Few things are more frustrating than picking up your iPhone for an important call only to find there’s no audio during the call. Whether you can’t hear the other person, or they can’t hear you, these audio issues can stem from a variety of causes, ranging from simple settings glitches to more complex hardware issues.
Before you panic and think about costly repairs, there are many common troubleshooting steps you can take to diagnose and potentially fix the problem yourself. This comprehensive guide will walk you through each solution to help you restore clear audio to your iPhone calls.
Step 1: Basic Checks & Call Environment
Start with the simplest solutions. Sometimes, the problem is not with your iPhone at all.
- Check Volume Levels:
- During an active call, press the Volume Up button on the side of your iPhone multiple times. A common oversight is that the call volume might be turned all the way down.
- Ensure the Ringer/Silent switch (on the left side of your iPhone) is not set to silent, as this can affect call alerts and sometimes lead to confusion with audio.
- Ensure No Headphones/Bluetooth Devices are Connected:
- If you have headphones/earbuds (wired or wireless like AirPods) or other Bluetooth devices (like a car’s audio system or a smartwatch) connected to your iPhone, the audio might be routing there instead of your iPhone’s receiver or speakerphone.
- Disconnect any wired headphones from the Lightning port.
- Turn off Bluetooth: Go to Settings > Bluetooth and toggle Bluetooth off, or swipe down from the top right (iPhone X or later) or swipe up from the bottom (iPhone 8 or earlier) to open Control Center and tap the Bluetooth icon to turn it off.
- Make a test call.
- Check Network Signal: A weak or unstable cellular signal can lead to poor call quality, including dropped audio. Move to an area with better reception.
- Restart Your iPhone: A simple restart can often resolve minor software glitches that might be causing temporary audio problems.
- For iPhone X and later: Press and hold the Side button and either Volume button until the power off slider appears. Drag the slider.
- For iPhone 8 and earlier: Press and hold the Side (or Top) button until the power off slider appears. Drag the slider.
- Once off, press and hold the Side (or Top) button again to turn it back on.
Step 2: Test Receiver vs. Speakerphone vs. Microphone
It’s crucial to identify if the issue is with hearing (your receiver/speakerphone) or being heard (microphone), and if it affects specific audio components.
- Switch to Speakerphone During a Call:
- During an active call, tap the “Speaker” button on the call screen.
- If you can hear the other person clearly on speakerphone, but not when holding the phone to your ear, the problem is likely with your receiver (earpiece speaker).
- If you still can’t hear on speakerphone, the issue might be with the main speaker or overall audio output.
- Test Your Microphone (If Others Can’t Hear You):
- Voice Memos App: Open the Voice Memos app. Tap the record button and speak into the microphone at the bottom of your iPhone. Play back the recording. Can you hear your voice clearly?
- Camera App (Front & Rear Mics): Open the Camera app. Record a short video using both the front-facing and rear-facing cameras (switch by tapping the camera icon). Play back both videos. Can you hear audio in both? This tests different microphones.
- If these tests fail, your microphone might be the issue.
Step 3: Clean Speakers and Microphones
Dust, lint, and debris can easily accumulate in the small grilles of your iPhone’s receiver, speakerphone, and microphone ports, muffling or blocking audio.
- Turn off your iPhone.
- Receiver/Earpiece: Gently clean the narrow grille at the top of your iPhone’s screen using a soft-bristled, clean toothbrush or a dry cotton swab. Be gentle and avoid pushing debris further in.
- Bottom Speaker and Microphone Ports: Use the same soft toothbrush or a toothpick to carefully clear any visible debris from the speaker grille and microphone holes at the bottom of your iPhone.
- For the charging port: Sometimes lint gets stuck in the Lightning port, making the iPhone think headphones are connected. Use a toothpick or a plastic flosser pick (non-conductive) to gently clear any lint from inside the Lightning port. Avoid metal objects.
- After cleaning, restart your iPhone and test a call.
Step 4: Update iOS and Check App-Specific Settings
Outdated iOS versions or app-specific glitches can cause audio problems.
- Update iOS:
- Go to Settings > General > Software Update.
- If an update is available, download and install it. Keeping your iOS up-to-date can resolve many bugs and compatibility issues.
- Check App Permissions (for specific calling apps): If the audio issue only occurs in certain third-party calling apps (e.g., WhatsApp, Messenger), check their microphone permissions.
- Go to Settings > Privacy & Security > Microphone.
- Ensure the problematic app has permission to access your microphone.
- Reinstall Problematic Apps: If only one app is affected, try uninstalling and reinstalling it.
Step 5: Disable Noise Cancellation / Hearing Aid Compatibility
Sometimes, specific accessibility settings can interfere with standard call audio.
- Disable Phone Noise Cancellation: This feature is designed to reduce background noise during calls, but sometimes it can cause issues.
