My iPhone 5 thinks headphones are plugged in when they are not and won't play sound. What can I do?

[iMore Question]

iPhone 5 thinks headphones are plugged in when they are not and won't play sound. What can I do?

When I try to change the volume on my phone it says "headphones" instead of "ringer" thinking there are headphones plugged in when there are not. I can hear my phone ring but cannot speak into the phone unless I plug in headphones or put on speakerphone. Also can't listen to music or videos etc unless headphones are plugged in. I've tried restoring it, using a q-tip to clean the headphone port and sticking headphones in and out of port several times and none of it works. Help!

 

[Just_Me_D]

Re: iPhone 5 thinks headphones are plugged in when they are not and won't play sound

Is your iPhone connecting or is connected to a Bluetooth headset when this happens?

 

[Bigeric23]

Re: iPhone 5 thinks headphones are plugged in when they are not and won't play sound. What can I do?

Give this a try:

1) Open the Voice Memos app

2) Record a message--unless you already have one

3) Hit play

4) Press the speaker icon in the upper-right corner


See if you can adjust the speaker volume when playing the recording.

 

[amanda2015]

Re: iPhone 5 thinks headphones are plugged in when they are not and won't play sound. What can I do?

I'm the one that originally wrote this msg and
1) it is not connected to Bluetooth headset. It has Bluetooth on but I have turned it off and rebooted with no luck
2) I tried the voice memo and it does let me listen to the voice memo and the volume changes to "volume" when I press the speaker but when I return to playing music or hearing sounds via text, etc. it the volume buttons revert to "headphones"

I took it to the Apple Store and there isn't any noticeable water damage either. Any other potential tips other than getting a new phone? Everything else works fine except this!

 

[Bigeric23]

Re: iPhone 5 thinks headphones are plugged in when they are not and won't play sound. What can I do?

I'm the one that originally wrote this msg and
1) it is not connected to Bluetooth headset. It has Bluetooth on but I have turned it off and rebooted with no luck
2) I tried the voice memo and it does let me listen to the voice memo and the volume changes to "volume" when I press the speaker but when I return to playing music or hearing sounds via text, etc. it the volume buttons revert to "headphones"

I took it to the Apple Store and there isn't any noticeable water damage either. Any other potential tips other than getting a new phone? Everything else works fine except this!

The Apple store didn't have any other advice?

 

[amanda2015]

Re: iPhone 5 thinks headphones are plugged in when they are not and won't play sound. What can I do?

They just reset my settings and when that didn't work they told me to replace the whole phone if I want to fix it

 

[Bigeric23]

Re: iPhone 5 thinks headphones are plugged in when they are not and won't play sound. What can I do?

They just reset my settings and when that didn't work they told me to replace the whole phone if I want to fix it

It might be a hardware issue. In that case, you might have to replace or fix the device.

 

[Edward_Dawson]

Re: iPhone 5 thinks headphones are plugged in when they are not and won't play sound. What can I do?

It must be hardware problem just replace it.

 

[zerog46]

Re: iPhone 5 thinks headphones are plugged in when they are not and won't play sound. What can I do?

Have you tried blowing out the headphone jack with air? Happens when lint gets in the port.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

 

[amanda2015]

Re: iPhone 5 thinks headphones are plugged in when they are not and won't play sound. What can I do?

The port looked clean and I tried the q-tip method and a variety of others that didn't work. Apple said to replace the whole phone because they don't do just headphone jack replacements but I ended up taking it to an Asian guy who replaced it for $45! Thanks for the help everyone

 

[quinn7284737]

Hey guys I have a 6s and the same thing happened Apple won't do anything if you tell them but by cutting off the ends of a cutip and using that in the head phone jack will fix it the odds are you got water in the jack

 

[Nathan Paddock]

Hey guys I have a 6s and the same thing happened Apple won't do anything if you tell them but by cutting off the ends of a cutip and using that in the head phone jack will fix it the odds are you got water in the jack

This worked for me, but it took a few tries and then blowing out the port with an air can to get the lint and cotton strands out. Turn off the device. Cut most of the head off the q-tip, leaving some cotton and moisten it with isopropyl alcohol. Twist in and all around, then place the air can straw inside the port off to one side to leave room for debris to come out while you give it a few puffs. Give it about 5 minutes before turning it on. I had to do this twice, and the second time I just wrapped a little of the moist cotton around a toothpick, then it worked properly again.

 

[marysville49]

Re: iPhone 5 thinks headphones are plugged in when they are not and won't play sound. What can I do?

When I try to change the volume on my phone it says "headphones" instead of "ringer" thinking there are headphones plugged in when there are not. I can hear my phone ring but cannot speak into the phone unless I plug in headphones or put on speakerphone. Also can't listen to music or videos etc unless headphones are plugged in. I've tried restoring it, using a q-tip to clean the headphone port and sticking headphones in and out of port several times and none of it works. Help!

I had the same problem, tried powering down, plugging and unplugging headphones and cleaning jack with a bic pen cartridge, all unsuccessful. In the end I used a vacuum cleaner, blocked off as much of the hose end as I could with my hand (for maximum suction) and passed the headphone jack over the opening a few times for about 30 seconds, it worked! I have volume back

 

[Rob Phillips]

Re: iPhone 5 thinks headphones are plugged in when they are not and won't play sound. What can I do?

I had the same problem, tried powering down, plugging and unplugging headphones and cleaning jack with a bic pen cartridge, all unsuccessful. In the end I used a vacuum cleaner, blocked off as much of the hose end as I could with my hand (for maximum suction) and passed the headphone jack over the opening a few times for about 30 seconds, it worked! I have volume back

Glad you got it fixed! Lint is almost always the culprit with headphone jack problems.