How to Fix iPad Stuck in Headphones Mode

Is your iPad stuck in headphones mode?

If your iPad is currently stuck in headphones mode, you’ll likely not be able to hear notifications or listen to music using its loudspeakers. When your device is in headphones mode, it will output audio to your headphones, which is not present at the moment. 

This is a really annoying issue that is quite common to both iPhones and iPads. 

Dirt and debris that accumulated on your iPad’s ports are usually the cause of this issue. However, it can also be due to improper configurations, outdated software, or corrupted data. 

To help you out, we have decided to make a guide on how to fix your iPad if it’s stuck in headphones mode. 

Let’s begin!

1. Remove Your iPad Case/Accessories. 

There are tons of accessories available for your iPad. While most of them can add features and improve your iPad’s aesthetics, some accessories can get in the way of the audio jack or lightning port. 

If your iPad is stuck in headphones mode, try removing any accessories you’ve recently installed. After that, plug and unplug your headphones to see if your device will still get stuck in headphones mode. 

2. Restart Your iPad. 

Before changing your configurations, we suggest restarting your iPad if you encounter issues with it. This should reset your temporary data and eliminate bugs and glitches that may have occurred during use. 

For iPads without a home button: 

1. First, press and hold either the Volume button + Top button until the ‘Slide to Power Off’ prompt appears. 
2. Now, drag the slider to the right until your display shuts off. 
3. Lastly, wait for at least 30 seconds before turning on your iPad. 

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For iPads with a home button: 

1. On your device, press and hold the Top button until the power slider appears. 
2. Drag the slider to the right until your display turns black. 
3. Finally, wait for at least 30 seconds before restarting your iPad.

Try listening to music to see if your iPad is still stuck in headphones mode. 

3. Try A Different Headphones. 

Headphones have different configurations. Even if it’s the same model or brand, no device is the exact copy of another. Due to this, we suggest using a different headphone on your iPhone if it’s still stuck on headphones mode. 

Regardless of the brand of headphones you were using before your iPhone got stuck, it is possible that the one you’ve used is not compatible. 

Now, we don’t want you to go out of your way to buy expensive headphones that are made specifically for iPhones. What we suggest is that you grab another pair of headphones, from your relatives or friends, and try using it on your device. 

4. Check the Ringer Switch. 

For older iPad models, we suggest checking the ringer switch if you can’t hear anything from your device. Previous iPad models have a ringer switch similar to iPhones that allow users to disable sound coming from the loudspeakers. 

Try toggling the ringer switch a few times and see if your iPad will get unstuck from headphones mode.

5. Check Sound Settings. 

If you have a newer iPad, we recommend checking your sound settings if you can’t hear anything from your device. There’s a good chance that your alert volume is just turned down and your iPad is not stuck in headphones mode. 

See the steps below to change your sound settings: 

1. First, open the Settings app on your iPad. 
2. After that, go to Sound & Haptics. 
3. Lastly, make sure that Ringtone and Alert Volume is turned up. 

Listen to music or watch videos to see if your iPad is still stuck in headphones mode. 

6. Turn Off Do Not Disturb. 

Another reason your iPad is not producing any sound when receiving notifications is if ‘Do Not Disturb’ is enabled. This is a feature on Apple devices that lets users silence notifications and alerts for a short time. 

Here’s how you can disable do not disturb: 

1. On your iPhone, access the home screen and tap on Settings. 
2. Now, go to the Focus tab. 
3. Finally, tap on Do Not Disturb and ensure that the feature is turned off. 

Restart your device afterward and check if the problem is solved. 

7. Turn Off Bluetooth. 

You can also try disabling your iPad’s Bluetooth if you previously used wireless headphones. It’s possible that your device is still detecting the headphones and trying to connect with them, explaining why you can’t hear anything. 

Follow the steps below to disable your Bluetooth: 

1. On your iPhone, go to the home screen and tap on Settings. 
2. Now, locate the Bluetooth tab and open it. 
3. Finally, tap on the toggle switch to turn it off. 

Listen to music afterward to see if there’s sound coming from your iPad’s loudspeakers. 

8. Force Restart Your iPad. 

Some users also reported that force restarting their iPads solved the issue of it being stuck in headphones mode. If you haven’t tried this solution yet, we highly suggest giving it a shot. 

Here’s what you need to do: 

1. First, press and release the Volume button nearest to the Top button. 
2. After that, press and release the other Volume button and hold the Top button. 
3. Once the Apple logo appears, release the Top button. 

Check if your iPad is still stuck in headphones mode. 

9. Update Your iPad. 

If your iPad is still stuck in headphones mode, we suggest updating its software. There might be an issue with the version of iPadOS you’re using that causes your device to get stuck in headphones mode. 

See the steps below to update your iPad: 

1. Open the Settings app on your iPad. 
2. After that, go to General > Software Update. 
3. Finally, go to Automatic Updates and enable all the options under it. Head back to the previous page and tap on Download and Install. 

Try using your iPad afterward to check if the problem is solved. 

10. Reset iPhone Settings. 

You can also try resetting your iPad’s settings if you still encounter problems with headphones mode. This should roll back any changes to your configurations and ensure that everything is in order. 

Here’s how you can reset your iPhone’s settings: 

1. First, go to your home screen and launch the Settings app. 
2. After that, tap on General and access the Reset tab. 
3. Now, choose Reset All Settings. 

Go back to your device afterward and check if the problem is solved. 

11. Contact Apple. 

If none of the solutions above worked, the last thing you can do is report the issue to Apple’s team. 

Head to Apple’s support page and submit a ticket regarding the issue you’ve been experiencing on your iPad. Provide the model of your iPad, the headphones you’re using, and other necessary information that can help their team assess the situation. 

You can also browse the other guides on their page and see if you can find other solutions. 

That ends our guide on how to fix your iPad if it’s stuck in headphones mode. If you have questions, please leave a comment below, and we’ll do our best to answer them. 

If this guide helped you, please share it. 🙂