14 Ways to Disable Headphone Mode on Android

Is your smartphone stuck in headphone mode? It can’t be very pleasant. You are trying to play a sound and it is interfering. You may be trying to make a call, but you can’t hear it on your phone’s speaker.

These are just a few of several problems you may encounter. That’s why you need to get rid of this headphone mode. How do you do it?

Well, this guide is for those who have already tried to disconnect. Did removing them help too? So, here is how to disable headphone mode on Android:

How to disable headphone mode on Android or Apple iPhone?

Turn on the speaker and test it
Remove or disable all devices
Connect and remove the headset
Change your headphones or connection method
Use Airplane Mode
Clean your headphone jack
Restart your Android phone
Remove phone battery – if applicable
Change audio source
Change sound settings
Try a soft reset
Use a third party app
Restore your device to factory settings
Visit Service Center

1. Turn on speaker mode and test it.

Before trying anything, you should first try speaker mode. To do this, you can call someone.

As soon as the person picks up the phone, turn on the speakerphone mode.

See if your phone’s speakers are working properly.
Sometimes a speaker issue causes the phone to go into headphone mode.
Let’s assume speaker mode works fine. Then the problem is really with the headphone mode.

Remember that you can also try changing the audio output. To do this, we have one more step listed below.

2. Remove or disable all devices

The first thing you can do to fix the problem is to disable all devices:

Disable Bluetooth for your phone. Slide down and open Control Panel. There you will see a Bluetooth switch. Click on it to turn it off.

Then remove any Lightning connector, Type-C adapter, or audio jack.
You can also turn off your Bluetooth headphones or battery-powered headphones.
Make sure none of the headphones or speakers are connected anymore.
You can also go to Bluetooth settings and view all paired devices.
Go ahead and forget about all Bluetooth devices. You can always connect them again.

3. Reconnect and remove the headset

This is a simple solution that often works. Sometimes turning off the headphones does not work. This may cause the smartphone to think that the headphones are still connected.

So what you can do is:

Reconnect your headphones via the headphone jack.

If it uses a lighting port or a lighting connector.
Then unplug the headphones from the connector or lighting port. Do not leave the adapter connected.

Similarly, you can also try plugging in your wireless headphones and unplugging them. You can also try plugging in other headphones and unplugging them to fix this issue.

4. Change your headphones or connection method

So this is a mix of all the solutions mentioned above:

First of all, try using other headphones or headphones. Connect them through the connector and remove them to see if it works.

If not, then use a Bluetooth connection. See if connecting and removing wireless headphones helps.
If not, try a lightning port adapter (for iPhone, for example) and remove them. See if this solves the problem.
Often the headphone mode is fixed if you connect two or more headphones and then remove them. So, you can try too.

This is the opposite step of turning off all devices in the first place.
You can also buy new headphones and see if they work better because it could be a hardware issue.

5. Use Airplane Mode

We’re going to move on to more personal diagnostics and in-device solutions.

So, the first step is to activate the flight mode.

Open the smartphone control panel by sliding it down.
Then find and tap Airplane mode (Airplane icon).

Keep it active for 30 seconds to a minute.
Then deactivate it.
Airplane mode usually disables all communication options, including headphone mode.
Hope this should solve the problem. If not, get ready with some tools and the like.

6. Clean the headphone jack

The main cause of headphone mode error is related to the connector. There may be dirt, debris or other elements.

That’s why you should always clean your headphone jack before plugging them in.

But now you’re stuck with dusting or whatever. How did you do that?

First, you can use a toothpick or an earpiece to clean your ear. Better to use a toothpick.
Wrap some cotton wool around the back of a toothpick and make a cotton swab out of it.

Now insert it into the socket to remove lint, dirt, dust, etc.
After that, you should go ahead and use cleaning alcohol. There are options for medical alcohol on the market.
To do this, turn off your phone. So, press the power button for a couple of seconds and then choose to turn it off.
If you don’t have a toothpick or Q-tip (Q-tip), you can also use a paper clip.

Then use the Q-tip (Q-tip) you just created. Dip it in cleaning alcohol and wipe the headphone jack.
This method works great. This is especially good if you’ve been near salt water or typical water exposure recently.

7. Restart your Android phone

Sometimes a simple restart can solve the problem. A minor reboot can fix any issue with the phone’s operating system. All you have to do is:

Press and hold the power button. In most models, it is located on the side of the phone.

If you hold it down for a bit, the power menu will appear.
Select the “Restart”option from it.

If you can’t find it there, you can also visit your phone’s settings and see if there’s an option to reset your phone there.
Now let your phone restart and see if that solves the problem.
You can do this after trying all the above solutions first.

8. Remove phone battery – if applicable

Does your phone have a removable battery? Then you’re in luck. It can solve many problems for you.

