iPhone 7 speaker is muted. Is your iPhone speaker quiet? iPhone motherboard problems

With the release of the iPhone 7 and iPhone 7 Plus, “immersive surround sound” is not the least important feature of Apple’s new smartphones. However, its implementation misleads users who mistake two pairs of decorative grilles at the bottom of the case for a stereo system. But in fact there is no stereo there.

Starting in 2016, the iPhone said goodbye to the headphone audio jack - that's a fact. Instead of the previous round hole, the bottom edge is decorated with two grilles. It is logical to assume that there are hidden speakers there, with the help of which a stereo effect is created when the smartphone’s speaker system operates. Alas, this is self-deception - if we look at the specifications on the official Apple website, we will find that behind one of the decorative grilles (on the left side of the Lightning connector) there is only a microphone. And behind the second (on the right side) there is a single edge speaker and an additional microphone.

Stereo sound in iPhone 7. iPhone 8, iPhone X, iPhone XR and iPhone XS is created using a speaker located next to the hearing, which is located at the top of the device.

When you talk on the phone, an acoustic wave is transmitted to your ear from only one of them, but if you turn on the music at full volume, both devices will start working. Twice the energy means twice the sound, which is also noticeable when using speakerphone. Plus, Apple hints that the latest iPhones have “increased dynamic range” compared to older models.

What then is the symmetrical grille at the bottom of the iPhone 7, iPhone 8, iPhone X and iPhone XR for?

For the sake of beauty, literally. More precisely, perforation was vital for the microphone to function properly, so the designers simply added the same pattern on the other side for symmetry. And there will probably be dust bunnies accumulating there.

It should be noted that with the release of the iPhone XS, the grilles at the end became asymmetrical.

The photo below shows the ends of the iPhone XS Max and iPhone XR.

Recently I encountered another problem, or rather not even me, but two of my friends. Both complained that iPhone speaker is quiet, and the phone did not sink or fall.

One of them immediately asked me to help figure out what was wrong, and the second decided to carry out the repair himself... by replacing the auditory speaker module. Replacing the speaker did not lead to anything, and the solution in both cases turned out to be completely banal.

The main reasons for a quiet iPhone speaker:

Moisture ingress
Mechanical damage to the speaker
Speaker grid clogged with dirt
Phone falling from a height

After a quick inspection of both phones, it turned out that their owners rarely wash their ears. I don’t mean that they can’t hear well at all, but that the speaker mesh was tightly clogged with grease.

In principle, I have already named the reason for the “malfunction” (if you can call it that) of the iPhone speaker and you don’t have to read the article to the end... BUT I still advise you to read at least to the point where I share my experience in cleaning the speaker mesh .

So, the average iPhone user will NOT stick their phone in a dust/waterproof case. And if you fall into the category of these people, then take a good look at the holes and crevices of the iPhone case now.

Yes... you should have seen a lot of dust and some kind of dirt. Where does it come from? From everywhere - from pockets, bags, dirty hands and greasy ears.

The most common place where dust mixed with fatty deposits accumulates is the earpiece grille. Exactly Dirt deposits significantly reduce sound clarity and volume during a telephone conversation.

When you put the phone to your ear... and start rubbing it on the shell of your ear, some of the fat (and everyone’s ears are quite a fatty part of the body, especially if you don’t wash them regularly) penetrates the mesh in front of the speaker and forms a dense plug.

How to clean the mesh from dirt? Here you need to be extremely careful. The mesh itself is quite delicate and will not “withstand” strong pressure. Personally, I used a regular wooden toothpick, which I used to carefully clean out the dirt from the outside.

Try to do the same. After finishing the work with the toothpick, you can also go over the mesh with an old toothbrush, and then blow out the remaining dust (even with your mouth).

I think that these steps will completely solve the problem with the quiet iPhone speaker.

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When cleaning, I got a little more confused and removed the screen on both phones, and then took out the earpiece from the screen module. This way I had access to the mesh from both sides.

Examining the mesh through the light, in both cases I saw a continuous film of fat. By slowly moving a toothpick, alternately from different sides, with periodic wetting of the mesh with alcohol (very little... less than a drop), I managed to clean the hole with the mesh completely. Now, when held up to the light, it glowed like new.

Actually this is what it is reason for quiet iPhone speaker. How you clean it is up to you. If you are a brave enough person and are not afraid to work with your hands, plus you have a pair of straight hands, feel free to remove the screen.

For instructions on how to remove the screen and earpiece module for your iPhone model, visit ifixit.com. You will also need a minimum of tools. In fact, the procedure is not at all complicated.

