Level 2

212 points

iPhone stuck in "headphones" mode

Earlier I accidentally grabbed my iPod headphones instead of my iPhone headphones and I think I may have jammed them in there too far. Because now I can't hear any of the keyboard clicks or sounds and when I receive a text message there's no sound either. And when I receive a call it won't allow me to hear the person on the other line unless I put my headphones in or use the speaker function. And when I turn the ringer volume up/down it says "headphones" in parentheses as if it's been set to "headphones" mode or something! Is it possible that I jammed them in so far that my iPhone thinks my headphones are still plugged in? Did I just totally ruin my iPhone? What do I do? Anyone know how I can fix this? Thanks!

Windows XP Pro

Posted on Jan 15, 2008 9:14 PM

Top-ranking reply

ima747

Level 1

5 points

Posted on Aug 29, 2008 9:43 AM

I've had this problem perviously and the unplug-replug 7-8 times worked for me the last 2 times it glitched but not this time. I cut the end off a Q tip and went rooting around in the headphone jack and dug out a little lint which didn't solve it but atleast there's no lint in there now... I did a software restore, tried all the other tricks I could find but here's how I finally got it working again.

Headphones out, ipod stoped
Called my phone from another phone
the ringer rang out the speaker but when I tried to talk and listen I got nothing (obviously trying to use the headphones which weren't there)
turned on speaker phone, could now talk and listen.
turned off speaker phone and it went back to working properly
hang up, enjoy working speaker again.

My suspicion is that it's a combination of hardware and software issues that cause the hangup. The most likely cause is a sticky switch in the jack causing the iphone not to properly recognize when headphones are removed. However once you unstick the jack (dig out lint, jiggle it with a bunch of insert-removes etc.) the software may still glitch and apparently asking it to go to speakerphone then back to regular mode (which should CHECK for headphones in theory, and not just trust the jack switch) may just do the trick...

If it rings out the main speaker it has to know on some level that the headphones arn't there...

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928 replies

weldsman

Level 1

4 points

Oct 5, 2018 3:18 PM in response to SoCalSkippy

Just for everyone else- My iphone was started answering in headphone mode, I have hearing aids with bluetooth, so it was really annoying. After some research, I decided to check out my headphone jack. I used a big magnifying glass with light, and dug around with a wooden toothpick. I dug out a decent wad of lint, but still had a problem. So I kept digging, blew stuff out, tapped the phone on the table lightly to help drop stuff out, and used the pick to push the little springs that make the jack click when you put it in. I also put in and took out a headphone plug several times.

My Iphone came back and works fine now. The phone switches automatically if you have something in the headphone jack, they must have a sensor that reads when it is, and the lint was probably setting off the switch. Good luck all.

May 13, 2013 2:06 PM in response to Easterbrooks

So I tried everything to get my iphone out of headphone mode.

I eventually stuck a tookpick inside the audio port and pulled out a small amount of pocket lint....The phone works perfect now.

iNuts

Level 1

0 points

Jul 17, 2014 8:47 AM in response to firefly2370

I´ve tried a lot of things and the one that worked was to insert a paper clip tip very gently in the headphone jack. The bottom of it was full of lint that was easily removed this way.

JKG99

Level 1

9 points

Jan 21, 2008 9:06 PM in response to SoCalSkippy

Does anyone know why this works? I had the same problem... tried plugging in the headphones once or twice - no effect. Restored the iPhone - no effect. Plug in the headphones 7-8 times - problem fixed. Bizarre.

Feb 20, 2008 5:47 AM in response to cshamis

I have had this problem today.
My solution is as follows.

1. Put the iPhone into iPod mode with headphones in and start playback.
2. Stop playback and exit iPod mode.
3. Remove headphones.

Glenn

Hannaht

Level 1

0 points

Sep 17, 2009 2:22 PM in response to SoCalSkippy

Had this problem all day. Read every post I could find. I sucked air, blew air, threw in fridge, inserted, took out....finally A SOLUTION worked. I put earphones in and while taking earphones out I slowly wiggled jack from front to back all the way out. Whatever switch was stuck is now unstuck and all is well! this works for someone else. This is such an old problem - I had the same problem with first gen phone

Oct 5, 2009 1:21 AM in response to SoCalSkippy

well i had the same problem with my iphone (used 3rd party headphones for a bit) and apparently one of the pins in the headphone jack got stuck. so after a lot of cussing @ apple, I inserted a tightly wound piece of tissue paper drenched in iso-propyl alchohol and jammed it in the headphone jack...and viola! the ringer started working again! and now it properly detects the headphones aswell..my recommendation is that use only iphone headphones with the iphone, it dosent like anything else...

