iPhone X Speaker Not Working During Calls? Here’s How to Fix It
If your iPhone X speaker isn’t working during calls — you can’t hear the other person, or sound keeps cutting out — it’s incredibly frustrating. The good news is, it’s often a minor issue you can fix yourself without going to Apple right away.
Here are all the best ways to troubleshoot and fix your iPhone X speaker when it’s not working on calls.
Turn Up the Volume and Check Silent Mode
This might sound obvious, but it’s easy to miss.
- Flip the Ring/Silent switch on the left side of the phone — make sure you don’t see orange.
- Press the Volume Up button during a call to raise call audio.
- Go to Settings → Sounds & Haptics and make sure the Ringer and Alerts slider is turned up.
Turn Off Bluetooth
If you’ve recently used AirPods or a Bluetooth speaker, your iPhone might still be trying to send call audio there.
- Go to Settings → Bluetooth.
- Toggle Bluetooth off completely while you’re on a call.
Switch Audio Output Back to iPhone
Sometimes your call audio is being routed somewhere else like AirPlay or connected headphones.
- During a call, open Control Center.
- Tap the audio output icon and switch it to iPhone.
Clean the Speaker and Microphone
Dirt and lint can block sound from coming through.
- Gently clean the ear speaker and microphone using a soft brush, dry toothbrush, or compressed air.
- Avoid poking with sharp objects — this can damage the mesh.
Update iOS
A lot of call audio issues are caused by bugs in iOS.
- Go to Settings → General → Software Update.
- Download and install any available updates.
Force Restart Your iPhone
This clears minor software issues that can affect audio.
- Quickly press and release the Volume Up button.
- Quickly press and release the Volume Down button.
- Press and hold the Side button until you see the Apple logo.
Reset All Settings
If nothing else works, try resetting all system settings. You won’t lose your data, but you will need to reconnect to Wi-Fi and reconfigure preferences.
- Go to Settings → General → Transfer or Reset iPhone → Reset → Reset All Settings.
When It’s a Hardware Problem
If your iPhone X still won’t play audio during calls, you may be dealing with a damaged speaker or microphone. Contact Apple Support or visit a Genius Bar for diagnostics.
Related iPhone Call Audio Problems and Fixes
iPhone 13 Speaker Not Working During Calls?
- Go to Settings → Sounds & Haptics and toggle microphone access.
- Update iOS and reset network settings.
- Force quit and relaunch the Phone app.
Speaker Cutting Out Mid-Call?
- Make sure the proximity sensor isn’t blocked by a case or screen protector.
- Disable Bluetooth.
- Update carrier settings: Settings → General → About.
- Move to an area with better signal if you’re in a dead zone.
People Can’t Hear You During Calls?
- Use compressed air to clear the microphone.
- Test the mic in Voice Memos to check if it works.
- Reset all settings or update iOS if the mic only fails during calls.