Your iPhone sound is not working and you’re not sure why. You’re trying to listen to music or watch your favorite TV show, but no sound is coming through the speaker. In this article, I’ll explain why your iPhone sound is not working and show you how to fix the problem for good!
Why is the sound on my iPhone not working?
There are several reasons that could lead to the sound not working on your iPhone. Here are some of the most common ones:
- Your iPhone volume is all the way down.
- Your iPhone is on silent mode.
- Your iPhone has a software bug.
- A Bluetooth® device is connected.
- Your iPhone is on Do Not Disturb mode.
- There’s a problem with the app your using.
- Your iPhone is stuck on headphones mode.
- Your iPhone speakers are clogged.
- Your speaker might need service.
- The hardware on your iPhone is damaged.
How to fix no sound on an iPhone
Turn up the volume on your iPhone
The first thing you should do when your iPhone has no sound is to make sure that the volume on your device is all the way up. You or someone else may have just accidentally muted your iPhone!
You can increase the volume of media, alerts, and sound effects on your iPhone using the volume buttons, Siri, or Control Center.
Use the volume buttons on iPhone to adjust the volume of alerts, sound effects. songs and other media. (The volume buttons are on the left side of your device.
You can also use Siri to turn the volume up. Activate Siri and say something like: “Turn up the volume.”
You can also increase your iPhone’s volume in Control Center. Simply open Control Center on your iPhone by swiping down from the top-right corner of the screen, then drag the volume slider.
To increase your iPhone’s ringer and alerts volume, go to Settings > Sounds & Haptics, then drag the Ringtone and Alerts slider. If you don’t hear any sound, or if your speaker button on the Ringtone and Alerts slider is dimmed, your speaker might need service.
Lock the ringer and alert volumes
- Go to Settings .
- Tap Sounds & Haptics.
- Turn off Change with Buttons.
Make sure you are not limiting the speaker volume
With iOS 18.2 or later, you can limit the maximum volume of sound that plays through your iPhone’s built-in speaker. Check to make sure you are not limiting your iPhone’s speaker volume. Here’s how:
- Go to Settings .
- Tap Sounds & Haptics.
- Tap Volume Limit.
- Turn off Limit Maximum Volume if it’s turned on.
Make sure silent mode is turned off
When Silent mode is on, iPhone doesn’t ring or play alerts or other sound effects (but iPhone may still vibrate). When Silent mode is off, iPhone plays all sounds.
- On iPhone models with an Action button: Go to Settings > Sounds & Haptics, then turn Silent mode off.
- On other iPhone models: Flip the Ring/Silent switch toward the front of your iPhone to turn Silent mode off.
Make sure you are not silencing calls from unknown callers
Silence Unknown Callers feature ensures that you only receive phone calls only from your saved contacts, people you’ve called before, and people suggested by Siri. Calls from unknown numbers go to voicemail and are displayed on the Recents list. If your iPhone is not ringing for calls made by callers who are not in your contact list (or from a number you have not called), disable Silence Unknown Callers feature.
Go to Settings > Apps > Phone > Silence Unknown Callers, then turn off Silence Unknown Callers.
Turn off Do Not Disturb
When Do Not Disturb is enabled on your iPhone, you won’t hear ringtones or text tones for incoming calls, texts, or notifications. Also the Do Not Disturb icon appears in the status bar at the top of the screen. To turn off Do Not Disturb, follow these steps:
- Open Control Center by swiping down from the top-right corner of the screen.
- Tap Focus, then tap Do Not Disturb to turn it off.
Disconnect any Bluetooth devices
It’s possible your iPhone is connected to a Bluetooth device, such as headphones, a speaker, or car. If your iPhone is currently connected to a Bluetooth device, it’s possible that device is playing the sound, rather than your iPhone speakers. To fix this, open Control Center, then tap the Bluetooth button to turn it off.
Close applications with no sound
If your iPhone has sound problems only while using a certain app, you can quit it and then reopen it to try and resolve the issue. Here’s how:
- open the App Switcher by swiping up from the bottom edge and pausing in the center of the screen (on an iPhone without a home button). Double-click the Home button (on an iPhone with a Home button).
- Swipe up on the app you want to close.
Reopen the app and test out sound. If the problem persists, move on to the next solution.
Make sure Hide Alerts is not turned on in Messages
If you are not getting sound notifications from certain contacts or groups, ensure that Hide Alerts is not turned on for those contacts or groups. If Hide Alerts is turned on, notifications will be muted. Open Messages, check your individual or group conversations, and if, next to the conversation, you see a bell icon with a line through it, that means they are silenced.
If you see the crossed-out bell icon, you need to unmute:
- Swipe left across the conversation you wish to hear sounds from.
- Tap the bell icon.
Clean your speakers
If your iPhone has no sound at all, check the speaker opening to see if it’s blocked or dirty. If necessary, clean the speaker. My favorite way to clean iPhone speakers is by using a dry, un-used toothbrush to clean the speaker grills at the bottom of the iPhone. Simply slide the toothbrush over the speakers to dislodge any stuck dirt or dust.
You can also use compressed air to clean your iPhone’s speakers. If you take this route, however, make sure to spray gently and far away from the speakers themselves. Compressed air can damage speakers if sprayed at too close of a proximity — so start by spraying from a distance and move closer if you need to.
Make sure to test your iPhone’s sound after cleaning the speakers. If your iPhone still has sound issues, move onto the next solution.
Restart your iPhone
Performing a simple restart will help reset any software issues that are causing your iPhone to have no sound. Here’s how:
- For an iPhone without a Home button: press and hold either volume button and the side button until the power off slider appears. Drag the slider, then wait 30 seconds for your device to turn off. To turn your device back on, press and hold the side button until you see the Apple logo.
- For an iPhone with a Home button: press and hold the side button until the power off slider appears. Drag the slider, then wait for 30 seconds for your device to turn off. To turn your device back on, press and hold the power button until you see the Apple logo.
Update iOS
Updating iOS is a great way to fix minor software bugs that might be preventing sound from working. Apple releases updates to patch up small problems and introduce new iPhone features. Here’s how to check for updates:
- Go to Settings.
- Tap General.
- Tap Software Update.
- If an update is available, tap Update Now.
- Follow the onscreen instructions.
Make Sure Your iPhone Isn’t Stuck In Headphones Mode
It’s also possible that your iPhone is stuck in headphones mode, so audio isn’t being played through the inbuilt speakers.
“But I don’t have headphones plugged into my iPhone!” you exclaim.
That’s true — the problem is that your iPhone thinks headphones are plugged in. This occasionally happens when lint, dirt, liquid, or other debris gets stuck inside the charging port.
You can quickly check to see if your iPhone is stuck in headphones by pressing the volume buttons again. If the pop-up that appears says “Headphones” rather than “Volume” or “Sounds Effects”, your iPhone is in headphones mode. To fix this glitch, push in your headphones, then quickly pull them out again.
Factory reset your iPhone
The next step is to restore your iPhone to factory settings. This will clear everything, including any bugs that may be causing your iPhone to have no sound.
- Go to Settings.
- Tap General.
- Tap Transfer or Reset iPhone.
- Tap Erase All Content and Settings.
- Follow the on screen instructions.
Repair your iPhone speakers
If your iPhone still has no sound after the factory restore, your speakers might need service. Take your iPhone into the nearest Apple Store and have someone at the Genius Bar take a look at it. Just make sure to schedule an appointment first!
