Fix iPhone Stuck in Headphones: Unplugged your headphones, adjust the volume on the iPhone and still see the headphone sign!
On my daily commute to work, I like everybody else plug in my headphone into the headphone jack of the iPhone. On numerous occasions, the iPhone has remained connected to the headphones ( iPhone shows the headphone icon on the screen, on the top right corner) and that has remained for a while even the headphones were not connected to the iPhone.
At times we remove the headphones rather speedily that the iPhone thinks it still has the headphones connected into the jack or lightning port!
Best Ways to Fix iPhone Stuck in Headphones Mode
Have you faced a similar issue?
BUT before jumping into “How to fix iPhone stuck in headphone mode” Let’s understand and find out what could cause your iPhone to be stuck in Headphone mode making its speakers not work.
The problem could arise due to the following reasons-
- Hardware Problem: everything from the components of the mobile which include the central processing unit, the batteries, random access memory, read-only memory, the removable storage(Memory cards), etc. Damage to any of these results in your hardware getting corrupted or damaged.
- Headphone jack malfunction: Dust, as well as lint, can accumulate in the headphone jack over time. The dirt can block the connection between the headphones and the jack!
- Software Issue: Software is the program made up of a sequence of short commands or instructions that tell the phone what to do! They are most often caused by a hardware failure as the 2 are connected.
- The dirt of Debris in the headphone socket: Over time dirt and debris can accumulate in the headphone jack and lead to it creating trouble!
- Water Damage: Accidentally dropped your iPhone in a water body or a bucket of water, this will lead to hardware damage.
Some methods that you could try before jumping into hardcore resets and other
- Clean out the headphone/Lighting port- You can use a cotton bud to clean out the dust and debris that may have accumulated in the headphone port over time. You can also try blowing air into the headphone port to get the dirt or debris out of the port.
- Airplane Mode- This is one common method that has been tried and tested and is sure to work no matter what the issue. Turning on the Airplane mode would make the iPhone go offline. Now turn the Airplane mode off and wait for a couple of minutes. You can Turn on Airplane mode by either opening up the settings or sliding up from the bottom of the iPhone’s screen and tapping on the Airplane icon, use the same method to turn the Airplane mode off too.
Keep in mind that this method only works if you are sure the headphone jack is not the root cause of your problem. So check and re-check your headphone port.
- Shut down apps- You can do this double-pressing the home button( in case of iPhone 6/7/8) or accessing the virtual home button( in case of iPhone X/XS)
To close down all the apps running on your iPhone. This will ensure the removal of any music playing app running in the background.
- Ensure your battery is adequately charged and also free up space on your iPhone if you keep getting prompts from the storage regarding it being low on space, you can choose to delete the unnecessary music, voice notes or the images.
- Switch on and Switch off your iPhone. This method usually refreshes the phone and may remove the issue of the iPhone being stuck in recovery mode.
- Force shut down of the iPhone, you can do that by pressing the home button and the on/off button together if you are an iPhone 6/7/8 user and in case you are an iPhone X/XS user then press the on/off simultaneously with the reduce volume button until you see the apple sign pop up on your screen.
- Try playing music on your iPhone. First, let the music play on your headphones. Choose from any one of the music playing apps that you follow/use (iTunes, Spotify, etc. or any other), let the music play with the headphones still connected to the iPhone and wait for a couple of seconds before you remove them but wait for the screen to shut and turn black before you remove them. Play a song after removing the headphones ( when you remove the headphones the music from the app will automatically stop playing so you will have to manually play a new song)
If the speakers are working then you will be able to hear music sans any headphones, if not then follow the methods below.
If your iPhone is still stuck in recovery mode even after following these 5 methods then let’s look at more rigorous methods to fix your iPhone stuck in headphone mode
METHOD 1- Call Audio Routing
This is a hidden feature present in the Accessibility part of Settings. What does Call Audio Routing do? It enables audio of all the incoming calls to automatically get routed to the handset or speaker of the phone instead of the iPhone receiver.
How to turn on this feature?
Step 1- Open up Settings on your iPhone
Step2- Scroll down till you spot GENERAL and tap on it
Step 3- Now scroll down and search for ACCESSIBILITY and tap on it.
Step4- Scroll down till you spot CALL AUDIO ROUTING. You can also straight away type out CALL AUDIO ROUTING by sliding your finger down from the top of the screen to the bottom of the screen, a search bar will pop up and here you can type out CALL AUDIO ROUTING. This is quicker and simpler.
Step 5- Tap on AUTOMATIC to turn on the Call Audio Routing feature on your iPhone ( If it has not already been turned on).
If your iPhone already has Automatic on when you open up Call Audio Routing then scroll down and tick on Speaker so all your incoming calls can be answered in the speakerphone mode.
