Apple iPhone 7 Plus Audio Problems: Microphone not working, distorted sound, no sound at all [Troubleshooting Guide]

Sound issues including distorted audio or no sound at all are usually linked to a problem on the microphone or pertinent hardware components in a device. But there were also other reported cases where the software is to blame. Audio problems can happen to various types of electronic devices including mobile phones like iPhones.

Among the most common symptoms to manifest include noisy background, statics, buckled sounds, or no audio output. Many users have been affected by this problem since the availability of iPhone 4. And it continues to plague more and more iPhone users including those with the new iPhone models like the latest iPhone 7 Plus.

This content is therefore aimed at offering potential solutions for iPhone 7 Plus owners to use in dealing with sound or audio problems with their new device. If you are one of the target audiences, then you should consider reading this entire post to learn why audio problems can occur in a new device and what should be done in order to get it fixed without paying for a tech service.

But before anything else, if you have other concerns with your iPhone 7 Plus, make sure you drop by our troubleshooting page for we have already addressed some of the most commonly reported issues with this new iPhone. If you need further assistance or if you can’t find what you’re looking for in that page, fill up our iPhone issues questionnaire and hit submit. Don’t worry, it’s a free consultation service so you don’t have to worry about anything. Just give us more information about the problem and we’ll do our best to help you fix it.

Why do audio problems occur on your new iPhone 7 Plus?

Random problems can occur even in new devices due to several reasons. They can be triggered by a software glitch or certain bugs. In worst case scenarios, sound problems are triggered by a faulty component thus they are tagged among other hardware-related issues. Fortunately, device owners who are experiencing audio problems that are software-related or those that happen due to some random inconsistencies within the device software can still do something in an attempt to fix the problem on their end.

Outlined below are potential solutions and recommended workarounds you can use to deal with the same problem on your iPhone 7 Plus microphone, as depicted by relevant symptoms like distorted audio or no sound. You should give any of these methods a try before opting to take your new iPhone to a service center and pay for tech service.

Suggested workarounds and potential solutions to audio problems with your new iPhone 7 Plus

After digging through some forum postings and pertinent sites, we’ve managed to compile a set of potential solutions that can help you troubleshoot and fix audio problems on your iPhone. Feel free to refer to these methods whenever needed.

Before you begin performing any of the subsequent steps, try to determine the possible cause beforehand. To do so, try to think of what has happened before the first symptom started to show up. For example, did you make some changes to some of your iPhone settings or installed new apps, or file updates perhaps? Doing so will help you isolate the problem and likely come up with a quick fix. Once you have identified the possible culprit, you may then start troubleshooting the underlying cause using any of the following methods.

Note: Be sure to test your iPhone sound to see if the problem has been fixed after performing a step. If not, then you should keep going.

Step 1. Check the Ring/Silent switch on your iPhone 7 Plus

Your iPhone has a ring/silent switch located on the upper-left side. Due to its location, it can be switched back and forth unintentionally, especially if you put your iPhone in your pocket or at any place where it can have contact to other things. As the name implies, this switch is primarily used in setting your iPhone to mute or ringing state. You will know if it’s set to silent or mute by checking on the switch and you see that it is in the red position. If this is the case, you will not hear your iPhone ringing for incoming calls, texts, email alerts, or other notification alerts involving sound. To set it back to ringing state, just drag the ring/silent switch and position it to ring or the opposite side. In case the switch appears to be stuck, try to remove the case and make sure that the switch is not blocked. Some third-party iPhone casings are not actually fit with the original iPhone design and thereby causing the switch to get stuck. Try to remove any third-party casing or use the original case for your iPhone 7 Plus instead.

Step 2. Adjust the volume level

It’s possible that the volume level is set to a lower level that’s why you are having trouble hearing the audio. You can check your iPhone’s volume level by heading over to Settings-> Sounds-> Ringer and Alerts-> and then drag the slider to increase the volume if necessary. Another way to adjust the volume on your iPhone 7 Plus is using the Control Center. This method is quicker than the first. All you have to do is to swipe up from the bottom of any screen and the control center should launch. On the Control Center, look for the volume slider and drag the slider to adjust the volume according to your sound preferences.