- Go to Settings > Accessibility > Audio/Visual.
- Toggle “Phone Noise Cancellation” to off.
- Check Hearing Aid Compatibility (HAC): While designed to help, sometimes this setting can unexpectedly affect audio.
- Go to Settings > Accessibility > Hearing Devices.
- Toggle “Hearing Aid Compatibility” to off if it’s on.
- Test a call.
Step 6: Reset All Settings
If software glitches persist, resetting all settings on your iPhone can often resolve configuration issues without erasing your data. This resets network settings, keyboard dictionary, home screen layout, location settings, privacy settings, and Apple Pay cards.
- Go to Settings > General > Transfer or Reset iPhone.
- Tap “Reset.”
- Tap “Reset All Settings.”
- Enter your passcode if prompted.
- Confirm the reset. Your iPhone will restart, and you’ll need to re-enter Wi-Fi passwords.
Step 7: Factory Reset (Last Resort Software Solution)
A factory reset (erasing all content and settings) is a drastic step, but it’s the ultimate software troubleshooting method. Ensure you have a complete backup of your iPhone before proceeding!
- Back up your iPhone: Connect to a computer (iTunes/Finder) or back up to iCloud.
- Go to Settings > General > Transfer or Reset iPhone.
- Tap “Erase All Content and Settings.”
- Follow the prompts to erase your iPhone.
- After the reset, set up your iPhone as new (do not restore from backup immediately, as the backup might contain the corrupt setting). Test the call audio before restoring your data. If it works, then try restoring your backup. If the issue returns after restoring, the problem was likely in your backup.
Step 8: Hardware Issue or Professional Repair
If none of the above software and cleaning steps resolve the no audio during call issue, it’s highly likely to be a hardware issue. This could be a faulty receiver, a damaged microphone, a problem with the audio IC chip on the logic board, or liquid damage.
- Contact Apple Support: Schedule an appointment at an Apple Store or an authorized service provider. They have diagnostic tools to accurately identify hardware problems.
- Professional Repair: If your iPhone is out of warranty, consider a reputable third-party repair shop, but be wary of unauthorized repairs that might use non-genuine parts.
Diagnosing iPhone audio issues during calls can be challenging, but by systematically working through these troubleshooting steps, you increase your chances of finding a solution and getting your phone’s call audio back to normal.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)
Q1: Why can’t I hear the other person, but they can hear me?
A1: If the other person can hear you but you can’t hear them, the problem is likely with your iPhone’s receiver (earpiece speaker) or the main speaker (if on speakerphone).
- Troubleshooting steps:
- Increase call volume during the call.
- Toggle to speakerphone (if it works there, it’s the receiver).
- Clean the receiver grille.
- Ensure no headphones or Bluetooth devices are connected.
- Restart your iPhone.
Q2: Why can’t the other person hear me, but I can hear them?
If you can hear the other person but they can’t hear you, the problem is likely with your iPhone’s microphone.
- Troubleshooting steps:
- Ensure nothing is covering the microphone (bottom of the iPhone, also near the rear camera).
- Test the microphone using the Voice Memos app and by recording videos (front and rear cameras).
- Clean the microphone ports at the bottom of the iPhone.
- Check app permissions if the issue is only with specific calling apps.
- Disable “Phone Noise Cancellation.”
Q3: My call audio works fine with headphones, but not directly on the iPhone. What does that mean?
This strongly suggests that the issue is with your iPhone’s internal speakers (receiver or speakerphone) or microphones, and not with the overall call functionality or cellular connection. Since audio works through an external device, the phone’s core audio processing is likely fine. Focus on cleaning the speaker/microphone grilles, checking for physical damage, or considering a hardware repair for the specific faulty component.
Q4: Could a software update cause my iPhone’s call audio to stop working?
While rare, a software bug in an iOS update can sometimes cause audio problems. If the issue started immediately after an update, it’s worth updating to the latest available iOS version (if a newer one exists) or performing a “Reset All Settings” (Step 6) as a troubleshooting step. If the problem persists, it could be a deeper software corruption requiring a factory reset or a hardware issue that coincidentally manifested after the update.
Q5: What is “Audio IC disease” in iPhones, and how can I tell if I have it?
Audio IC disease” is a common hardware issue (particularly affecting older iPhone 7/7 Plus models, but possible on others) where the audio integrated circuit (IC) chip on the iPhone’s logic board becomes loose or faulty.
- Symptoms often include:
- No audio during calls (you can’t hear or be heard).
- Speakerphone button is grayed out during calls.
- Voice Memos app is grayed out or recordings have static/no sound.
- The iPhone takes a very long time to boot up.
- Some users report a slight bending of the phone’s chassis. This is a complex hardware repair that requires specialized soldering and micro-repair skills and cannot be fixed by software troubleshooting. If you suspect this, contact Apple Support or a reputable repair shop.