My iPad has no sound

DISCONNECT BLUETOOTH.

After doing all the ridiculous resetting and changing/checking the settings by the advice given on these forums and on YouTube, I finally discovered that if you have your apple device connected to any other device by bluetooth you will not get any audio but by the device it's connected to. How un-awesome is that? Ive always been used to how my android devices work with Bluetooth which is when the system you're connected to is off or in a different mode, you still have audio. That makes perfect sense and is convenient, right? But I thought my brand new ipad was busted when I connected to my entertainment system by Bluetooth and haven't been getting any audio the last few weeks. So basically I need to go into settings and disconnect every stinking time if I want to hear my game or show my wife a YouTube video then go into settings bad reconnect then pair my devices every time I want to jam. Regretting ever got this overpriced tablet...

Video was really good: concise and clear. However, still no sound on the iPad. I dont even have a volume bar!

The system sounds are fine, however the iPad was purchased for my music collection and podcasts. So now it's a very expensive paperweight. Three days ago I had music. Anyone??

As most people reported I started having trouble last fall, with the iOS update. The most recent update has been a killer.

First try to reset your device:

Device Reset (won't affect settings/data/music/apps/etc)

1. Press and hold (& continue to hold) BOTH the Sleep/Wake button & the Home button.

2. Continue to hold BOTH (ignoring any other messages that may show) until you see the Apple logo on the screen.

3. Release BOTH buttons when you see the Apple logo and allow the device to boot normally.

Also check your iPad's side switch setting:

http://support.apple.com/kb/HT4085

Josy69,

I hope you could fix your sound problem 'for good'. I put it in quotes because it can happen more frequently than we would expect. Sometimes you are playing a buggy game that is causing audio problems... have you tried closing ALL apps?

Anyway, for everybody else, here is my updated guide for sound problems:

http://youtu.be/SDf1LDcE95Q

(1min 36sec)

It covers the basics:

• checking side-switch / mute / "Control Center"
• volume all up

...and also the worst cases:

• closing all apps (for rare cases when a single app might render the sound system instable)
• rebooting the iPad

So, don't get desparete: try the things in the video.

There are people who reported having forgotten an audio-bluetooth connection activated with a turned-off sound-system or speakers... or forgot Air-Play turned on... so be sure you disengage bluetooth and/or airplay.

On the 'hardware side', dirty dock connector (30 pin) can make the iPad 'think' it is connected to external audio - if so, cleaning it with a dry toothbrush can fix. Also, moisture in the headphones connector can make the iPad switch to 'headphones' even without headphones connected, making it silent: check if you can hear things with headphones plugged in - if so, try gently inserting and removing headphones a few times and check if you get sound back to iPad's speakers alone.

Once more: no need to reset settings, nether restore - save your time.

(A) Reset iPad

Hold down the Sleep/Wake button and the Home button at the same time for at least ten seconds, until the Apple logo appears

Note: Data will not be affected.

(B) Make sure Side Switch is set to "Lock Rotation" and make sure sound is not muted in Control Center (little bell)

http://i1224.photobucket.com/albums/ee374/Diavonex/ac7f6dc314aca5d618ac2f55616be 20e_zpsa92a3ebd.jpg

I fixed this problem (no sound except through headphones, and no volume slider) by briefly sucking in air from the 30-pin socket in my iPad 3. I bet even the vacuum cleaner would have done the job.

On another thread someone fixed it by cleaning the socket using a toothbrush and alcohol. Another even used vinegar successfully. However I wouldn't recommend either, as alcohol or vinegar could dissolve or corrode something useful. Also, I'm not sure the bristles of a toothbrush couldn't damage a pin. Still, I am very grateful to them for pointing out where the problem was: just a bit of dust maybe.

I presume this problem doesn't occur with the Lightening socket.

Hello Guvnor,

Please, watch this short video about restoring the sound of the iPad (only 1m36sec):

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SDf1LDcE95Q

The important thing - if you have the iPad properly 'unmuted' and volume all up - is CLOSING all apps (and wait for about 20seconds) BEFORE rebooting the iPad. A single missbehaved app can keep the sound system innoperative...

Of course there are the 'hardware' possibilities (dirty/moistured dock connector and/or headphones jack) that keeps the iPad constantly on 'hedphones' mode... or constantly in docking mode... Cleaning with a dry soft toothbrush seems to be the only way.

Good luck!

Hello again TheThinMan69 🙂

For people interested in reproducing video/audio from the iPad/iPhone/iPod in the TV/SoundSystem I really recommend having an AppleTV. Of course it is an extra cost - so, I encourage you to visit a friend who has one and show it to you. It is really easy and convenient. We have one in or bedroom and we are considering having another one for the livingroom TV.

No, I don't work at Apple and I don't receive commissions. I am just a passionate user and developer.

judith, do you get sound through your earbuds? Have you swiped up from the home screen to reveal all the apps that are open? If not, do so then flick up each app to make them all quit. I found I had one music app that caused me to loose the sound except through my headphones. The problem appeared when the battery was low on charge.

No sound in earphones. All apps closed.

And for no partiular reason that I can see, my volume and sound just re-appeared. Sigh. At least I understand Windows and it's foibles. iPad iOS seems just as glitchy and way more frustrating.

If you had no sound through the earphones too, EVEN when all apps were closed and sound NOT turned off, then it most probably has nothing to do with iOS. Still, if you are more comfortable with windows for listening to your music collection, then you could try one of their phones - even second hand it would be quite sufficient and you could carry it in your pocket.

Anyway, the mini jack socket possibly got some bad treatment and there's now a bad connection. If you don't want an intermittent paperweight, you should have it looked at.

Do follow Everson's advice.

After closing all apps reboot. This does not mean putting the ipad to sleep. You have to switch off the ipad, wait till the screen is completely black, then switch it on again. You will see the apple logo for a while before you get to your home screen.

Some apps really do mess up the sound and once you find which one is doing this, trash it and never use it again. I had a warning about a music app not being updated anymore but I liked it and didn't trash it then forgot. It was a sneaky one that only caused sound to disappear once in a while but I finally got it by a process of elimination. I think the developer hadn't followed Apple's "sound" ;) rules for use with ios updates.

I have had this problem with my ipad 2 twice now. The first time I was able to fix with 10 second hold home and the sleep button for reboot. The second time I tried everything that was in every thread I found including: cleaning charging connector, sliding mute button, soft reset in settings (even the reset choice that wipes settings and media), updating OS, disabling bluetooth as it could be connected to a speaker and few other things. The only thing that worked is a tip from someone in this support community which suggested to go to youtube and do a search by the microphone button (like SIRI type search). This will ask accesses to your microphone so say yes and the external speaker will star working. In my case the sound through the headset always worked, so check to see if you get that to make sure you have similar problem like mine. I'm thinking that this is old hardware/advanced OS problem and I predict it will come back to me soon. Probably few people have real issue with failed hardware and will never find a fix, but the majority are software related. Some will get it fixed with reboot or reset but maybe it's time to start looking into a new generation ipad!!!!!!!

In only caught this comment today, when the new ios has once again taken out the sound.

I paid more than $500 for my ipad. I expect it to work for more than two years. Buying a new one? Why on earth would I buy something so glitchy?