How-ToTech

10 Ways to Fix iPhone Stuck in Headphone Mode

While recent iPhone users rely on adaptors and Bluetooth devices, users who own an iPhone 6 or below enjoy the luxury of being able to plug in their headphones directly. But what happens when you disconnect them but your iPhone is still stuck in headphone mode? Let’s find out.

How to Fix iPhone Stuck in Headphone Mode Issue

Even though the iPhone stuck in headphone mode issue is mainly limited to devices with the port, it might also happen when you disconnect the headphone adaptor from the lightning port or wireless headphones via Bluetooth. When this happens, the audio will not sound through your device’s speakers as your iPhone believes it is still connected to the headphones. On that note, let’s start.

1. Dry the Headphone Jack or Lightning Port

If your device got wet while being connected to headphones via the headphone jack or a headphone connector with your phone’s lightning port, it could cause your iPhone to be set to headphone mode even after they’ve been removed. First, use a blow dryer and gently dry the insides of the said port.

You can also blow directly on the port and shake your device to release access water. Alternatively, use the Water Eject shortcut in the Shortcuts app to eject water from your iPhone.

Then, use a cloth to wipe the area and wait a while. The false warning should go away once the port has been sufficiently dried. Ensure you don’t connect headphones until all the water has dried from the port.

2. Restart Your Phone

Restarting your iPhone helps you fix any temporary glitch that might have occurred when you disconnected the headphones, causing your iPhone to be stuck in headphone mode. Once done, it will restart all device settings and functions, ultimately helping you turn off headphone mode on your iPhone. Follow the below steps to do it.

Step 1: First, turn off your iPhone by following the steps relevant to your device:

  • For iPhone SE 1st gen, 5s, 5c, and 5: Long-press the top button.
  • For iPhone SE 2nd gen onwards, 7, and 8: Long-press the side button.
  • For iPhone X and above: Long-press the power and any volume buttons simultaneously.
  • Step 2: Here, hold and drag the slider till the end. Wait for the screen to turn off.

    Turn off iPhone

    Step 3: Then, long-press the Power button to turn the iPhone back on.

    Release the button once the Apple logo is visible on the screen. Now, check the Control Center or try playing something. If there is still no sound, continue troubleshooting.

    3. Remove and Insert Headphones Mid-Playback

    Removing the headphones from the designated slot mid-playback might cause your iPhone to quickly switch from headphone mode to your device speaker to keep the audio running. As per some users on online forums, you must remove and reinsert the headphones at least a couple of times and stop once the headphone mode notification goes away. Use care when doing it to prevent the port from damaging.

    4. Turn Off Bluetooth

    If you use Bluetooth headphones with your iPhone, there’s a good chance your device might be constantly trying to connect to them. This can cause your iPhone to switch to headphone mode randomly. In this case, turn off Bluetooth on your iPhone. Then, wait a while and check again. Here’s how.

    Step 1: Pull down from the top-right corner of the screen to open the Control Center. Or, if your iPhone has a Home button, pull up from the screen’s bottom.

    Step 2: Here, tap on the Bluetooth icon. Wait for it to turn off.

    Turn off bluetooth iPhone

    Also Read: How to stop Bluetooth from turning on automatically on iPhone

    5. Enable and Disable Airplane Mode

    By turning on Airplane Mode on your iPhone, you effectively disable all radio communications. This includes settings like Wi-Fi and Bluetooth. So, if turning Bluetooth off is not enough to exit headphone mode on your iPhone, proceed to enable Airplane Mode. Let it stay on for a while before turning it off. This should refresh most communication settings, thus fixing the issue. Here’s how.

    Step 1: Open the Control Center by pulling up from the screen’s bottom. Or, if your iPhone doesn’t have a Home button, swipe down from the top-right corner.

    Step 2: Here, tap on the Airplane icon. Once an airplane symbol is visible, wait a while.

    Enable Airplane Mode iPhone

    Step 3: Then tap on the Airplane icon again to turn it off.

    Check the iPhone’s menu options or try playing any media to see if headphone mode has been disabled on your device.

    6. Clean the Headphone Jack

    If you have an iPhone 6 or any other iPhone released before that, chances are it still has a headphone jack. So, if your iPhone shows headphones are plugged in when they’re not, it might be an issue with the port. Gently clean the inside of the headphone jack using something soft, like a Q-Tip. Or, you can attach a soft cloth to a toothpick and use it to clean any debris causing the false warnings.

    7. Try Changing the Audio Output

    Your iPhone lets you decide the audio output even when it is already connected to another device. This is especially helpful if your iPhone was previously connected to Bluetooth headphones. Once the menu options are visible, select your iPhone as the default audio output device, turning off the headphone mode. Follow the below steps to do it.

    Step 1: Pull down from the top-right corner of the screen to open the Control Center. Or, if your iPhone has a Home button, pull up from the bottom of the screen.

    Step 2: Here, tap on the audio icon.

    Step 3: Once the player window opens, the audio output device might not be visible. In this case, long-press the sound icon.

    Open Sound settings

    Step 4: From the list, tap on your iPhone.

    Change playback device iPhone

    Tip: You can also turn off AirPlay on your iPhone to stop it from automatically connecting to other Apple devices.

    8. Remove Device Case

    While mobile cases are necessary to protect our devices, they might also interfere with the said device’s functions. So, if your iPhone’s cover comes with a headphone jack guard, remove it to see if this turns off headphone mode. You can also remove the case if it is ill-fitted to your iPhone model or is breaking at the edges, especially near the headphone jack or lightning port.

    9. Check for Software Updates

    It is not uncommon for certain software glitches to impact other device functions. This can also be why your iPhone is falsely showing that headphones are plugged in even when they’re not. To fix this, look for and install the latest software updates. Once done, it should disable headphone mode. Here’s how.

    Step 1: Open the Settings app and tap on General.

    Step 2: Here, tap on Software Update.

    Check for iPhone Software Update 25

    Step 3: If an update is available, tap on Download & Install.

    Wait as the update finishes downloading and installing. Then, try playing something to see if your iPhone’s headphone mode has been disabled.

    10. Reset All Settings

    Your iPhone comes with the facility to reset all the device settings. This will help you eliminate any misbehaving settings causing your iPhone to be stuck in headphone mode without deleting device data. Follow the below steps to do it.

    Tip: Check our explainer to know what happens when you reset your iPhone’s settings.

    Step 1: On your iPhone, open the Settings app. Then, tap on General.

    Step 2: Scroll down and tap on ‘Transfer or Reset iPhone’.

    Open iPhone Reset Settings 12

    Step 3: Here, tap on Reset.

    Step 4: Then, tap on Reset All Settings and enter your passcode.

    Reset All Settings on iPhone 7

    Now, follow the on-screen instructions to finish the resetting process. Then, check and see if the issue has been resolved.

    Turn off Headphone Mode on Your iPhone

    iPhone speakers can deliver well and are sufficiently loud for most occasions. This is why it can be an issue when you want to play something loudly, but your iPhone is stuck in headphone mode. We hope this article helped you fix this. You can also check our article if your iPad is stuck in headphone mode.


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