I should probably warn you against things you shouldn't do:

do not try to fill the mesh with liquid, and if you use alcohol, then use well-wrung out cotton swabs
do not use needles or the edges of knives and scissors
if you decide to remove the screen, then disconnect it completely along with the cables

Remember that careless/incorrect actions can completely damage the speaker. Even though it costs a penny, it’s still not pleasant. I wish you good luck! And to prevent the problem from arising in the future, try to wash your ears more often...

09/23/2016, Fri, 13:09, Moscow time , Text: Valeria Shmyrova

Owners of the iPhone 7 and 7 Plus are massively posting complaints about the sound quality during a phone call on Apple support forums. Having received such a complaint by phone, the company offers to send the device for repair.

iPhone 7 owners complain about sound quality

iPhone 7 and 7 Plus users are complaining about poor sound quality during phone calls. Some of the complaints were received by the AppleInsider resource, and some were voiced on the Apple support forums.

One of the users of the support forums stated that the interlocutor’s speech during a conversation sounds as if from afar. In response, several more users shared the problem of “distant” sound. Most of them, including the author of the very first complaint, are owners of the iPhone 7 Plus.

Company reaction

According to one user, when he called Apple customer support, he was asked to record a voice message and play it through the speaker used for telephone conversations. After listening to the message, the service employee agreed that the sound was different from normal. The owner of the device was asked to either send the smartphone for repair or contact the nearest Genius Bar, a technical support section in Apple retail stores.

Massive complaints from iPhone 7 owners about the sound quality during a telephone conversation appeared on the Apple support forums.

Users specify that when the speakerphone is turned on or listening to music without headphones, the iPhone 7 sounds quite normal. The problem with “distant” sound during a call can be smoothed out a little by lowering the volume. On the support forums, Apple employees respond to user complaints by referring them to the standard guide “What to do if you hear no sound or hear distorted sound from your iPhone, iPad or iPod.” Users, in turn, claim that they took all the steps indicated in the guide, but this did not solve the problem.

Network search problem on iPhone 7 and 7 Plus

This is not the first problem that iPhone 7 and 7 Plus users have encountered. A few days ago, device owners began to complain that the smartphone did not see the mobile network after turning off “airplane mode”. The company advised users to reboot the device in such cases, and if this does not help, remove and reinsert the SIM card. In some cases, Apple does not rule out replacing the smartphone. In response to a question from AppleInsider, the company said that the problem is most likely caused by a "slightly crooked position of the SIM card."

Hissing iPhones

A few days ago, complaints from the first owners of the iPhone 7 and 7 Plus already appeared online. They talked about inside the smartphone, which occurs when there is a high load on the processor. Among others, the authors of IT publications 512 Pixels and TechCrunch complained about the strange sound. Many reports of strange hissing were published on the social network Twitter. The company did not comment on the situation, but offered to replace the smartphone in response to a personal request from the user.

In addition, owners of the iPhone 7 and 7 Plus have problems with the Home button, which has become touch-sensitive in the new models. The button only reacts to touching conductive objects, that is, for example, it is impossible to press it while wearing a glove.

Despite the fact that a person who buys such an expensive gadget as the iPhone expects to receive a high-quality and reliable device, his expectations are not always met. The fact is that the speaker of Apple products quite often stops working, and this applies not only to old, but also to new models. There are quite a few reasons that provoke such a malfunction, ranging from manufacturing defects to physical damage. To put everything in its place and figure out why the speaker on your iPhone doesn’t work, read this article carefully.

Naturally, each smartphone requires an individual approach to solving problems, since a person handles the gadget in his own way and uses his own operating conditions. Below is a list of the main causes of breakdowns associated with loss of sound on the iPhone:

Water getting inside the housing.
The loudspeaker channels are clogged with dust or particles of various types of debris.
The device was accidentally switched to silent mode.
The device has been dropped or received a strong shock.
Factory defect.
A strong drop in electricity while charging the phone from a 220 volt network.
Failure of the iOS operating system or installation of a crooked firmware (including jailbreak).

Software fault

In principle, applications for iOS devices are created very competently and with the maximum minimization of system failures. But as they say: “once a year the stick shoots.” So, after installing a program from the App Store, it is possible to change system parameters. Due to the privileges that are granted to the installed application, which can cause a defect in which the sound of the speaker is hard to hear or not audible at all.

To determine the culprit, analyze after what actions you started having problems with sound and remove suspicious programs. After cleaning the malware, go to the volume settings and check all the parameters, then you need to test the sound of the speaker. If the problem persists, follow the instructions below.

Speaker failure

You can find out about a broken speaker by connecting headphones to your phone. The check consists of testing the sound card itself, since if the loudspeaker shows no signs of life, but there is sound through the headphones, then in 95% of cases it is the one that is broken. This may happen for the following reasons:

Water has gotten inside the mini-speaker or its contacts.
The iPhone has been dropped or experienced strong shaking.
Through jailbreak, the volume and bass were increased, which led to the rupture of the membrane of the mini speaker, after which it became difficult to hear the interlocutor during a conversation.
You bought an initially defective smartphone.

