Ironically, using the iPhone to make phone calls is probably one of the features of the device that people use the least. Texting, playing games, taking photos and browsing the web are much more used functions.
But if your iPhone’s microphone ever goes dead, you’ll quickly realize just how important that little piece of technology is. So your iPhone microphone is not working? Here’s how to fix the problem.
We are more likely to use the iPhone’s speakers, camera, and other sensors more often than the iPhone’s microphone. This is because many of us make calls on our iPhone infrequently, or at least much less frequently than we use the camera or text people.
But the iPhone’s microphone is essential for more than just phone calls. Other iPhone features that require the microphone include video recording, FaceTime calling, dictation, and Siri, just to name a few. If your microphone is not working then your iPhone is badly affected.
Fortunately, there is an easy way to solve most iPhone microphone not working problems.
iPhone microphone not working? do this first
Well, before moving to the repair stage, you need to make sure of a few simple things first. The most obvious (but most overlooked) is that you want to make sure your iPhone isn’t accidentally on silent during a call.
If you’re talking on your iPhone through the Phone app, on FaceTime, on Skype, Zoom, or any other communication app, you want to make sure you haven’t accidentally hit the mute button in those apps.
I know, you might THINK you’d remember pressing the mute button, but sometimes your chin can press it if the iPhone is near your ear. So if someone on your call says they can’t hear you, check to make sure they haven’t accidentally muted themselves first.
iPhone microphone not working? Here’s how to test if something is wrong
If someone on a call says they can’t hear you and you’ve already confirmed that it’s not mute, the next thing to do is test your microphone again to see if the issue is reproducible. There are several ways to do this:
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Call someone else and see if they can hear you.
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Record a short video with the camera app and see if the sound is also recorded, or if it’s just a video.
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Open any app with a text field (like the Notes app) and tap the dictation button on the keyboard and start speaking. If the microphone is working, you’ll see the waveform move on the keyboard, and the words you speak should be written in the text field.
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Try using “Hey Siri”(Make sure you have “Hey Siri” enabled).
If any or all of the above do not indicate that your voice is being heard, you probably have a problem with your iPhone’s microphone. If that’s the case, use the methods below to fix it. One of them is forced to work.
iPhone microphone not working Solution #1 Solution #1: Disable Bluetooth
If you inadvertently have a pair of Bluetooth headphones, such as AirPods, in active use with your iPhone, the headphones will act as a microphone, not the iPhone’s built-in microphone. So make sure your wireless headphones are currently not active by disabling Bluetooth.
To do this:
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Open configuration.
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Toque Bluetooth.
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Move the Bluetooth switch to OFF (white).
iPhone microphone not working Solution #1 Solution #2: Turn off noise cancellation
iPhone uses noise-canceling features to make it easier for the microphone to pick up your words, even if there’s a lot of background noise. However, in some environments, and depending on how you hold the iPhone while talking, this could cause it to sound muffled. So it’s worth turning noise cancellation off to see if that fixes things.
That is how:
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Open configuration.
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Touch Accessibility.
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Touch Audio/Visual
Move the Noise Cancellation switch on the phone to OFF (white).
iPhone microphone not working Solution #1 Problem #3 – Check Microphone Settings for Third-Party Apps
As a privacy feature, iOs requires iPhone users to explicitly grant an app access to the microphone before the app can use it. The microphone may appear to not work only in certain apps, it denied microphone access to those apps on its first launch.
So check if the apps you are using have access to the microphone by doing this:
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Open configuration.
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Touch Privacy.
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Touch Microphone.
Make sure the toggle next to the name of the app you want to have microphone access to is turned on (green).
iPhone microphone not working Fix #4 – Make sure nothing covers your microphone
If all of the above works and you still can’t be heard through your microphone, it’s time to make sure nothing is obstructing it. In particular, two things come to mind:
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iPhone Case: Some ill-fitting iPhone cases can obstruct the iPhone’s microphone. The microphone is located on the bottom of the iPhone next to the speaker holes. So make sure your case doesn’t cover those holes.
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Dust and dirt: Are the speaker holes clogged with dust or dirt? If so, particles could be blocking the microphone. If this is the case, use a VERY VERY GENTLY dry toothbrush to unclog the holes. But DO NOT USE EXCESSIVE FORCE or you may damage your iPhone. Alternatively, you can try cleaning methods similar to how you clean the Lightning port on your iPhone.
iPhone microphone not working Solution #1 Problem #5: Update, Reset, Restore Your iPhone
If none of the above works, it’s worth trying three final things in defense order:
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Update your iPhone to the latest version of iOS by going to Settings > General > Software Update. It could have a software bug that Apple has fixed with an update.
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If that doesn’t work, you can try restarting your iPhone.
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If that doesn’t work, you can try doing a hard restore on the iPhone.
And if all that doesn’t work, it’s time to take your iPhone to an authorized repair center because your iPhone’s microphone might get physically damaged and need to be replaced.