Solving the Issue: iPhone Thinks Headphones Are Plugged In – A Guide

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By Jason

iPhone thinks headphones are plugged in isn’t a new issue. It has spanned across all iPhone generations and can prevent the functionality of other iPhone features from performing as they should be.

Features, including your ringtones and alarms, won’t be able to alert you, and you won’t be able to listen to your music. Needless to say, if your iPhone thinks headphones are in, then you’ll want to have it fixed quickly.

There are many reasons for this error arising, and there isn’t one simple fix for everyone. Each person with this problem will have to try out a few different things to find the best solution.

To help you with this, we’ve assembled a guide containing the solutions that we feel are most effective.

Part 1. Reasons for ‘iPhone Thinks Headphones Are In’

1: Software Issues

The most common reason an iPhone thinks headphones are plugged in is the installed software. The hardware is a less common reason, but we’ll get to that later.

With all hope, you’ll have a software issue. If so, we can easily identify and fix it without any other issues. Don’t worry – many people think software issues mean a factory reset is needed, but this isn’t always necessary.

One quick solution could be a simple restart. Hold the power button, swipe the slider, and after your iPhone has powered down, go ahead and turn it back on. If this doesn’t resolve the problem, we recommend using Tenorshare ReiBoot.

About Tenorshare ReiBoot

This program is designed specifically to repair iOS problems like iPhone thinks headphones are in. But, it goes much further than this, and a few key features are:

  • Includes several data recovery options.
  • Compatible with all recent iOS versions.
  • Easy to use, safe, and reputable.
  • Fixes any iOS problems, including being stuck in recovery mode, apps not updating, or not being able to send photos, and apps not downloading on iPhone.
  • Using Standard Mode to fix iOS issues will ensure your personal data is safe.

Given how flexible this program is, we recommend using it first. It’ll quickly repair your iPhone, has a lot to offer, and you’ll find that it’s useful for many different activities.

Fix ‘iPhone Thinks Headphones Are Plugged In’ with Tenorshare ReiBoot

Regardless of what iOS issue you’ve been faced with, follow the steps below. You’ll quickly find that Tenorshare ReiBoot is easy to use and effective at fixing iPhone problems.

#1 – Download and install Tenorshare ReiBoot on your computer.

Tenorshare ReiBoot

#2 – Launch the program and connect your iPhone via a Lightning to USB cable.

#3 – Click on the “Standard Repair” option from the main menu. If you complete this solution but it doesn’t help, try “Deep Repair” instead.

ReiBoot - Standard Repair

#4 – You’ll now be asked to put your iPhone into DFU Mode. If you aren’t sure how to do this, then follow the on-screen instructions.

Tenorshare ReiBoot DFU Mode

#5 – After Tenorshare ReiBoot has detected DFU Mode, some information will be detected about the device.

#6 – Confirm that all the information is correct, then click “Download” to proceed.

Download firmware with Tenorshare ReiBoot to Fix iPhone Thinks Headphones Are Plugged In

#7 – The iOS firmware will now be downloaded. Once the download is complete Tenorshare ReiBoot will reinstall the firmware on your iPhone.

Tenorshare ReiBoot - Standard Repair
Fix iPhone Thinks Headphones Are Plugged In Using ReiBoot

You should now be able to listen to music without your iPhone thinks headphones are in. Provided that it is a software problem, Tenorshare ReiBoot can effectively fix most iPhone problems.

2: Water or Condensation in the Headphone Port

Water and condensation could both be tricking your iPhone into believing that your headphones are plugged in.

This could result from spilling juice on the device, or if you’ve had it in the bathroom while you shower, there may be a build-up of condensation.

If your iPhone thinks headphones are plugged in and has done for a while, it’s unlikely that this is the case. The liquid will have dried up by now and wouldn’t be causing you any problems.

You can use a hair dryer to dry up the liquid quickly, but don’t put it too close. Put the dryer on its lowest setting to prevent melting any components inside your iPhone.

By the way, click here to figure out how to connect the microphone to iPhone.

3: Disconnecting Your Headphones Too Fast

If you’ve yanked your headphones out of your iPhone too quickly, then there’s a chance it didn’t detect the disconnection. This would trick your iPhone into believing that your headphones are still connected, thus explaining the problem.

All you have to do to fix this problem is to plug your headphones back in and take them out again. Do this a few times, and with all hope, you’ll fix it.

4: Unclean Headphone Port

Not everyone realizes this, but an iPhone’s ports quickly get unclean. Take a look at your speakers and the headphone port using a torch – you’ll notice a build-up of dust.

Clean Headphone port to fix iPhone Thinks Headphones Are Plugged In

You can try using a vacuum cleaner to remove the dust. A safer option would be to use the edge of a clean rag to clean the port. Make sure you don’t use sharp or metal objects, as this could cause permanent damage.

5: Hardware Issues

If none of these issues has helped and your iPhone thinks headphones are still in, then it’s likely that there are hardware issues. This could be a damaged headphone jack or a deeper internal problem. It’s rare, but these cases do happen.

There are two ways to deal with this. First, you can contact an electronics store to see if they have any iPhone expertise. Be aware that most stores offering this are self-taught, which will void the device’s warranty if it has one.

Second, you can visit an Apple store. They will examine your iPhone to find out what is wrong with it and will fix whatever this may be. If you have an active warranty, then you won’t have to pay a penny to have it fixed!


Part 2. Take a Backup Before Fixing Your iPhone Thinks Headphones Are Plugged In

Whenever you try to fix your iPhone, think headphones are plugged in, or anything about your iPhone, whether it’s software or hardware, you should take a backup of your data.

Now, when you visit an Apple Store and send your iPhone away, they don’t have time to back up your data and restore it after fixing it – this would be great, but they’re a very busy bunch!

Keeping this in mind, it’s important to take a backup before you go to an Apple store. So, if you want to take a backup of your data quickly and with more freedom, we recommend using iCareFone.

What is Tenorshare iCareFone?

This part of iCareFone is the best way to extract data from an iOS device. It offers a lot of management over your data, it’s very flexible, and it’s the best way to make sure your iPhone’s data is backed up properly.

Tenorshare iCareFone
  • Back up data directly to your computer.
  • Preview your iPhone’s data before you have it backed up.
  • Download backups from your iCloud account and extract data from them.
  • Capable of extracting a variety of different data types.
  • Compatible with the most recent iOS versions and iPhone models.

The flexibility that this program offers alone is fantastic. When extracting data, this is undoubtedly the best program that there is.

To Conclude

We hope that by reading this article, you can fix the headphones issue. It’s understandable that when iPhone thinks headphones are plugged in, you’ll want to get it fixed as soon as possible.

As a result of this issue, you could miss important notifications and be unable to listen to your music. All in all, if you can fix the issue without the help of Apple, fantastic.