headphone warning by disabling the headphone notifications in the settings of their iPhone.
Why is my iPhone stuck on headphone audio?
→ As mentioned earlier in this post, the reasons for iPhone getting stuck in the headphone mode are as follows-
Dust, lint, or moisture accumulation in the headphone jack, software issues caused by the operating system update or some application, disconnecting the Bluetooth speaker, headphones, or earpiece while on a call or listening to music, using damaged or poor-quality earphones.
Can you manually turn off headphone mode on iPhone?
→ Yes, you can manually turn off the headphone mode on your iPhone by simply disconnecting the Bluetooth headphones or unplugging the wired earphones from your device. If no earphones are connected, but the headphone mode is still turned on, you can disable it by following any of the fixes listed in this article.
How do I turn off headphone controls on my iPhone?
→ There is no practical method to turn off the headphone control on your iPhone. If the headphones are causing some problems, then the cable and switch are in-line and can’t be fixed. Try using different earphones to see if your older ones are faulty. You can also try gushing the compressed air inside the earphone jack to clean it.
Why does my phone say it’s connected to headphones when it’s not?
→ If some lint, dirt, or any other material is stuck inside the headphone jack, it is normal to see a pop-up saying iPhone is in headphone mode even when no audio devices are connected.
How do I switch my iPhone from headphones to speakers?
→ You can switch your iPhone from headphones to speakers using the Control Center:
Step. 1→ Swipe up from the bottom portion of your iPhone’s screen to open the Control Centre. On iPhone X, 11, and later, swipe down from the screen’s upper-right corner.
Step. 2→ Touch and long-press the audio card in the upper-right corner, then tap the icon to open a menu with many devices.
Step. 3→ Select the speakers from which you want the audio output.
After applying to troubleshoot to unstuck headphones mode – none of the clues worked for you then I think you need to make an appointment at the genius bar at your local Apple Store to have them evaluate it.
There are different reasons for your iPhone Stuck in Headphones Mode and since your phone speakers don’t work. So Sometimes you receive phone call sound then it is only through headphones or on speaker mode. Suppose if you are trying to press volume control then it says headphones when none plugged in.
After dropping in water – I mean water damage hardware problem with the headphone jack or After iOS update the latest version iOS. Don’t worry let see here what do you do if your iPhone speaker stuck in headphones mode. I Hope my Workable techniques help you to get stuff out of your headphone jack.
Put your iPhone in AirPlane mode and wait for 15 minutes will fix your phone to put out of headphone mode.
- To put your phone in Airplane Mode – Launch Control Center and Tap on the AirPlane button appear into the Wi-Fi card.
Take a Q-Tip to clean out your iPhone headphone jack. This makes the volume is back to normal.
You can also take a bud and dip it into the lighter fluid or deodorants then clean inside the jack. This way will almost work to remove solid particles such as grits, debris, any grease which prevents the bearings in the jack from working.
Update your iPhone to the latest version iOS 16.6 or iOS 17 or later.
Check for an update – Open Settings App – Tap General – Tap Software Update
Many users said you have to call someone with your iPhone headphone jack ON and hit speaker so Once you hang up then turn your iPhone on Silent then turn off.
You should go on Voicemails and play it to listen to them on Speakers.
In case you iPhone or iPad water damage and it stuck in headphones mode then please take a hairdryer and flow it for 10 seconds. This fine worked in my brother’s case.
