iPhone speaker not working? 7 ways to troubleshoot

• If your iPhone speaker is not working, there are some simple ways to troubleshoot possible problems.
• To start, make sure that the speaker isn't muted with the ringer switch or with Do Not Disturb mode.
• You should also make sure AirPlay isn't enabled and your phone isn't connected to a Bluetooth audio accessory.

Your iPhone is a dependable device, but like any phone, it has a few parts that are vulnerable to glitches and malfunctions. At the top of the list: the speaker and microphones, simply because they are analog devices with tiny vibrating parts.

And if your iPhone's speaker isn't working, that's a serious problem — you can't hear phone calls, music, or notifications. Here are the top ways to troubleshoot your iPhone's speaker not working and hear your audio once again.

Make sure the audio isn't silent or muted

It's possible you accidentally set your phone to a silent mode, so the speaker works fine — it's just muted. On the side of your phone, be sure the Ring/Silent switch is in the up position (you shouldn't be able to see any red in the switch).

In addition, make sure your phone isn't in a Focus mode like Do Not Disturb. Swipe down from the top of the screen to see the Control Center and make sure the Focus button says Focus rather than another setting. If it says Do Not Disturb, Personal, or another setting, tap it to disable Focus mode.

Make sure you're not sending audio to AirPlay

If you've recently used AirPlay to send audio or video to your TV or another AirPlay device, it's possible it's in AirPlay mode. To check, swipe down from the top of the screen to see the Control Center and then tap the AirPlay icon at the top right of the music playback section. If another device is receiving audio with AirPlay, tap iPhone to revert back to your own device.

Disconnect audio accessories

Likewise, it's possible that your iPhone is trying to send audio to an accessory like headphones, earbuds, or a portable speaker that's still connected to your phone. If that device is far away or has the volume set low, you might not realize it's playing the iPhone's sound. The easiest way to solve this problem is to make sure no accessories are plugged into your iPhone and to turn off Bluetooth. Pull down the Control Center from the top of the screen and then tap the Bluetooth icon to temporarily disable the Bluetooth radio on your iPhone.

Clean your speaker

Is the speaker blocked, obscured, or dirty? That could be keeping you from hearing audio the speaker is trying to play. To clean your iPhone speaker, remove your iPhone case and screen protector if it's affecting the speaker in any way. Then check to see if it's dirty. If necessary, carefully use a small, dry soft-bristled brush to clear away any lint, dirt, or grime.

Restart your iPhone

If you've gotten this far and the speaker is still not working properly, you might have a glitch that's best resolved by turning your iPhone off and then back on again. That can flush out any corrupt data or glitchy software that might be causing your speaker to fail to work properly. Restart your iPhone and then test your speaker again.

Check your sound settings

If certain kinds of sound aren't playing properly, it's a good idea to check your iPhone's settings to make sure they're not actually disabled or set too low to hear. Start the Settings app and tap Sounds & Haptics. In the Ringer and Alerts section, drag the slider to the right. You should hear some audio — if you don't, you may need to seek service from Apple's customer service.

Reach out to Apple customer support

If your speaker is still not working, it's possible that there is a serious hardware problem with your iPhone. You should seek help from Apple customer service.