Updates can make or break devices. In this post, one iPhone XS user reports that sound notification stopped working after installing a system update. If you have a similar experience, be sure to follow our solutions below.
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When describing your issue, please be as detailed as possible so we can easily pinpoint a relevant solution. If you can, kindly include the exact error messages you are getting to give us an idea where to start. If you have already tried some troubleshooting steps before emailing us, make sure to mention them so we can skip them in our answers.
Problem: iPhone XS sound notifications stops working after an update
Right after updating my iphone, sound stopped working. I can hear ringtones when I go in and select them, but they will not play when a call comes in, and I can select notification sounds and hear them during selection, but they don’t play when texts come in. The phone only vibrates. So speaker works, but for some reason it is like I have the phone on mute for calls and notifications. It is not on airplane mode or connected to any blue tooth devices, and I tried powering off and back on. Help! Since I literally just updated, I assume version is the newest one.
Solution: With iOS 12, it’s even easier to manage notifications on iPhones. We know the actual setup of your notifications but there are a few basic things that we would like to tackle. If you’ve already tried them before contacting us, then you should consider doing more drastic troubleshooting such as factory reset or DFU Mode Restore.
Verify if notifications is enabled
If sound notifications don’t appear to work in particular apps like in Messages or Phone, you can go under each of their settings menu to ensure that notifications for them are enabled. To do that:
- Open Settings app.
- Tap Notifications.
- Select the app in question.
- Enable Allow notifications (button must be green).
- Make sure that you select the sound tone you want.
Verify Do Not Disturb is OFF
One of the most common reasons why iPhone users complain about not getting sound notifications is Do Not Disturb. When this mode is enabled, all call and incoming notifications will be muted. This cover all apps so even if you properly set up each of them before, Do Not Disturb will still prevent them from making any sound alerts.
To toggle Do Not Disturb on or off, go to Settings > Do Not Disturb. Make sure that the switch is NOT green.
Reset all settings
If the problem still happens after checking the first two suggestions above, then you need to reset all settings to bring all software setup back to their defaults. Here’s how it’s done:
- Go to the Home screen then tap Settings.
- Tap on General.
- Scroll down to and then tap on Reset.
- Tap to choose the option to Reset all settings.
- Enter your device passcode when asked to continue.
- Then tap the option to confirm all settings reset.
Factory reset
Wiping your iPhone XS may be necessary if the problem stays after resetting all settings. Be sure to back you personal data up before doing it.
- Tap to open the Settings app from Home.
- Tap on General.
- Scroll down to and then tap on Reset.
- Select the option to Erase all content and settings. This will master reset your iPhone XR.
- If prompted, enter your device passcode to continue.
- Then tap the option to confirm factory reset.
DFU Mode Restore
Some bugs may require drastic solutions to fix them. At this juncture, there’s nothing much that you can do so DFU restore is the next in line. Follow the steps below to do it:
- Install the latest iTunes version on your computer.
- Turn off your iPhone XS Max.
- Connect it to your computer using a Lightning to USB cable.
- Launch iTunes on your computer, and check that your iPhone appears in the list of devices.
- On your iPhone, press the Volume Up button immediately followed by the Volume Down button.
- Next, press and hold the Side button (or power button) until your iPhone’s screen turns black.
- Release the Side button and then hold down both the Side button and Volume Down button together for approximately five seconds.
- Now release the Side button, but continue to press the Volume Down button.
- Wait for at least five seconds for iTunes to recognize DFU recovery mode has been enabled. NOTE: If you’re successful, you should see: “iTunes has detected an iPhone in recovery mode. You must restore this iPhone before it can be used with iTunes”. If you don’t get this message on your iPhone, repeat the steps above as detailed.
- Afterwards, go ahead and restore your iPhone to its factory state by selecting Restore iPhone.
Engage with us
If you happen to have a problem with your own iPhone, let us know about it and we will do our best to post them and their solutions in our upcoming articles. You can use this link to contact us for assistance. We can’t guarantee an answer to every question but rest assured that we will exhaust everything on our end to help you.
Be as detailed as possible when describing your problem to help us diagnose your issue easily. If you can include error messages, popups, attempted troubleshooting steps, and circumstances leading to the problem, that would be very helpful.