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Headphone problems using a USB-C to 3.5mm adaptor

Hi all,


I have a 2021 iPad Pro running iOS 15.2 and there's a problem with using headphones with a USB-C to 3.5mm adaptor.


The iPad identifies when headphones are plugged in, and music can be heard without any problems, however, there are few issues:


  1. A static click can periodically be heard through the headphones when no music/sound is played i.e. silence, but goes away when something is played.
  2. I have the "hearing" shortcut (shows an ear as the symbol) in my control centre and this should limit my volume to 85 decibels, and it should show a green/amber pulsing bar on the shortcut when sound is played, but doesn't when headphones are connected to my iPad using the USB-C to 3.5mm adaptor.
  3. When you press the hearing shortcut in the control centre, it displays "USB-C to 3.5mm Headphone Jack Adaptor". Yet, when I insert a lighting to 3.5mm adaptor into another iPad or my iPhone Pro, it says "Headphones" in the hearing shortcut, the sound is limited to 85 decibels and the pulsing green/amber bar is displayed when sound is played.


So, it seems that for some reason, the software on the iPad Pro isn't recognising my headphones when using the USB-C to 3.5mm adaptor, or, there's a hardware issue with the Pro.


I've swapped the USB-C to 3.5mm adaptor, so it can't be that and I've tried three different types of headphones and nothing changes - the sound isn't limited to 85 decibels, nor is the pulsing bar showing and the static clicking is there on all of them (one has a mic and the other two don't).


However, when I connect the headphones via Bluetooth to my iPad Pro, the hearing shortcut works as it should i.e. it displays the model of my headphones, it limits the sound to 85 decibels and displays the pulsing green/amber bar.


Does anyone else have this problem, or Is able to add the "hearing" shortcut to their control centre, insert their headphones via a USB-C to 3.5mm adaptor and see if doing the same as mine?


Many thanks for any assistance or help you can give me.

Posted on Jan 2, 2022 9:59 AM

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3 replies

Jan 3, 2022 10:24 AM in response to 1ssmith

Hello 1ssmith,


Thank you for reaching out to me with your advice.


Sadly, that doesn't help, as the hearing feature works perfectly on all other Apple devices in my household but not the Pro.


The Bose headphones I'm using work perfectly fine with the decibel meter when connected via Bluetooth, but not when they're connected using the USB-C to 3.5mm adaptor (just in case anyone says anything, I don't always want to connect via Bluetooth, sometimes I prefer wired).


Hopefully somebody will reply to the solution, failing that, it'll be a trip to the Apple Store.


Take care.


Jan 3, 2022 8:51 AM in response to Mark-D

Hello Mark-D,


Welcome to Apple Support Communities!


We understand you're experiencing an issue with the volume limit when your headphones are connected to your iPad using the USB-C to 3.5mm adaptor. We'll be glad to look into this with you.


We found some information from Use headphone audio-level features on iPad which explains why the volume limit may not be working correctly. "AirPods, EarPods, and many other wired and wireless headphones are compatible with Hearing in Control Center."


If you're using other headphones and not Apple or Beats headphones, the audio measurements are estimated based on your iPad.


Take care.



Headphone problems using a USB-C to 3.5mm adaptor

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