This type of repair involves complete disassembly of the gadget, which requires special tools and skills. If you do not have them, it is better to entrust this work to professionals from the service center. Our employees will replace the necessary spare parts efficiently and in a short time, and you will again be able to enjoy the melody of your device.

Note! Under no circumstances should you disassemble the device yourself if it is still under warranty.

Failure of the speaker cable

Here, as in the previous case, you cannot do without opening the phone case. Accordingly, you need to take it to a specialist for repair. But if you are 100% confident in your abilities, then follow the following instructions:

Using a TS1 penta-blade screwdriver, remove the two screws from the bottom of the case, at the edges of the mini USB connector.
Attach the suction cup to the bottom of the screen and pull it while prying the front part open with a plastic spatula (do this slowly so as not to break off the latches).
After opening, protrude the display from the bottom without damaging its cable.
You will find the speaker module above the charging connection device.
Visually inspect the cable for breaks, as well as the reliability of fixing its edge in the clamp:
If the cable fits well, but there is physical damage, then only replacing the module will do.

iPhone motherboard problems

Mostly, such problems occur after a strong impact of the gadget on a hard surface or subsequently a sharp surge in electricity during charging. Due to the fact that the motherboard is responsible for all the operating processes of the iPhone, any defect in it can lead to a sound problem. At home, it is almost impossible to determine the malfunction of this damage. If you have tried all the simplest methods and they did not bring results, then most likely the problem is in the central board. There is only one way out - a service center, however, the cost of the service will hit your pocket well.

Reboot your device

A rather banal way to solve the problem, but still effective. It helps when everything was fine during the operation of the phone, but before the volume disappeared, you were using headphones, or using some new audio program, or installing an operating system update for the gadget.

First, you should try a simple reboot, but if it doesn’t help, use the “heavy artillery” - Hard Reset (press the Home and ON keys at the same time, holding them down until the phone reboots).

Firmware update and iPhone restoration

In the process of surfing web pages and downloading various content, viruses may appear on the iPhone that cut off system files, which can cause problems with sound. To fix this, you need to update iOS, if there is a fresh version, or reinstall the firmware.

In the first option, files saved on the phone’s internal memory will remain, which cannot be said about the second option, in which it is necessary to back up all content. To perform this operation, launch iTunes on your computer, connect your iPhone via a USB cable, update or download a new OS.

Conclusion

As you can see, there are a lot of reasons for the lack of speaker volume; to identify a specific one, it is necessary to conduct a detailed analysis of all the circumstances related to this. If neither rebooting nor deleting suspicious programs helps, then it is better not to experiment and take the device to specialists for service.

Video

iPhone 7 plus has 2 speakers, one auditory (spoken) and polyphonic (responsible for speakerphone, calls, music) and sometimes it happens that one of the iPhone speakers, or even both, does not work, sometimes they work, but very quietly, or wheezing is present. There may be several reasons why the speaker on the iPhone 7 plus does not work.

The main reasons for speaker failure

The simplest reason is the sound is turned off. You can accidentally touch the button on the phone, and it will turn off all signals. The speaker can also be disabled in the settings of the iPhone itself. You can fix this by disabling the corresponding function in the “Sounds” tab.
The reason may be that Bluetooth is turned on, since Apple smartphones have a sound redirection function. You should go to settings and turn off Bluetooth. If this was the reason, the speaker should work.
One of the most common reasons why the iPhone 7 Plus speaker does not work is when it falls. Upon impact, any element could break; to understand which one, you will need to disassemble the case. If there are no visible damages, the phone should be taken to service.
Falling into liquid may also cause no sound. In this case, you need to disassemble the iPhone as quickly as possible, remove the battery and dry it thoroughly. If it stays in the water for a few seconds, there is a chance that the speaker will work again.

Hardware causes of speaker failure

The cable came off or became unusable. The smartphone should be disassembled and the cable checked. If it is broken, replace it.
One of the elements of the motherboard responsible for the operation of the speaker has broken. It is difficult to detect such a problem on your own, so if there are no other visible damage, the iPhone should be sent in for repair.
The cause could also be a glitch in the program. You can try restarting your smartphone or resetting the settings.

The speaker in the iPhone 7 plus is quiet or wheezing has appeared

The phone was damaged when dropped. In this case, it is worth replacing the speaker.
Dust, water or dirt has entered the speaker. The phone is disassembled and examined. If dust or dirt gets into it, it needs to be cleaned. When water gets in, the battery is taken out and everything is dried well.

And, of course, there may be a manufacturing defect, then you should take the smartphone to a service center and replace it, if there is a warranty.