But make sure to turn off your phone first before trying this step. All you need to do is turn it off, remove the back cover and remove the phone’s battery.

If your phone has non-removable batteries, do not complete this step. It is better to take it to a repair center. More on this later.

9. Change audio source

Is your phone’s operating system up to date? This is good news for you. The latest Android systems come with this brilliant feature.

Whenever you play an audio file, you will be notified. It is located in the system tray where you can change the sound source.
You’ll see an option like “Audio Source”or “Use the following audio source”. Just click on it and choose anything other than headphones.

This works if you have more than one earbud connected. This also works if you want to choose your phone’s speaker instead of your headphones.
While this won’t turn off headphone mode, it’s a workaround that will allow you to use your phone. You can use the phone’s speakers.
You can also connect other headphones or audio devices and select them from the system.

10. Change your audio settings

Before we begin, this option may not work on all systems. You will be surprised to know how it works. But it can be a little confusing, so stay tuned:

First, go to your phone’s settings.
Look for the Accessibility option.

There you can find settings for interaction.
If you cannot find this option. You can check your call settings.
You can also use the search option and search for audio call routing.
This could be audio call routing or interaction.
There you will have the option to choose how the phone will route the sound. You can choose to do this automatically or change it to something else.

If this doesn’t work for you, go to the permissions of the connected audio device. It may not be connected, but you have headphone mode turned on.
Disable everything in permissions. This is how it won’t work. But you will still have the headphone mode icon active. This is a temporary solution.

11. Try a soft reset

Let’s not take up too much of your time. A soft reset usually happens when you turn off your phone but keep it turned off for 30 seconds or more. Usually 5 minutes is a good mark.

But on some devices, you need to use a different method to soft reset:

Press the power button with the volume up button. Keep them pressed. See if the phone restarts after a couple of seconds.

If not, try pressing the power button with the volume down button.
If the volume controls don’t work, try using the home button on the power button.

You will have to press and hold them for a while. For a couple of seconds.
After that, your phone will automatically reboot. This also works like a soft reset.
Don’t worry. You don’t need to make any backups. It won’t damage your phone in any way. It will also not affect the saved data.

12. Use a third party app

We usually do not offer this option. But it might work if you’ve tried everything else.

Third-party apps are available that allow you to customize or control the sound. You can change the audio output, voice control, and more.

Often these tools may require root access. And remember, rooting your device will void your warranty. So, before you try something like this, try the other two steps below.

If that doesn’t work, root your device. After that, you can download the corresponding application.

Since we do not support this diagnosis without an expert, we will not go into it.

13. Factory reset your device

So none of the solutions worked? This is a rare scenario, but still possible. The problem may be in the operating system of the phone. It could also be a problem with some settings that you may not have access to.

In any case, you can reset the settings to factory settings:

First, make sure you have a backup. Back up all the data you have on your phone. This goes for any saved contacts, photos, videos and more.

After that, open your phone’s Settings.
Go to “About phone”and then “System”. If the system is directly accessible, go to this option.
Among the options, you will see reset options. Click on it.
There you will see various reset options.
Before erasing all data, try resetting all settings. See if this solves the problem.

If not, tap Erase All Data and let your phone do the job.
See if this solves the problem.

14. Visit a service center

So you’ve tried everything. Have you tried removing your phone’s battery, rebooting it, and doing the rest. But still you don’t have an answer.

If so, visit a service center. It is a service provider for the brand. For example, visit a Samsung service center if you have a Samsung phone.

There, experts will take over and check the problems with your phone. This should fix it.

Remember that if your phone is out of warranty or if there is a hardware problem, the repair could cost you money. So get ready for it. Always ask them for a quote too.

Conclusion – Disable Headphone Mode on Android

This is where the guide ends. We sincerely hope that you have found a solution to your problem. If there are other problems with your phone, check it accordingly.

Dirt, debris, water damage and other similar elements are the main cause of the problem. So be sure to invest in phones that currently have an IPX rating.

Better to have them than expensive phones without protection. Take proper care, such as keeping accessories clean, using phone cases, etc.

FAQ – Disable headphone mode on Android and iPhone.

What does the headphone icon mean on my Android phone?

The latest Android OS comes with a headphone mode option. Let’s say your phone is connected to earphones, earbuds, TWS, etc. It will show you. That’s what the headphone icon is for.

How to disable headphone or headphone mode?

Remove or disable the headphones to remove or disable headphone mode. But it is impossible to permanently disable this mode.

Is there an Android recovery tool to fix software glitches?

Several Android repair tools are available. But it is better to reset the settings or update the phone. Third party recovery tools are not trustworthy and can do more harm than good.

Can headphone controls mess up your Android system?

The headphone controls are for volume control, answering and ending calls. In some cases, you will have access to a voice assistant. If the audio controls are corrupted, the voice assistant may interfere. So be careful.