How to fix an iPhone 8 Plus problem on crackling earpiece or distorted sound outputs [Troubleshooting Guide]

A number of iPhone 8 users claimed to have encountered the so-called “crackling” or buzzing sounds coming from the front-facing earpiece speaker of the phone. This usually occurred when the volume is set to a higher or maximum level during FaceTime and regular phone calls. Although Apple has already confirmed that they’re aware of this problem, it wasn’t clarified if the problem is attributed to software errors or bad hardware.

If ever you run into the same issue with your iPhone, then this post may offer you some inputs. Highlighted below are a few recommended workarounds and potential solutions to a similar problem on the iPhone 8 Plus earpiece that makes disruptive crackling or static sound. Read on and try any of the given solutions below.

But before anything else, if you have another issue with your phone, drop by our troubleshooting page as we have already addressed hundreds of issues reported by the owners. Odds are that there are already existing solutions on our website or at least, there are similar problems we already fixed. So, try to find ones that are similar or related to your problem. If you need further assistance, however, feel free to contact us by filling up our iPhone issues questionnaire.

How to troubleshoot iPhone 8 Plus with crackling sound in earpiece

First off, check and ensure that nothing is stuck into the iPhone speakers or headphone jack. Dirt or grime may also cause the same adverse audio effect. If the problem just occurred after installing a new iPhone casing or third-party accessory, then removing it is likely what’s needed to get your iPhone’s audio output back to normal. Otherwise, troubleshoot your device and try these workarounds.

First solution: Update software to the latest iOS version available.

Apple has promised to fix the problem through an update. That said, check and see if there’s a new iOS update available to download and install on your device. This may contain the required fix patch to remedy the issue. Here’s how:

  1. Tap Settings.
  2. Select About phone.
  3. Tap Software Update.

If an update is available, you’ll see a notification saying so. Before you download and install the new update, back up all your important data for safekeeping. Also make sure that your iPhone has enough power and memory space to continue with the update. Most importantly, your iPhone must have strong and stable Wi-Fi Internet connection to avoid server interruptions.

Skip to the next workarounds if there’s no update available.

Second solution: Soft reset/force restart.

If this is the first time you hear a crackling or unusual audio distortion on your iPhone, then it could be just a random software issue that’s fixable by a device restart/reboot. To clear this out, you can try a soft reset or force restart your iPhone 8 Plus. Here’s how:

  1. Press and hold the Power button until the Slide to Power Off command appears.
  2. Drag the slider to the right to turn your iPhone completely off.
  3. After 30 seconds, press and hold the Power button until the Apple logo appears and then release.

To forcibly close errant background apps and refresh the iPhone’s internal memory and operating system, you can try performing a force restart on your iPhone 8 Plus with these steps:

  1. Press and quickly release the Volume Up button.
  2. Then press and quickly release the Volume Down button.
  3. Finally, press and hold the Side/Power button until the Apple logo appears.

Both these methods won’t result to data loss because they won’t affect any saved data on the internal memory of your device. Therefore, there’s no need to create backups.

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Third solution: Disable Bluetooth on your iPhone.

If your iPhone is currently paired or connected to a Bluetooth device or accessory, try to disable Bluetooth or remove the Bluetooth device from your phone’s memory. This will help clear errant Bluetooth connections from the possible triggers. Here’s how to turn off or disable Bluetooth on your iPhone 8 Plus:

  1. Tap Settings from the Home screen.
  2. Tap Bluetooth.
  3. Then tap the Bluetooth switch to disable or turn the feature off.

You can also try to forget or delete Bluetooth connections from your device.

  1. Tap Settings from the Home screen.
  2. Tap Bluetooth.
  3. Tap the Information (i) icon next to the name of the Bluetooth device.
  4. Tap Forget This Device.
  5. Then tap Forget Device to confirm.

Do the same to delete all paired Bluetooth devices from your phone. This can help rule out the possibility of a Bluetooth accessory triggering the crackling earpiece or buzzing sound problem to occur while on a call or using FaceTime.

Fourth solution: Reset all settings on your iPhone.

Should the problem be inflicted by some invalid system settings on the phone, performing an all settings reset can potentially fix it. Doing so will clear all system settings and restore the original or default configurations. Any problem that’s attributed to settings errors will therefore be rectified. Here’s how it’s done:

  1. Tap Settings from the Home screen.
  2. Tap General.
  3. Scroll to and tap Reset.
  4. Select the option to Reset all settings.
  5. If prompted, enter your device passcode.
  6. Then tap to confirm system settings reset.

Allow your device to finish the reset and restore the default settings. The device will restart automatically as soon as the system settings reset is complete. By then you can enable and configure necessary options and features you want to use.

Fifth solution: Reset and restore your iPhone to its factory defaults (master reset).

A full system reset may be the key to fixing the problem if it’s attributed to major system errors and bugs. In this reset, everything will be erased including your downloaded apps, customized settings, multimedia files and personal information. If you wish to give it a shot, then back up all your critical data to iCloud or iTunes and then follow these steps to master reset your iPhone 8 Plus through settings menu:

  1. Tap Settings from the Home screen.
  2. Tap General.
  3. Scroll to and tap Reset.
  4. Select the option to Erase all content and settings.
  5. If prompted, enter your device passcode.
  6. Then tap to confirm system settings reset.

Alternatively, you can use iTunes to reset and restore factory defaults on your iPhone 8 Plus using a computer. This can be considered an option if you wish to back up your files to a computer before the reset. You can also use iTunes to restore your iPhone via recovery mode or DFU mode, if a master reset failed to fix the problem. A more detailed walkthrough on how to perform a recovery mode restore or DFU mode restore can be found on our iPhone 8 Plus tutorials section on our dedicated troubleshooting page.

Other options

Contact your device carrier or Apple Support for other options and official recommendation if none of the previous methods offers a resolution. Or you can also take a trip to the nearest Apple Genius bar and have your iPhone hardware scrutinized thoroughly by an iPhone technician. Should there be any indications of hardware damage, then that should be remedied properly. Don’t forget to avail for service warranty.

Connect with us

If you need more help with the use of certain functions and features of the Apple iPhone 8 Plus smartphone, feel free to visit our Tutorial Page. There you can find a list of how-to contents, step-by-step tutorials, as well as answers to FAQs regarding iPhone 8 Plus. If you have other concerns or encountered some troubles while using the phone, you can reach us through this form. Just be sure to tell us more details of the problem or device issue(s) you may have and we will be more than happy to assist you further.

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