iPhone speaker not working

iPhone speaker not working

Fix an iPhone that plays no sound, quiet calls or muffled audio.

Updated: November 8, 2026

Test it here first

Open this page in Safari and press Test my speakers. An iPhone has two speakers: the earpiece at the top also plays sound in stereo. If you hear the left and right sounds, both work. If the page is silent, check Silent mode first: on iPhone, web pages can be muted by it.

1. Silent mode, Focus and volume

  1. Flip the Ring/Silent switch towards the screen, or on iPhone 15 Pro and later press and hold the Action button to turn Silent mode off.
  2. Open Control Center and check that no Focus mode (moon icon) is on, and raise the volume slider.
  3. Ringtone and alert volume are set in Settings › Sounds & Haptics. Turn on Change with Buttons if you want the side buttons to change it.
  4. During the call, press the volume up button. Call volume on an iPhone is separate from music and video volume, so it can be very low even when other sounds are loud.

2. Where the sound goes

  • Turn Bluetooth off for a moment. Calls and sound often go to earbuds in their case, a smartwatch or a car that is still connected.
  • Open Control Center, press and hold the music card and tap the AirPlay icon to see which device plays the sound. Choose iPhone.
  • Check Settings › Accessibility › Touch › Call Audio Routing and set it to Automatic.
  • If the iPhone thinks headphones are plugged in (a headphones icon on the volume slider), clean the USB-C or Lightning port gently with a wooden toothpick.

3. Settings that change the sound

  • Settings › Accessibility › Audio & Visual: Mono Audio and the Balance slider. If Balance is at one side, one speaker is silent.
  • Settings › Sounds & Haptics › Headphone Safety › Reduce Loud Audio limits the volume of headphones.

4. Clean the speakers

  • Remove the case and screen protector. Then brush the bottom speaker holes and the earpiece gently with a dry, soft brush. Do not push pins into them or use compressed air.
  • After water, let the iPhone dry with the speaker facing down. The speaker cleaner tone above can help shake out droplets; play it at medium volume for 30 seconds and stop if it distorts.

5. Restart, update and reset

  1. Restart the iPhone and install updates in Settings › General › Software Update.
  2. If the problem continues, use Settings › General › Transfer or Reset iPhone › Reset › Reset All Settings. It resets settings only, not your photos or apps.
  3. If a speaker stays silent or crackles in this test after all this, it is most likely a hardware fault; contact Apple Support or an authorized repair shop.