iPhone stuck in "headphones" mode

I've had this issue several times. First time I was able to fix the problem by cleaning jack with qtip. Next time i inserted apple earbuds and circled the jack in and out, then same thing with other brand earbuds for a couple minutes. The third time neither one of those solutions worked so I plugged in my iPhone to my laptop and boom! Solved the issue. I never thought to try plugging in my phone to my laptop thr first two times the problem occured.

This problem tends to happen to my phone when I switch cases or earbuds.

This exact same problem just happened to me today. I tried doing all the things suggested, from plug in plug out, headphones in and out, switching phone on and off, blow drying, etc. but nothing worked. My husband suggested to clean the headphones input with a toothpick. I blow dried it first with cool air, high speed, for a couple of minutes, then inserted the toothpick as trying to clean the jack with a circling movement. Went to check the volume level and it worked! It was finally out of headphones mode and back to ringer.

I tried most of the tricks posted here, plugging/unplugging many times, replug at lockscreen, unlocked, start/stop playback, etc...nothing worked. Finally I took a can of compressed air, and inserted the red stem deep into the earbud hole (ohhh yeah) and blasted the **** out of it. Nothing happened but when I withdrew and hit the volume button, I was back in "Ringer" mode 🙂

After trying all the fixes in this thread, I had resigned myself to having to buy a new iPad. Hard reset, cleaning the headphone jack with a toothbrush, hair dryer, sucking on the jack, airplane mode - nothing. So I took the threading end of a sewing needle with a little thread wrapped around it (not the pointy end) and I used it to scoop out the dust deep down in the headphone jack. Worked like a charm! Try it if you're stuck.

i had same problem with my 5s

what i did

reverse roll masking tape, sticky side out, roll enough diameter that could fit the headphone socket, not too thin

then put inside socket then start twisting 10 -20 times

it worked for me without restarting

good luck

In order to fix this issue do the following:

If you look closely Inside the Headphone port there are these tiny little metal screw Balls which get pushed in when you insert the Headphones.

The phone gets stuck in headphone mode (if in an event when these tiny little metal screws are pushed in).

To cut the long story short you all you need to do is push these metal balls screws in and out.

Simplest way to do so is to insert you headphone into the port and twist it around a bit.

Just had this problem too. I fixed it by turning the phone off and putting a twistie tie from a sandwich bag into the jack and spinning it, so the 'fins' scraped along the sides of the headphone jack. Then I turned it on, put it in airplane mode and turned it back off. I waited 30 seconds, then turned the phone back on, turned off airplane mode and made a call.. it worked!

Last week when I was running I sweat real bad with my 6+ in my arm band; the headphone plug pointing in direction to my hand and rammed into the pocket my forearm and bicept crease together. I ran 22 miles. Evidently the constant sweating and the plug being where it was must have had a capillary-effect on my sweat and took it up into the headphone jack. After the run when I took my headphones out of the jack I didn't notice anything, but a couple days later I went for another run and noticed the end of the headphone plug had a blue oxidative coating on it. Also the iPhone jack had that same blue around the rim. I noticed first that sound was only coming out of one ear bud and removing the plug that's when I noticed the blue corrosion. I think this 'gummed' up the jack. I hope my fix helps other runners who may have this same thing going on. The twistie tie seemed to scrape the sides of the jack and had a dark deposit along the edges of the twistie tie.

It is almost definitely not a software problem for most people. I ran into this issue yesterday after doing yard work all day with the phone in my pocket. I figured I had gotten sweat or other moisture in the jack. I tried all methods except a full restore. I tried cleaning with a cotton swab and rubbing alcohol. initially that method didn't work, but as I suspected it was fine the next morning. If it's moisture, the alcohol likely helps it dry, though it can take a while. I did get some dirt out of the jack, which may have also affected it.

Also for you, I would try the cotton swab and alcohol method (you have to take some of the cotton off) and really cleaning it well. If this and other methods don't work, go to the Apple Store. If anything, you may have a defective phone. Apple isn't getting away with anythng...defects and known issues just happen.

Hey guys, my iPhone randomly went on to headphone mode and I had to put everyone on loudspeaker when they called me and phone only vibrated, I tried putting my head phones in and out rapidly but never worked so I got my mini brush from my electric razor that you clean it with and after 5 seconds of cleaning the jack out it went back to normal.... **** you debris

if you're reading this and you're not sure if it applies to you toggle the "slient" switch on and off, if a grey box pops up saying "headphones" "silent" and you ain't got no headphones plugged in, you're in the right place.

I tried all the solutions on here and was envisioning hellish trip to an Apple Store to meet with a droning hipster with fashionable black frames and maybe a top knot. Luckily the solution was to get a cue tip and work the cotton off with your fingernail, work the end into the headphone port and toggle the silent switch until it says "ringer". Continue life

Same thing happened to me. I dropped my phone in the snow while I was shoveling. Went through the forum and did all the suggestions but nothing worked. So I got a q-tip and took off all the cotton on one end and poked it into the earphone jack and wiggled it around. Did it twice just to make sure and my phone is working properly. I think the snow melted in there and the water corroded the pins. Hope this helps someone!

ear bud has worked after few try. Make sure earbud is not too tick. It should go in the hole and wiggle the tiny pins that stuck which are telling the phone headphone jack inserted. Once those tiny little pins are freely moving and not stuck, the phone goes back to normal mode.

THank you for the tip. There is also a youtube video explaining nicely.

I dropped my iPhone in the toilet and it seemed fine after I did the emergency drying. About 5 hours later it got stuck in headphone setting. After looking it up, most sources said this was a problem with the pins on the inside getting stuck and not switching it back to ringer.

So I got my headset jack, and just kinda massaged it around for a while. I'd angle it in a few times and just did it for about 5 or 7 minutes. Eventually it went back to ringer mode and fixed the problem.

EFFICIENT:

Use a que tip. First, rip off most of the cotton leaving just enough to fit into the headphones socket. Stick it in there, twirl it around and out comes some type of residue (mine was black). I started to notice as I pulled it out and pushed it back in gently (but repetitively) that my Spotify icon started appearing on and off, on and off the bottom left corner of the screen. If it dissapears when you pull the que tip out completely then it is fixed.

Further to this I think I have found the perfect 'tool' for cleaning out the headphone jack socket.

my son's ip6 was stuck in h/phone mode and all previous attempts (resets,q tips,blowing, sucking, etc.) failed and I suspected debris within the socket.

The answer folks..........a Tepe interdental brush. Look it up!

I happened to have an orange one to hand (other colours may work ~ colour denotes thickness of brush)

The length is perfect for the socket.

Insert twist and withdraw.

A large glob of black gunge came out, on the first go, keep going until clean.

Due to the design of the brush it is able to pick up and collect debris at the very end of the socket.

Solved the problem.

Hope it helps someone.

Steve