Why wont my iPhone recognize my wired headphones?

Headphones (wired and wireless) that are not working with an iPhone can be fixed by restarting the iPhone, checking the volume settings, checking the Bluetooth output, cleaning the headphone jack, or if all these fail, resetting the device to factory settings. 

I have owned several headphones in the past, and there were times when they didn't work. I set out to find a reason for it, and in the process, I stumbled on some solutions that ended up working. I will describe them in detail to help if you're dealing with malfunctioning headphones. Hopefully, you can find a solution that will fix the issue by the end of this article.

• 1. Turn the Volume Up
• 2. Restart the iPhone
• 3. Try Other Headphones
• 4. Clean the Headphone Jack
• 5. Check for Physical Damage
• 6. Enable and Disable Airplane Mode
• 7. Check the AirPlay Output
• 8. Check the Bluetooth Connection
• 9. Update iOS Device
• 10. Reset All Settings
• 11. Reset to Factory Settings
• 12. Contact Apple Support
• Conclusion

1. Turn the Volume Up

Another common mistake that people make is forgetting to turn the volume up once they have connected the iPhone headphone jack. Before you hit the panic button, check to see if the volume is on mute and turn it up to the levels that are comfortable before playing any audio. 

You can do this by pressing the volume buttons on the side. You should see the volume box appear on your screen, showing the exact level of volume your phone is at.

2. Restart the iPhone

The first thing you should do is to restart the device to get rid of any temporary glitch that may be preventing the headphone from connecting to your device. The process is quick, and it shouldn't take more than 2 minutes.

To restart iPhone X, 11, 12, 13, 14 and SE 3rd Gen:

• Press and hold the Volume Down or Up button alongside the Side button until the Power Off slider appears on the screen.
• Drag the slider and wait about 30 seconds for the phone to completely switch it off.
• Press the Side button and hold until the Apple logo appears to complete the restart process.

To restart 2nd Gen iPhone SE, 8, 7, and 6:

• Long-press the Side button until the Power Off slider pops up on your screen.
• Drag the slider and wait for 30 seconds for the device to completely turn it off.
• Press the Side button once more and hold until the Apple logo pops up.

To restart 1st Gen iPhone SE, 5 and earlier:

• Press and hold the Top button until the Power Slider appears on the phone screen.
• Drag the slider to turn off the phone and wait 30 seconds for it to completely turn off.
• Long-press the Top button again until the Apple logo appears to complete the restart.

Try connecting the headphones to your iPhone to see if they are working now.

3. Try Other Headphones

The problem could be with your particular headphones, and the fastest way to figure that out is by trying a different pair to see if they work or not.

This is also another way of checking if the headphone jack is damaged before taking it to a repair center. If the new pair of headphones work, then the problem lies with your headphones, and it would be time to have them repaired, or if they are beyond help, buy new headphones.

4. Clean the Headphone Jack

If you are using wired iPhone headphones, then check the headphone jack for any debris as that could be interfering with how the jack pin connects to the device.

To check for debris in your iPhone headphone jack:

• Shine a torch into the headphone jack to check for gunk, lint, or any foreign material that shouldn't be in there.
• Gently blow into the headphone jack to dislodge the debris. You can also shoot compressed air into the jack pin space to achieve the same results.
• You can use a cotton swab if the debris is packed tightly. Gently brush to avoid damaging it further.

Once the iPhone headphone jack is clean, try connecting the headphones once more to check if they are working now.

5. Check for Physical Damage

You can check for physical damage to determine whether the iPhone headphones you are using are damaged and need to be repaired. Anything that looks out of the ordinary, like a loose headphone cable or a bent jack pin, could be the cause. Avoid trying to fix the headphones on your own if you have no clue what to do, as it could only make things worse. You should take it to the nearest repair shop for a permanent fix.

6. Enable and Disable Airplane Mode

Enabling and disabling Airplane Mode will work best if you are using wireless headphones. It will temporarily disable and refresh all Bluetooth connections, getting rid of any mild glitch that could be interfering with iPhone-headphone connectivity.

To enable and durable Airplane Mode:

• Swipe down from the home screen to view Control Center.
• Tap once on the Airplane Mode button represented by an airplane icon.
• Wait a few minutes, then tap on the icon again to disable it.

This should refresh the connections between the iPhone and the headphone and get rid of the problem.

7. Check the AirPlay Output

You may have forgotten to switch the AirPlay output you had been using with your device before connecting the device to your headphones. This will send all the audio from your iPhone to another output, and you may think your headphones are damaged.

To check if you have connected to a different output.

• Swipe down from the homescreen to view Control Center.
• Select the "Airplay" in the top right area to open all the available output devices.
• Tap on Headphones to connect.

This should get the headphone working again right away.

8. Check the Bluetooth Connection

You need to have Bluetooth turned on if you are in the habit of using wireless iPhone headphones. If that's turned off, then nothing will work. So check if  Bluetooth is active and connected to that particular headphone set you intend to use before hitting play.

You can simply check the Control Center and see if Bluetooth is active or not. The Bluetooth icon should be blue if active and grey when turned off.

9. Update iOS Device

The problem could also be a result of the device running outdated firmware. This could make connections to iPhone headphones and AirPods hard, and without an iOS update, you will not be able to do much with them.

To update iOS to the latest version:

• Open Settings .
• Go to General.
• Open Software Update and check to see if there's any pending installation.
• Tap on "Download and Install" and allow the process to run to the end.

Once the iOS update is complete, reconnect your wireless headphone or plug in the wired headphone jack to play your music or receive phone calls without any issues.

10. Reset All Settings

Resetting all settings will help get rid of deeper glitches in your device that may be stopping Bluetooth devices like wireless iPhone headphones from connecting with your phone. This is a quick process that will revert all settings to default, including every customization you may have added along the way. There's no need to create a backup as your data will not be affected.

To reset all settings:

• Open Settings App.
• Go to General.
• Navigate down and tap Transfer or Reset iPhone.
• Tap on Reset and choose Reset All Settings.
• Enter your passcode to confirm the process. Allow the phone the time to complete the reset.
• Connect the Bluetooth headphones with your iPhone and enjoy your music.

11. Reset to Factory Settings

Conducting a factory reset is more extreme than the other options described so far, but it is an effective way of eliminating any software-related glitches that may be affecting your Apple headphones. You will lose all data, so you need to create a backup before commencing the process.

To factory-reset your iPhone settings:

• Open Settings App.
• Go to General.
• Scroll down to Transfer or Reset iPhone.
• Choose Reset and select "Erase All Content and Settings."
• Enter your passcode to confirm the process and let it run to the end.
• Once complete, set up new Bluetooth connections and try playing music with your headphones to see if the problem has been solved.

12. Contact Apple Support

If nothing works, you may have to take both your iPhone and iPhone headphone to the nearest Apple Store for further help. This is an indication that the problem is beyond your abilities. Rather than making things worse, it would be wise to have it checked out by experts. This shouldn't take too long, and you will have your device back in no time.

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Conclusion

iPhone headphones, just like any Bluetooth device, will fail at some point when used with iOS devices for a long time. Fortunately, this is a problem that you can solve using any of the fixes that I have described in detail above. Take your time and try each one until you find the right solution.

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