Recently there is an unusual issue with the iPhone 7 and iPhone 7 Plus observed by many iPhone users. The problem is the speaker icon is completely greyed out while making calls on their iPhone 7 and 7 Plus version.
This issue is also faced by some iPhone 11,12,13 and 14 users as well. It is suspected that incorrect iPhone settings, outdated iPhone iOS, etc. might be the causes of this issue. There is a chance that the iPhone might be in silent mode or do not disturb mode.
So we have come up with a few better solutions to assist the users in resolving this issue in this article. Don’t worry if you are also facing the same issue, please continue reading to learn more.
Preliminary Fixes
Update your iPhone
If the iOS of your iPhone has not been updated, this might create a few problems as discussed above in this article. So let us try updating the iPhone using the steps given below.
- The next fix would be to check if there are any updates available for your iPhone.
- You have to go to Settings > General > Software Update and wait for a few seconds until it loads the page.
- If there are any updates available, please tap on Download and Install to update your iPhone.
- After some time, restart your phone 5 times and then make a call and see if the problem still appears.
Force Restart your iPhone Thrice
You can always try force restarting the iPhone if something goes wrong with the network settings or the iPhone has become stuck for some unknown reason and it can be done using the steps below.
- When you are not able to hear any caller after receiving the calls, then press the volume up button once and release it.
- After that, press the volume down button and release it.
- Press the side button of your iPhone for around 10 seconds till you see the Apple logo sign on the screen.
- Once the iPhone starts, try and check if you are able to hear the caller on your iPhone.
Turn Off the Silent Mode and Do Not Disturb Focus Mode
Silent mode and Do not disturb focus mode always ensure that the users are not bothered by alerting any notifications that the iPhone receives. Not only this, but it also makes sure the speaker icon is greyed out.
- To turn off the silent mode on your iPhone, toggle the silent mode switch on the left side of the iPhone.
- Turn off the Do Not Disturb focus mode by opening the Control Centre by swiping down from the top right side of the iPhone screen and tapping on the Do Not Disturb focus mode to turn it off.
Fix 1 – Reset All Settings
Some users claimed that resetting All Settings on their iPhones resolved this issue. So we request our users try to reset all iPhone settings as explained in the below steps.
Step 1: Go to the Settings page on your iPhone.
Step 2: Tap on the General option once.
Step 3: Tap on the Reset option as shown below.
Step 4: Now choose the Reset All Settings option from the list by tapping on it once as shown.
Step 5: To proceed further, please enter your passcode when prompted on the screen.
Step 6: Please tap on Reset All Settings on the pop-up window to continue.
Step 7: This will start to reset all your iPhone settings without losing any personal data.
Fix 2 – Disconnect and Reconnect the Bluetooth device
Sometimes the external accessories connected via Bluetooth might cause an issue like this. So try disabling the Bluetooth option and then enable it on your iPhone and check if this helped.
Step 1: Open the Settings page on your iPhone.
Step 2: Choose the Bluetooth option from the list as shown below.
Step 3: Then tap on the Bluetooth’s toggle button to turn it Off (Gray) as shown.
Step 4: Wait for some time and then tap on the Bluetooth’s toggle button again to turn it On(Green).
Now check if the problem is resolved.
Fix 3 – Clean the Microphone of your iPhone
If the microphone of your iPhone is covered tightly with the iPhone case/cover, then this might be the reason why the issue is occurring on your iPhone.
So try removing the iPhone cover and cleaning it with a clean cloth or q-tip and also try cleaning the microphone to clear all the debris if any is found.
It is also a best practice to eject the Sim Card from the cardholder on your iPhone and clean it gently and place it back into the iPhone to ensure there is no problem with the Sim card.
Fix 4 – Change the Call Audio Routing setting
By changing the Call Audio Routing setting, we can resolve this problem where it will not route the audio automatically. Here are the steps on how to do it.
Step 1: Open the Settings page.
Step 2: Go to the Accessibility page by tapping on it once as shown below.
Step 3: Tap the Touch option under the Physical and Motor section as shown.
Step 4: Scroll down the page and tap on the Call Audio Routing option once.
Step 5: Choose the Speaker option from the list by tapping on it once as shown below.
Fix 5 – Check the Audio IC
When none of the methods work for you, it can probably be the hardware issue related to the Audio IC on the iPhone. So to verify whether the problem is with Audio IC on your iPhone, follow the steps below.
Step 1: Unlock the iPhone and reach the home screen.
Step 2: Look for the Voice Memos app on your iPhone and open it OR swipe the screen to the left side till you reach the App Library.
Step 3: After that, type voice memos in the search bar of App Library and open it.
Step 4: Once the Voice Memos app opens, tap on the Record button (Red circle) at the bottom as shown in the below screenshot.
Step 5: If it throws an error message that says “Recording Failed. No audio devices found.”, it means the Audio IC is damaged and needs to be repaired.
Step 6: We suggest our users try contacting Apple Care if the warranty is valid or call Apple Support to get it repaired.