Is your iPhone 14 Plus microphone not working? If so, you might want to get that fixed as soon as possible. In this article, I’ll explain why your iPhone 14 Plus microphone is not working and show you how to fix the issue.
Note: instructions in this article applied to iPhone 14, iPhone 14 Plus, iPhone 14 Pro, and iPhone 14 Pro Max.
The microphone in your iPhone does a lot. It is essential to phone calls and FaceTime, of course, but in addition, many apps rely on the microphone to record audio or listen for commands. Siri needs the mic to hear you as well. If the iPhone 14 Plus microphone isn’t working at all — or the audio it’s capturing is muffled, fuzzy, or unclear — that can lead to a lot of frustration. Here are the most common methods you can employ to resolve problems with your iPhone 14 Plus microphone not working.
Reasons Why Your iPhone 14 Plus Microphone Isn’t Working
There are many reasons the iPhone 14 Plus microphone may not be working. Although microphone problems are often hardware-related, software issues and changes to the settings on your iPhone can also stop it from working like it normally does. Something may be blocking or interfering with the microphone and preventing it from performing normally. Sometimes, you may have trouble getting your microphone to work with a specific app. Or in some other situations, it could also be due to the simple fact that your iPhone is connected to a nearby Bluetooth device, or even plugged into a set of hardware headphones. Regardless, this is pretty easy to diagnose and resolve in most cases, so there’s nothing to worry about.
How to fix iPhone 14 Plus microphone not working issue
Here’s how to troubleshoot an iPhone 14 Plus microphone and get it working again.
1. Find Out What Microphone Isn’t Working
Before you begin fixing your iPhone 14 Plus microphone, you’ll need to know which microphone isn’t working.
The iPhone 14 Plus has three microphones: one on the bottom of your phone for phone calls, one on the front of your phone for speakerphone, and one on the back for the camera.
Testing microphones individually helps vlocate or rule out problems with any specific microphone.
To test the primary microphone (the one located at the bottom) on your iPhone, you can use the Voice Memo app. Record a small clip and play it to see if the primary microphone is working fine.
Similarly, to test out microphones on the front and back, use the camera app. Record a couple of videos using the rear and the front-facing camera on your iPhone. After recording the videos, play them to see if you can hear the voice clearly. If you find that any of the microphones isn’t working, continue to the next steps.
2. Restart your iPhone
The iPhone is a small computer, and you can solve a lot of perplexing glitches on any computer by turning it off and then back on again. That will flush out any corrupt data or glitchy software that might be causing your mic to misbehave. You can do this by going to settings > general > shut down.
3. iPhone 14 Plus Microphone Muffled or Muted? Try Cleaning It
One of the simplest ways to fix your iPhone 14 Plus microphone problem is by cleaning it. If any of your microphones sound muffled when you speak, they might need a good cleaning. iPhone microphones are sensitive, and a small piece of dust or dander can affect how they sound.
To clean your microphone, avoid blowing into it at first, as you could push more dirt in there.
Instead, use a soft brush of any kind (it can be a toothbrush) to scrub the grills carefully. When you do so, be sure to hold the iPhone in such a way that gravity gets to do its job. For example, if you are cleaning the bottom microphone, try to hold the phone vertically so that the dirt easily falls down.
4. Make sure your case or screen protector isn’t blocking the microphone holes
Sometimes when you put a new case or screen protector on your phone, it may block your iPhone 14 Plus microphone. Check the microphone hole and if it’s covered by the case or protector film, remove the cover or cut the protective film from that part.
5. Make Sure You’re Not Connected to a Bluetooth Device
Being connected to a Bluetooth accessory could mean that your iPhone is activating an external microphone and you can’t use the one built into the iPhone itself.
This is a common issue with those who use Bluetooth headphones or smart home systems. You can check if you’re connected to a Bluetooth accessory by opening the Control Center, then toggle Bluetooth off. Alternatively, tap and hold it to view all your connected devices.
6. Unplug any accessories
Unplug all accessories (such as earbuds, and headphones) connected to the phone and use the microphone again to see if it works.
7. Make Sure Apps Have Microphone Permission
If the iPhone 14 Plus microphone not working issue is only occurring in a select few apps, you need to check the relevant app permissions on your phone. To grant an app permission, open the Settings app and go to Privacy & Security. Tap Microphone and toggle the switches next to the apps to allow microphone permission.
8. Update iOS
Sometimes an out-of-date iOS can interfere with the microphone working correctly, and updating the iPhone iOS can clear the problem. To check if iOS is up-to-date, go to Settings > General > Software Update to check for the latest updates and install them.
Sometimes iOS updates have bugs that cause hardware issues. If the microphone on your iPhone 14 Plus stopped working correctly after an update, call Apple iPhone support or downgrade iOS.
9. Restore Your iPhone to Default Settings
If updating iOS on your iPhone doesn’t resolve the issue, you might want to restore your iPhone to the default settings. Sometimes, apps can customize settings which can cause your iPhone 14 Plus microphone not to work. Restoring your iPhone will fix this.
To do this, head to Settings > General > Transfer or Reset iPhone > Reset > Reset All Settings.
This will restore all the settings on your iPhone without erasing your data.
10. Restore your iPhone to factory settings
Consider this to be your last resort, because it’s a nuisance. Try resetting your phone to its factory default settings and see if that resolves your iPhone 14 Plus microphone issues.
Make sure you back up your iPhone first. Then, to erase everything, head to Settings > General > Transfer or Reset iPhone > Erase All Content and Settings.
11. Try Using an External Microphone
If you’ve tried all the above fixes but nothing is working, you can still use an external microphone with your iPhone. You can use this while you wait for a repair, or even use an external microphone indefinitely if you can’t afford a repair.
Apple’s earphones have a built-in microphone, and many other headphones have a microphone as well. While not ideal, headphones will connect through your Lightning port or over Bluetooth and don’t rely on your built-in microphones for many tasks.
12. Contact Apple support
If all else fails, reach out to Apple to make an appointment. If your iPhone is under warranty, Apple can troubleshoot the issue or replace the phone. Alternatively, take the iPhone in for service, either at no cost or for a fee, depending on your warranty.
iPhone 14 Plus Microphone Not Working? Problem fixed!
An iPhone 14 Plus microphone not working can be annoying, but there are solutions that can get you heard again in no time.
While these DIY repairs might not work for everyone, hopefully you have resolved your issues with the tutorials above. For those who haven’t, you have repair options and have the ability to use an external microphone in the meantime.
Either way, we hope you resolve your iPhone 14 Plus microphone not working issue as fast as possible.
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