Delkow

Level 1

0 points

Oct 24, 2010 12:05 AM in response to Stefan Schulze

I just had the same problem as everyone, and after reading about 7 pages of unplugging/replugging, restoring the firmware, blowing on the earphone jack, throwing a football into the air for a hail Mary to save my expensive piece of hardware, etc, I tried it all and was about to give up hope...

Then I basically (as stupid as this sounds) sucked on the earphone jack as hard as I could, for as long as I could, and it finally fixed it. Yup, basically just exhaled all my air, and inhaled a lungful through the earphone jack.. and, very surprisingly, it worked.

I assume it could be lint or dust like others have said, or even a bit of moisture, depending on where you live in America or Canada vs. climate.

The lint would be easy enough to suck out, but once you get that little molecule of moisture within the jack, any other moisture automatically collects on it, sabotaging your beautiful (and expensive) iPhone.

For anyone who was panicking like I was, just keep trying to dehydrate your phone's electronics, and it'll eventually help. It's ridiculous how easily modern electronics are affected by moisture.

Nov 18, 2010 3:00 AM in response to KarimRady

What's the serial number so i can call my Apple Support tech? I can take a look at it at no charge and hopefully fix it. Could possibly be a hardware issue such as the audio headphone jack flex, which cost around $10-15 for the part and $40-50 for the install. Have you tried the voice memos app. and tried to record something? Also in the voice memos, play it in both modes which are default(automatic) and then hit the speaker option. What happens?
-JonnyDrex ( jonnydrexel )

DriPhoneDirect.com

Jan 24, 2011 2:58 AM in response to SoCalSkippy

My iPhone4 got stuck in "headphones" mode yesterday. I had been using iTunes to play a song (without headphones) the day before yesterday and then I accidentally dropped it onto some snow at a ski resort. I think that the combination of iTunes being in some forgotten mode using the speaker and the phone getting a wet signal from the headphones jack did the switch to stuck in "headphones" mode.

I propose that Apple gives us all a software update fix that allows us to force the phones back into "normal" mode when we break our leg on the ski slopes and need to call in a helicopter. After that they should check out what heat and or water can do inside the jack to activate the headphones sensor and come up with a real fix.

Bye the way I got the iPhone4 back into normal mode at home by inserting and removing a miniplug to the iPhone. I guess I will have to keep a miniplug in my pocket in case of emergency ... or better yet I will only do dangerous things to a soundtrack with headphones on.

Apr 9, 2011 8:29 AM in response to SoCalSkippy

my iphone 4 was stuck in headphones mode tonight. after browsing through a few forums talking about "how to fix headphone mode", one of the solutions is working for my iphone 4. I think u guys or girls can try this.

1. hold the "home“ button for 5-8 sec until u see the "voice control"
2. say sth, u should be able to see the voice wave on the phone screen.
3. press "home" again, back to home screen. test it, see whether it fix the "headphones mode".

well, at least it works for me.
all the best.

Message was edited by: kirincastle

Jun 7, 2011 6:11 PM in response to SoCalSkippy

I tried the jack insertion thing about twenty times as recommended and it did not work for me. Then I tried the sucking and it didn't work. Finally I took a can of compressed air and blew air into the phone for ten seconds. It seems to have fixed the problem.

Jul 14, 2011 6:36 PM in response to SoCalSkippy

OK, I managed to spill a little water in the headphone socket at the gym this morning and on the way to work, my phone turned itself onto "headphone mode". I tried absolutely everything to fix this, on/off, reset, calling from other phone, "jacksex", blowing, cotton bud, shaking, cursing...

Someone on this forum mentioned sucking the headphone hole and as a last resort I cupped my lips around it and sucked a full lung. iPhone works again! The sucking must create a strong vacuum which cleared the water/lint inside. It rocks to suck.

Aug 18, 2011 2:25 PM in response to SoCalSkippy

The problem is there is dirt in the earjack.

Solution: Get one of those compressed air canisters and shoot a force of air in there to clear it out.

This is what the guys at the Apple store did for me when this happened to mine.

Oct 30, 2011 9:43 AM in response to SoCalSkippy

Tried repeatedly putting in and pulling out the headphones to no avail.

Rebooting didn't work. Blowing didn't work.

Resorted to taking it out of the case and giving the headphone socket a quick suck.

Hey presto. (spit out whatever was stuck)

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iPhone stuck in "headphones" mode