Solved! 11 Ways to Fix iPhone Not Recognizing Headphones

"My iPhone can't detect my Bluetooth headphones all of a sudden, but I don't know what resulted in it. What can I do to fix my iPhone 16 not detecting headphones?

You're ready to listen to music or jump on a call, but your iPhone stays silent. It's frustrating, but you aren't alone. Whether it's a software glitch, a lint-filled charging port, or a Bluetooth error, this guide will get your audio back fast.

Why Won't My Headphones Connect to My iPhone?

If your headphones won't connect to your iPhone, there could be several reasons, such as Bluetooth connection error, software glitch, wrong settings, etc. Let's check together.

Symptom	Likely Culprit	Fast Fix
Wireless Headphones Won't Pair	Bluetooth Glitch	Toggle Airplane Mode
"Connected" but No Sound	Wrong Audio Output	Check AirPlay Settings
Static/Crackling (Wired)	Dirty Port	Clean Lightning Port
iPhone Stuck in Headphone Mode	Sensor Error	Plug/Unplug Repeatedly
"Accessory Not Supported"	Broken Adapter	Replace Dongle

Fix Bluetooth Headphones Not Connecting (AirPods & Wireless)

If your wireless headphones refuse to pair or keep disconnecting, the issue is usually a handshake error between the device and your iPhone. The Bluetooth protocol is complex, and sometimes the digital key shared between your phone and your headset gets corrupted.

Method 1: Enable and Disable Airplane Mode

Sometimes, your iPhone fails to detect headphones due to a minor glitch in the Bluetooth connection. Toggling Airplane Mode forces the wireless radios to reset. There are two ways you can use to enable and disable Airplane Mode.

1. Via Control Center: First, open Control Center on your iPhone, and then click on the Airplane Mode icon. Then, wait for a while and click on it again to disable the Airplane Mode.

2. Via Settings App: Navigate to the Settings app, and then tap on the Airplane Mode slider to turn it on, then off.

Method 2: "Forget This Device" and Re-Pair

If your headphones are listed in your settings but refuse to connect, the existing pairing profile might be corrupted. It contains the security keys that allow the two devices to talk. If the key doesn't match, the connection is rejected. By forgetting the device, you are essentially wiping the slate clean and forcing the iPhone to generate a brand-new security handshake with your headphones.

• Step 1. Go to Settings > Bluetooth.
• Step 2. Find your headphones in the list and tap the blue "i" icon next to them.
• Step 3. Tap Forget This Device and confirm.
• Step 4. Place your headphones back into Pairing Mode (usually by holding a button until a light flashes) and reconnect them as a new device.

Method 3: Check the AirPlay Output

You might have left AirPlay active, sending audio to a different device instead of your headphones. In this case, you may think your headphones are damaged since all the audio will be sent to another output. Check to see if you have connected to the wrong output.

• Step 1. Play music on your iPhone.
• Step 2. Open the Control Center and look at the "Now Playing" box.
• Step 3. Tap the AirPlay icon (a triangle with circles). Ensure your headphones are checked, not "iPhone" or another speaker.

Fix Wired Headphones Not Working (Lightning & Adapter)

If you are plugging in headphones and hearing nothing (or static), the issue is almost always hardware, specifically, debris in the port.

Method 4: Clean the Lightning Port

Your iPhone spends its life in pockets and bags, collecting lint and dust every day. As you insert your charging cable, you unknowingly pack that lint down to the bottom of the port, eventually creating a felt wall that blocks the headphone connectors from making contact. This is the most common reason for wired connection failure.

• Step 1. Shine a flashlight into the charging port. You will likely see a gray layer of felt at the bottom. Gently insert the toothpick and scrape the bottom of the port side-to-side.
• Step 2. Pull the toothpick out, and you will be shocked at how much lint comes out!
• Step 3. Repeat until the port is clear, then plug your headphones in firmly.

Method 5: Test the Dongle

The white Apple headphone adapter is surprisingly complex. It contains a tiny Digital-to-Analog Converter (DAC) chip inside the connector. Because this accessory is flexible and used daily, the tiny internal wires or the chip itself often fail long before the outside looks damaged. If the DAC chip fails, your iPhone won't recognize that anything has been plugged in.

• Step 1. Plug the adapter into a different iPhone or try a different pair of headphones with the same adapter.
• Step 2. If the failure follows the adapter, it's time to buy a replacement.

Method 6: Inspect for Cable Damage

Headphone cables are most vulnerable at the point where the plastic wire meets the hard connector. Constant bending and pulling can cause the internal copper wiring to snap or fray, even if the outer rubber coating looks fine. If these wires touch, they short out, causing the iPhone to cut the audio feed to protect its own circuitry instantly.

