

Firmware is the part of your iPad’s code that controls the hardware. Our final software troubleshooting step is to put your iPad into DFU mode and restore.

Check out our other article to learn what to do when your iPad is stuck in headphones mode. If the pop-up that appears says “Headphones” rather than “Volume” or “Sounds Effects”, your iPad is in headphones mode. You can quickly check to see if your iPad is stuck in headphones by pressing the volume buttons again. This occasionally happens when lint, dirt, liquid, or other debris gets stuck inside the headphone jack. That’s true - the problem is that your iPad thinks headphones are plugged in. “But I don’t have headphones plugged into my iPad!” you exclaim. It’s also possible that your iPad is stuck in headphones mode, so audio isn’t being played through the speakers.

Don’t worry, there are still a few more steps we can work through! Make Sure Your iPad Isn’t Stuck In Headphones Mode If it says “iPad” instead of “Headphones” or the name of one of your Bluetooth devices, then audio isn’t playing from somewhere else. Disconnect from that other device, then try to play audio from your iPad’s speaker again. If it says “Headphones” or the name of one of your Bluetooth devices, then the audio is actually playing somewhere else. Next, tap on the AirPlay audio icon - it looks like a triangle with three half circles above it. To check where sound is playing from, open Control Center on your iPad by double-pressing the Home button or swiping up from below the bottom of the screen with four fingers. Then, press and hold down (force touch) the audio interface box. It’s possible your iPad is connected to a Bluetooth device (headphones, speaker, car) or an AirPlay device (Apple TV) and the sound is playing there rather than your iPad’s speakers. How could the sound possibly be playing somewhere else!? This may sound silly at first, but it’s a very important step. If you want to turn up the Ringer volume as well, go Settings -> Sounds and turn on the switch next to Change with Buttons.