Give your iPhone a call using some other phone to check if this method worked out for you!
METHOD 2- UPDATING iOS
Updates usually come packed with performance improvements and new features for your iPhone! Everything from security updates and bug fixes! So by Updating your iPhone, you will find ways to the problem at hand i.e. iPhone stuck in headphones mode.
How to check if your iPhone has new updates for you?
Step 1- Open up the settings on your iPhone and scroll down till you find GENERAL and tap on it.
Step 2- On opening General, you will spot SOFTWARE UPDATE right on the top of your screen. Let your iPhone refresh for a few, you may also slide your finger from the top of the screen to the bottom to refresh your screen.
Step 3- If there are new updates available then the iPhone will automatically show you the availability. If there is then simply click on the arrow and follow through with the updates! The problem of your iPhone being stuck in Headphone mode will be fixed automatically!
METHOD 3- Connect the iPhone to a Bluetooth Speaker
This is a simple method where you are connecting your iPhone to Speakers using the phone’s Bluetooth. An article by wondershare claims that “ It has been observed that by pairing your iPhone with a Bluetooth device you can make it come out of the iPhone headphone mode.”
Ensure that your iPhone is in close proximity to the speaker!
How to connect iPhone to the Bluetooth speaker?
Step 1- Open up the settings on your iPhone
Step2- Right under Wi-Fi you will spot BLUETOOTH, tap on it
Step 3- Slide the icon you see in front of Bluetooth to the right to turn on your Bluetooth. The moment you turn on the Bluetooth the iPhone will show you all the available devices that have their Bluetooth’s turned on.
Step4- Search for your Speaker and connect with it!
Once your iPhone has been connected to the speaker try playing a song on the speaker. Disconnect Bluetooth connection between the two devices by turning off the ( Slide up from the bottom of your iPhone’s screen and tap on the Bluetooth icon to turn it off).
This could help you fix your iPhone stuck in the Headphone mode problem.
METHOD 4- Reset ALL Settings
One must resort to using this method only when everything else fails! The method erases all your existing settings on the iPhone. It wipes out all the data on your iPhone entirely so be sure to back it all up to your iCloud or iTunes.
How to Reset All Settings
Step 1- Open up the settings on your iPhone
Step2- Scroll down till you spot GENERAL and then tap on it.
Step 3- On opening General, you will have to scroll to the bottom to reach RESET. Tap on it and open it up.
Step 4- On the top of your screen, you will see RESET ALL SETTINGS. Tap on it.
You will see a message pop up on your screen that will ask you to re-confirm if you want to go ahead with resetting all your settings. Tap on RESET ALL SETTINGS to go ahead with the process. You will have to wait a while for your device to reset and clean itself up and you will have to fill in all your details like when you first bought it.
METHOD 5 – DFU mode
DFU mode or Device Firmware Update puts the iPhone in a state where it can interface with iTunes but not really loading the iPhone’s operating system or the boot loader. It will restore your iPhone to the latest version of iOS available. BUT it deletes all your content off your iPhone so I would suggest keeping this as your last option of fixing your iPhone stuck in headphones mode.
How to put your iPhone in DFU mode?
- Start by pressing on to the Power button (on/off, this remains the same for iPhone X/XS as well) of your iPhone for 3-4 seconds.
- Without removing your finger from the power button, now also press the home button( in case of X/XS press on the volume reduce button). Do this for about 15-20 seconds.
- Let go of the Power button but not of the Home button( the volume key if you are an iPhone X/XS user) for about 10 seconds.
- Your iPhone will prompt CONNECT TO iTunes SCREEN.
- Plug your iPhone to a computer with iTunes on it. Ensure that the computer has previously been connected with the iPhone and then open up iTunes on the computer.
- Select the iPhone icon on iTunes, this will appear once your iPhone has been connected to the computer.
- On the left-hand side of your screen, you will spot a menu section, search for SUMMARY, click on it and then on the RESTORE button.
- Click on RESTORE iPhone.
- Once this is completed and the restore is done your iPhone will restart.
SLIDE TO SET UP will pop up on the screen of your iPhone, slide up and follow all the instructions to the T from here on.
Restore your iPhone using the DFU mode
- Check and cross-check if you are using the latest version of the iTunes
- Ensure you have backed up all the data on your iPhone because restoring will delete all contents of your iPhone.
You can also choose to use software’s such as dr. fone to fix your iPhone being stuck in Headphone mode. The software guarantees protecting your iPhone from any loss of important data!
If nothing works then it is best to seek refuge in the Apple service center!
If you have your iPhone stuck the headphone mode and that has resulted in its speakers not working then you must give these methods a try!
Everything from quick fixes and hard resets has been covered, hope all the methods come in handy!
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