• Step 1. Look for fraying, weird bumps, or a sharp 90-degree kink near the connector.
• Step 2. Wiggle the wire while music is playing to see if the sound cuts in and out.

Advanced Methods to Fix iPhone Headphones Not Detected (Universal Fixes)

If neither of the above sections worked, you are likely dealing with a deeper iOS bug. These solutions address the operating system logic that manages how your iPhone handles audio devices.

Method 7: Restart Your iPhone

Restarting iPhone is a simple operation, but it solves many problems related to iOS errors, including headphones not working on iPhone. Here's how:

Step 1. Press the buttons according to your iPhone models.

• For Face ID iPhones: Hold Volume Down + Power until the slider appears.
• For Home Button iPhones: Hold the Power Button until the slider appears.

Step 2. Drag the slider from left to right to power off your iPhone.

Step 3. Once the screen turns off completely, press and hold the Side button again until the Apple logo appears. Release the button and wait for your iPhone to restart.

Method 8: Hard Reset Your iPhone

If your iPhone fails to detect earbuds due to a system error, a hard reset is the easiest fix. This method can erase your iPhone's memory and fix simple system problems. You can use the corresponding method for hard restart depending on the model of your iPhone.

• For iPhone 8 or Later: Press and release the Volume Up button, then the Volume Down button. After that, hold down the Side button, and release it when you see the Apple logo.
• For iPhone 7 or 7 Plus: Hold down the Power button and the Volume Down button. Don't release them until the Apple logo comes out.
• For iPhone 6 and Earlier: Hold the Power button and Home button simultaneously until the iPhone screen turns black and the Apple logo pops up.

Method 9: Reset Network Settings

The option can reset the settings related to Wi-Fi networks, Bluetooth connections, VPN settings, and cellular network and bring them to their defaults. If your iPhone cannot recognize your Bluetooth headphones, try this method to see if the issue has been resolved.

• Step 1. Go to Settings > General > Transfer or Reset iPhone.
• Step 2. Tap Reset > Reset Network Settings.
• Step 3. Your iPhone will reboot. Once it's back, try pairing your headphones again.

Method 10: Update Your iOS System

The problem of iPhone headphones not detected may also result from the outdated iOS system. Many users think it unnecessary to update their iOS systems, because of useless new functions and large memory footprint. However, if the system is not updated for too long, the small errors on your device cannot be solved, which will affect your use experience.

• Step 1. Tap the Settings app and then click on the General option.
• Step 2. Hit on Software Update to check if there is any update.
• Step 3. Click on the Update Now option to update your iOS system.

Method 11: Fix iOS Glitches Without Data Loss

If the issue persists, your iPhone's operating system might have a corrupted audio driver. If you don't want to lose your data, TunesKit iOS System Recovery is the better solution to fix your iPhone not detecting headphones.

With two modes (Standard Repair and Deep Repair), TunesKit can assist you to fix 150+ iOS problems, such as your iPhone/iPad/iPod touch headphone jack not working, stuck on headphone mode/Recovery mode, or white/black lines on screen, etc. Due to its user-friendly interface, you can fix your iPhone easily in 4 simple steps. Even if you know very little about the iOS system, you can successfully repair your device without asking anyone else for help.

Let's see the specific steps to fix your iPhone headphones not detected problem without losing data.

Step 1 Connect Your iPhone

Launch TunesKit iOS System Recovery on your PC. Then, get your iPhone connected to it with a USB cable. Select iOS System Repair and click the Start button.

Step 2 Select a Repair Mode

Choose Standard Repair to fix headphones not connecting to iPhone without data loss. The Deep Repair should only be selected with a backup already when the former doesn't work.

Step 3 Put the iPhone into DFU Mode

Now follow the instructions on the interface to put your iPhone into DFU or Recovery Mode manually. If there is any trouble, go back to the main interface, and select the Enter/Exit Recovery Mode to put it into Recovery Mode in one click.

Step 4 Download Firmware and Fix iPhone Not Recognizing Headphones

Inspect the device info and tap the Download button to start downloading the firmware. After downloading it successfully, click on the Repair option and wait for the software to fix the iPhone cannot recognize Bluetooth headphones issue.

FAQs About iPhone Headphones Not Detected

Conclusion

Most of the time, "iPhone not detecting headphones" is a simple fix. For wired users, it's usually lint in the port. For Bluetooth users, it's usually a software glitch. But if you've tried everything and the phone still refuses to play audio, TunesKit iOS System Recovery is your best bet to fix the system without losing your data.