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SoCalSkippy Author

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

Stephanie_xo

Level 1

10 points

Posted on Jan 21, 2017 8:59 AM

i tried everything i could think of i sucked on the headphone jack look to see for debris or anything suck and nothing i turned it on and off several times and still nothing so i was desperate i grabbed my blow dryer i set it on high and bam it worked i could hear everything hope this helps you an saves you money

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928 replies

SoCalSkippy Author

Level 2

212 points

Jan 15, 2008 9:29 PM in response to th3_r3n3g4d3

MY HERO!

Thanks, worked like a charm! 😉

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.

Jan 22, 2008 3:05 AM in response to JKG99

I had this problem too, but solved it by only removing the headphones whilst the iPhone is unlocked. I had previously just unplugged the headphones once i had stopped the iPod.

ie you have to have to turn on the iPhone and remove the headphones whilst the screen is active and unlocked.

Jan 22, 2008 2:26 PM in response to SoCalSkippy

My phone was in the state as well for the past few days and it was bugging me to no end! I finally figured out that it was just some lint in the headphone receptacle. Blowing into the receptacle dislodged it and the problem was solved!

Jan 23, 2008 8:41 PM in response to SoCalSkippy

This just happened to me today! I couldn't find my iPhone headphones today, so used my iPod headphones instead and it was stuck in "headphones" mode after pulling them out...weird.
Thanks for the advice, worked like a charm!
Just ***** that is the case...not to mention, if I can't find my iPhone headphones I'll have to pay $30 for a new pair! RIP OFF!!

ATribone

Level 1

15 points

Jan 23, 2008 9:10 PM in response to SoCalSkippy

This happened to me, too. I took my phone to the store and the genius said that it happens because the phone doesn't recognize that the headphones have come out and it sends the electrical signals to the headphone jack, but there aren't any headphones there. All you have to do is plug them in and then unplug them.

cshamis

Level 1

13 points

Jan 24, 2008 5:19 PM in response to ATribone

Right. If the headphones are unplugged from the iPhone while it was in standby mode it will still think the headphones are plugged in when it resumes.

Just plug and unplug the headphones or reboot the phone.

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

Feb 20, 2008 7:20 AM in response to JKG99

I suspect it's a hardware issue independent of the state of the software on the phone. If you compare the earbud plug for the iPhone with the iPod, you'll see an extra ring around the iPhone plug. That's for the microphone on the whatcha-ma-dongle. When the iphone headphones are inserted, it allows the headphones-mounted speaker to engage on the iPhone headphones. When you use the iPod phones, it doesn't allow for that. Thus the 'switch' gets stuck 'on'.

Such mechanical mechanism can be confirmed to be in play as using regular headphones does not disengage the microphone on the iPhone handset. However, using a set of the iPhone headphones (with the microphone) does.

Nathan C

Level 5

6,266 points

Feb 20, 2008 10:45 AM in response to Glenn Kelly1

Glenn,

This article also has more information:
http://docs.info.apple.com/article.html?artnum=306910

Hope this helps,

Nathan C.

Mar 17, 2008 2:45 PM in response to Nathan C

Sign me up to the +iphone stuck in headphone mode+. I have tried all the solutions. I have even restored, but the problem persists. I think it is an issue with the switch that activates the ipod function in the headphone jack. It may somehow have shorted out or something because it happened whilst I was using the headphones and the mic and right side earphone ceased functioning. I know the earpiece works fine because if I have a ringtone playing and press the sleep/wake button to lock the phone, the click sound can be heard. even plugging in a standard headphone now starts up the iPod function.

This is really annoying because my headphones don't work well at all.

Adamzzz

Level 1

9 points

Mar 21, 2008 9:13 AM in response to Nathan C

I had to plug/unplug/replug/etc several times (with some JBL speakers I have around), then once it recognized that there's a connection there, go to the iPod mode and hit pause.

It still wasn't fixed, but about 10 seconds later (no changes), it was fixed.

What a PITA.

Mar 23, 2008 6:51 PM in response to th3_r3n3g4d3

thanks! it worked for me

xo.carly

Level 1

9 points

Jun 14, 2008 11:16 AM in response to th3_r3n3g4d3

Thank you SO much!! I had the same problem & this worked for me too!!!!!!!! You just saved me $450!

Aug 25, 2008 8:02 PM in response to SoCalSkippy

I have had this problem, and the "earjack *******" notion really does work. If you hold the two up side by side, the plain headphones' jack is slightly longer. That's because the iPhone likes to take it deep.

iPhone stuck in "headphones" mode