iPhone 5 Has No Sound? Here’s How to Fix It

If your iPhone 5 suddenly stopped making sound—no ringtones, alerts, or audio from apps—you’re not alone. Sound issues are common, and while they can be caused by hardware problems, more often than not it’s something fixable with a few simple settings or resets.

Here’s a complete list of things to check and try when your iPhone 5 has no sound.

1. Restart Your iPhone 5

A simple reboot can often fix random sound glitches.

To restart:

Hold the Power (Sleep/Wake) button until the power slider appears.
Slide to power off.
After a few seconds, hold Power again until the Apple logo shows.

If frozen, force restart:

Hold the Home + Power buttons together for 10 seconds.
Release when you see the Apple logo.

This won’t delete any data and usually clears out minor system bugs.

2. Check the Ringer Switch and Volume

On the left side of your iPhone is the ringer switch. If you see an orange line, your phone is muted.

Flip the switch to turn the ringer back on.
Press the Volume Up button to increase sound levels.

To check volume settings directly:

Go to Settings > Sounds.
Drag the Ringer and Alerts slider to the right.

3. Turn Off Bluetooth

If your phone is connected to Bluetooth headphones or speakers, sound won’t come through the built-in speaker.

Go to Settings > Bluetooth.
Toggle Bluetooth OFF.

If that solves the problem, go back and Forget unused devices so your phone doesn’t auto-connect again.

4. Make Sure Do Not Disturb is Off

Do Not Disturb mutes all alerts and calls.

Go to Settings > Do Not Disturb.
Make sure it’s OFF.

Or open Control Center and tap the crescent moon icon to toggle it off quickly.

5. Update iOS and Apps

Bugs can cause sound to break, and updates often fix them.

To update iOS:

Go to Settings > General > Software Update.
If an update is available, follow the prompts to install.

To update apps:

Open the App Store.
Tap the Updates tab.
Tap Update All (if available).

After updating, restart your iPhone again and test the sound.

6. Reset All Settings

If an update or setting tweak messed things up, you can reset all settings (without deleting your data).

Go to Settings > General > Reset.
Tap Reset All Settings.
Enter your passcode and confirm.

This resets system settings like Wi-Fi, sound, and display preferences.

7. Factory Reset (Only If Needed)

If nothing else works, try a full reset. This erases everything, so back up your data first.

To factory reset:

Go to Settings > General > Reset.
Tap Erase All Content and Settings.
Confirm and follow the prompts.

You can also do this through iTunes on your computer if your phone isn’t responding.

Still No Sound? It Might Be Hardware

If you’ve tried everything and your iPhone 5 still doesn’t make sound, the speaker or other internal components may be damaged—especially if the phone has been dropped or exposed to water.

In that case, visit an Apple Store or authorized service provider to have it checked.