Apple Expert

The one-stop column for Genius advice

My iphone is stuck in ‘headphone mode’.

When I play audio on my device there is no sound coming out, and when I try to adjust the volume it says headphones are connected, even though they definitely aren’t!

This can be frustrating, but thankfully there are some reliable fixes to try. First, trying plugging in your headphones and then unplug them again, as there is a possibility that the port that they’re connected to didn’t register that they had previously been disconnected. You should also check the audio settings on your device. Swipe up to access your Control Centre and then tap on the media controls pane. You should see an airwaves icon in the top-right corner, so tap on this and then select your iphone from the menu. This should ensure that all audio is sent to your iphone’s built-in speakers. You can also try going to Settings>bluetooth and checking that you aren’t connected to an external sound device. Turn the Bluetooth switch off to be certain. We also deal with iphone sound issues later in this feature (see page 86), so make a point of trying those fixes too – such as checking to see if Do Not Disturb (or Airplane) mode has been accidentally activated. If all else fails then you can try cleaning out the headphone jack, if your iphone has one, or restarting your device. Good luck!