How to fix iPhone 7 microphone that stopped working after installing a new update to iOS 11 (easy steps)

One of the relatively common issues with both old and new iPhones is a busted microphone. In this post, I will walk you through the steps in fixing a microphone that is not working on an iPhone 7. If you own the same device and are here because you need help dealing with the same problem, then this post is for you. So read on and get help. Also, at the end of the post, I added some bits of information about the device’s microphone since many users asked use where is the microphone on iPhone 7 located. 

Before going any further though, if you have other concerns with your new iPhone, make sure you drop by our iPhone 7 troubleshooting page for we have already started supporting the device. Moreover, if you need further assistance, you can always contact us by completing our iPhone issues questionnaire and providing us with sufficient information about the problem.

What causes your iPhone 7 microphone to fail or not work as intended?

There can only be two possibilities that you need to look into in this case. Either your iPhone’s microphone system is glitching or the physical microphone (hardware) itself is damaged. Unfortunately for microphone problems that are attributed to physical or liquid damage, service is usually required for them to be resolved. Among the symptoms of a faulty microphone on the iPhone would include but not limited to the following:

• Unable to hear the other person or them not hearing you during a phone call or FaceTime call.
• Siri cannot detect voice feedback when prompted.
• Audio sound you head when playing back recorded audio is unclear or you don’t hear any sound at all.

For microphone issues that are inflicted by software errors, you’ll have a higher chance of getting the problem solved by performing some applicable workarounds and potential solutions including the few methods highlighted below.

Possible solutions to your iPhone 7 microphone problem

Common factors that are tied to microphone issues on the iPhone are cellular connection errors, rogue apps, and damaged microphone component on your device. You may try to test each microphone to find out if there is an issue with the microphone on your iPhone and that the problem is not associated with any cellular connection errors or faulty applications.

Test the rear and bottom microphones on your iPhone 7.

Your iPhone 7 has two microphones — the receiver/front microphone and the bottom microphone. Here’s how to test each of these microphones. Test the primary microphone located at the bottom of your iPhone 7 with these steps:

• Open Voice Memos.
• Tap the record icon to record an audio.
• Speak into the microphone.
• When you’re done recording, tap the Play icon to playback the recording. If you can hear your voice clearly, then the primary microphone is working.

If your audio recording sounds faint or Siri can’t hear you, then check the microphone near the iSight camera on the upper back corner of your iPhone. Make sure that it’s not clogged with dirt or dust and blocked or covered.

If you sounded faint during a phone call conversation when using the speakerphone, check and ensure that the iPhone receiver is not covered or blocked.

If the microphone test was a success or you have confirmed that your iPhone 7 microphone is working, then you need to deal with software issues.

Assuming that the physical microphones are working fine but still you cannot hear audios and sound outputs from your device, you can put the blame on the software. In this case, you will need to find out what exactly is preventing your iPhone’s microphone system from working properly. In the case where the microphone has stopped working after installing a new update to iOS 11, an update bug must be the culprit. Nevertheless, identifying the bug is definitely a challenge for anyone to fulfill. Most likely the problem has something to do with the update file coding or how the update was programmed. The thing is that only the Apple programmers can do the debugging so end-users will just have to wait until a bug-free update is rolled out next. While waiting, you can try some workarounds and temporary fixes. That said, continue to troubleshoot with these subsequent solutions.

Restart your iPhone 7.

There are times when the problem is isolated to an application like when the microphone just won’t work on certain app but works fine on other aspects. To eliminate the possibility of minor apps glitches causing the microphone system to stop working, try to restart your iPhone. If the first restart fails, then give it another try.

To restart your iPhone 7, simply do the usual procedure that is to press the Power button until the Slide to Power Off label appears then drag the slider to power off your device completely. Wait for about 30 seconds before pressing the Power button again to turn it back on.

Doing so will rectify any minor glitches and software errors that might have affected the microphone system in any way.

Update iOS to the latest version.

Should the microphone problem you’re dealing with is indeed a post-update issue, then most likely it will be resolved by another update containing the required fix patch. If this happens to be a widespread issue following the most recent update to iOS 11, then Apple should promptly respond by rolling out a new firmware update to address the issue. This is why it’s highly recommended to install new updates available on your device.

1. To check for updates, go to Settings-> General-> Software Update. You’ll see an update notification if a new iOS version is available for your iPhone. Before you install though, make sure that you create a backup of your current iPhone data for safekeeping.
2. Once you’re all set, go back to the update menu and then tap the option to Download and Install the update file on your device.

Be sure to keep your iPhone connected to Wi-Fi and that it’s sufficiently charged to avoid any interruptions in the update process.

Reset all settings on your iPhone 7.

Resetting all settings on your iPhone can be the potential solution especially if the new iOS update overrides your current settings, which eventually led to the microphone system to fail. This reset option will restore your settings back to defaults but without affecting any of your iPhone data unlike a factory reset or master reset does. Even so, it is still recommended that you keep a backup of all your critical information beforehand.

1. To reset all settings on your iPhone 7, go to Settings-> General-> Reset-> Reset All Settings.
2. If prompted, enter your device passcode to proceed and then tap Reset all settings again to confirm.

Your iPhone will restart when the reset is complete. Wait until it’s booted up and then test the microphones again to see if the problem is fixed already.

Factory reset or DFU mode restore.

A factory reset will wipe all your iPhone data including your personal information and restore your device to its factory defaults. This can potentially fix the problem especially if it’s triggered by some system bugs. On the other hand, a DFU mode restore is the highest type of iOS restore you can do if the problem persists after a factory reset. It’s the deepest type of system restore that’s usually carried out by Apple technicians at the Genius bar when fixing iPhone problems that are associated with complex software errors.

While either methods may offer you with the ultimate solution, there’s still a bit of a chance that the problem would persist due to a faulty hardware component. That being said, only proceed with these options if you are certain that your iPhone 7 has no physical or liquid damage. Aside from losing critical information, you may likewise end up having a totally dysfunctional iPhone if a DFU mode restore gets interrupted or not successfully completed due to hardware damage.

Other Suggestions

• Unplug or remove any accessory that’s plugged into the headset jack of your iPhone.
• If you are having issues with the microphone while recording a video, be sure not to block the microphone and iSight mic with your fingers while holding your device.
• Remove any screen protectors, films, or cases especially those that are from third-party manufacturers as they may be fit to your iPhone and ended up covering the microphone, iSight mic, or iPhone receiver instead.
• Check the microphone for any dirt, dust or debris clogging. If necessary, clean it up first.

Contact Apple Support or your device carrier to escalate the problem and seek further assistance if none of the prior methods is able to fix it.

Where is the microphone on iPhone 7?

We have readers who’ve asked us the location of iPhone 7’s microphone and here’s what you need to know. The iPhone 7 actually has 4 microphones. Two of them are located at the bottom of the device as showed in this picture:

This shows that the right grill holds built-in stereo speakers and a built-in microphone, while the left grill only holds a built-in microphone. That grill on the left is for cosmetic purposes only.

The third microphone is located between the True Tone flash and iSight camera. This microphone was added in the iPhone 5. And the last microphone is located inside the earpiece. This microphone was also introduced in the iPhone 5, to perform noise cancellation on the voice coming in during calls.

And that is where the microphone on iPhone 7 is located and I hope that this helps you, somehow.

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