Step 3. Check and configure Do Not Disturb, Bluetooth, Mute and other Audio Controls

You can also access other relevant features affecting the iPhone’s audio function within the Control Center. You may not be able to hear your iPhone sounds with any of these features enabled on your device.

• Bluetooth – When enabled, your iPhone will be connected to and get paired with other Bluetooth devices like speakers, headsets, or TVs. In this case, you will not hear your iPhone sounds since audio outputs are produced by its paired device. Disabling Bluetooth can therefore be considered a potential solution to this problem.
• Do Not Disturb – When enabled, Do Not Disturb (DND) feature will prevent your iPhone from ringing for incoming calls, messages, and other notification alerts depending on the settings configuration. This is usually the case when you cannot hear a sound for an incoming call or text messages at a certain time. You may try to disable this feature and see what happens after doing so. You will know if DND is enabled on your iPhone if you see the crescent or half-moon icon on the top bar of your iPhone screen. If so, then just tap on that icon to disable the feature.
• Mute – When enabled, your iPhone will produce no sound as it’s muted. You will know if your iPhone is set to ‘Mute’ when the Mute icon shows active. Apparently, you won’t be able to hear a sound from your iPhone if it’s muted. Just tap the Mute control to disable the feature if necessary.

After disabling all the above-mentioned controls, try to open an app that has sound or audio effects and see if you can hear your iPhone sound already. If not, then try other applicable methods.

Step 4. Restart your iPhone 7 Plus

Performing a restart can be helpful especially if the audio problem is triggered by minor software glitches. Software glitches can randomly occur to any devices and it’s possible that your iPhone is currently affected by them. To fix the problem, just restart your device.

• Press and hold the Power button until the red slider appears.
• Drag the slider to power off your iPhone completely.
• Wait for 30 seconds and then turn your iPhone back on by pressing and holding the Power button until the Apple logo appears.

After the iPhone boots up, test to see if the sound output is back to its normal quality.

Step 5. Check your iPhone notification settings

Just like other iPhone settings, you can also set notifications or sound alerts for incoming calls, texts, emails, or other notifications from an app. If you cannot hear any type of alert sounds from certain app, then try to check the notification settings for that app and ensure that everything is set accordingly. To do so, head over to Settings-> Notifications. Once you get to the Notification screen, you should see a list containing different apps. Now tap the app in which you are having trouble with sound, to configure its notification settings. Locate the option to Allow Notifications and make sure the switch next to it is turned on.

Step 6. Reset All Settings

If the sound problem occurs after making some changes to your iPhone settings, it’s possible that problem is triggered by any of the changes you’ve made. In order to fix the problem, you will need to revert the changes. However, if you are not sure which of the settings to work on, then resetting all settings can be considered an option. Be sure to note though that during the process, media files like music and some apps will be erased. To proceed with the settings reset, go to Settings-> General-> Reset-> Reset All Settings.

Step 7. Restore your iPhone 7 Plus

You should consider this as your last resort, if all else failed to fix your iPhone 7 Plus audio problem. Restoring your iPhone means that all its current contents will be wiped out as it will be restored to its default factory settings. Doing so will also eradicate all corrupted files that might have triggered the problem to occur on your iPhone in the first place. Before you start, be sure to back up your iPhone so you can just recover your important files anytime.

To restore your iPhone 7 Plus, go to Settings-> General-> Reset-> Erase All Content and Settings-> Erase iPhone. If prompted to enter the passcode, type in the correct passcode to continue. Your device will now reset.

You can also use iTunes to restore your iPhone. In this case, you will need a computer running the latest version of iTunes to complete the restore process. To get started, just connect your iPhone to the computer using the supplied USB cable and follow the onscreen instructions to complete the iOS restore.

Step 8. Check the hardware

If none of the given solutions works, then there is a higher chance of a hardware problem causing your iPhone to produce no sound, distorted audio or other relevant symptoms. This is most likely the case if there were prior incidence of dropping or liquid exposure on your iPhone. If you suspect that a defective sound component is causing you this trouble, then you should contact Apple Support or your device carrier for recommendations and other options. If you avail for warranties, then do so instead of paying for hefty repair.

Engage with us

If you have other issues with your Apple iPhone 7 Plus, we are always willing to help. Contact us through our iPhone issues questionnaire and provide us with all necessary information about your problem so we can find a solution to your issue.