How to Clean iPhone Microphone and Speakers? (6 Methods)

Are you searching on the internet for the ways and means how to clean iPhone microphone and speakers? Hopefully, your search ends here. Yes, today I thought of working on your problem and providing you with a wonderful solution to it.

Cleaning your phone – particularly your phone’s microphone – after months of continuous use is necessary to ensure that no nasty dirt is impeding your phone’s recording/call quality. However, if this is your first time, you may be afraid of damaging your phone’s microphone and speakers rather than increasing the overall sound quality.

Fortunately, this article explains how to clean your phone’s microphone and speakers without causing any harm. As a result, if you’re seeking ways to increase the sound quality on your phone, you’ve come to the correct spot.

Run Down Methods for Pro Cleaning of iPhone Microphones and Speakers

Table of Contents

We always have our iPhones with us, whether at work, at supper, in bed, or the bathroom. It’s only natural for them to get filthy now and then. It’s easy to clean the majority of an iPhone; all you have to do is wipe it down with a moist washcloth.

The speakers and microphones on your iPhone will cease working if they become too dirty. A thick layer of dust, mucous, or even cosmetics stops sound from or into the grille, making your music seem muffled and preventing others from hearing you on the phone.

Various techniques for cleaning the iPhone microphone and speakers are explained in this article.

Method 1: Ensure that your iPhone is Clean First.

Before cleaning the speakers, clean all of the iPhone’s edges to remove any debris, grease, or dust. Also, if necessary, sanitize your device. Here, I have suggested some pro tips for cleaning your speakers:

Clean the lens using soft, lightly moistened, lint-free napkins, such as a lens cloth or cotton cloth.
Wipeout all of the sides of your iPhone, even the backside, which you don’t come into contact with very often.
If the cloth doesn’t work, soak it in soap and warm water for a few minutes before rubbing it against the iPhone.
Sanitize your iPhone with 70% isopropyl alcohol or a sanitizing wipe (never use bleach-containing wipes) as needed, then wring it out before using it.
You can wipe the outside of your iPhone with a gentle cloth.
The last tip is to allow the iPhone to air dry.

Method 2: Find out where your iPhone’s speakers are.

Before you start cleaning the iPhone microphone, it’s also a good idea to know where the three speakers and microphones are on the device.

Each of them is protected by a metal grille, which helps to keep dust and debris out of your iPhone while allowing it to expand outside of it. Your iPhone’s microphones and speakers are positioned in three different places. There’s one on your iPhone, just next to the FaceTime camera.

A set of circular holes at the bottom of your iPhone, with a third hole near the back camera, is another feature. All of these speakers and microphones should be sanitized regularly.

Method 3: Make a Soft Braid with a Brush.

The first step in cleaning the iPhone speakers is to gently brush away any debris using a stiff brush. It could be a toothbrush or a paintbrush, but whichever brush you use, it must be clean and dry.

If you’re using a paintbrush, you could want to shorten the stitches to gain more control. Using a clean, dry toothbrush, scrub the dirt from the surface.

Sweep the garbage to the edge of your loudspeaker or microphone, then sweep it out with your brush. It may take a lot of work to get dried-on dust to loosen and break away; however, persevere and don’t be too rough on it.

Method 4: Surfaces can be Protected using Painter’s Tape.

The painter’s tape is designed to prevent sticky residues. Painter’s tape, often known as masking tape, is used to prevent sticky residue from being left on any surface.

As a result, it’s a great tool for clearing stubborn dust from your iPhone’s speaker or microphone. You should still be careful with it since if some adhesive gets trapped, it could cause your iPhone to become much dirtier.

Rolling up tape is a great way to get the dirt out of hard-to-reach locations. To prevent sound leaking, roll a narrow strip of tape into a compact cylinder with the adhesive flat side out and put it into the microphone filter.

If you notice any dirt on the tape, replace it as soon as possible with a new piece to avoid returning the dirt to the speaker system.

Method 5: Apply a Toothpick to the Problem.

Using toothpicks to remove the dirt is a wonderful idea. It is highly advised that toothpicks be used in the fight against dirty iPhone speakers. It’s crucial to handle them with caution, just like you would with anything else, so as not to damage the grille.

Brush away any leftover debris from the speaker with a toothpick, dragging it out to the edges so you can brush it out. You might find it even if most of the dried-on dirt has been scraped away.

Even if most of the dried-on dirt has been chipped away, if it is very difficult to chip away, you may need to slightly wet the end of the toothpick. Make sure the toothpick doesn’t splinter and leave a smear on your iPhone’s screen.

To loosen the dirt, use a toothpick to impart moisture to the dust. As a result, considerable caution should be exercised when transferring liquids to your iPhone, as moisture can easily pass through the grille and cause long-term damage.

Method 6: Caution while using Compressed Air.

Compressed air, when utilized correctly, may be a strong weapon in the fight against unclean iPhones. Compressed air or spray dusters are useful tools for keeping equipment clean, especially in hard-to-reach places like MacBook fans or behind a keyboard.

Both the iPhone’s speaker and microphone can be damaged by pressurized air. Apple strongly advises against using compressed air.

This is because compressed air generates a remarkable amount of force, which can shatter the moving elements inside speakers or microphones. Many customers have reported that their speakers or microphones have entirely stopped working after using compressed air at random.

It is possible to use compressed air safely if you follow the recommendations on the container and keep a safe distance between you and the compressed air.

We recommend that the speaker and microphone be separated by at least 6 inches and that the air be sprayed at an angle rather than directly into the microphone. Additionally, any loose particles will be sprayed into the air, but you should use the spray with caution and wear eye protection.

Use an electronics cleaning putty to remove any sticky muck. Both online and in stores, the sticky cleaner may be purchased. Gently insert a spoonful of the putty into the microphone hole, then pull it out as quickly as possible.

Re-clean your microphone as needed until it is fully dust-free. Allowing the slime to sit for more than a few seconds will cause it to spread and destroy the gadget.

If you want to produce your cleansing putty, you’ll need the following items:

A body of water (12 ounces).
Secondly, you need to use Borax. It is a substance used for making putty and is used as a quarter of a cup.
Thirdly, you need to use white glue of amount 5 ounces.

To manufacture the putty, follow these instructions:

In the first step, combine the borax and 8 ounces of lukewarm water in a plastic cup and swirl well.
In the next step, mix the remaining water and school glue in a separate container until fully blended.
Now, combine the borax water mixture in a separate basin and stir until thick.
Then, knead the material for 5 minutes, or until a dry oozing ball forms. Make homemade cleaning putty and use it in the same way you would in a shop.
However, if the putty you made does not get molded to the shape you desire, it cannot be used for cleaning your speakers. So, continually add more borax until the required consistency is achieved.

That concludes my discussion. And, you thereby complete all the six methods by which you can now easily know how to clean iPhone microphone and speakers.

Video Tutorial on How to Clean iPhone Mic and Speakers

Best Tips for Cleaning your Microphones and Speakers at Home

Here, I have suggested some best practices to be followed for cleaning your microphones and speakers very easily at your home. Come follow the given tips:

Before you begin cleaning, unplug your iPhone from the power cable. It’s also a good idea to switch it off during the procedure.
Scraping mic ports and speaker mesh with metallic items is not a good idea. This could penetrate the meshes, causing the mic and speaker to shatter.
Do not clean any part of your iPhone with water. While certain iPhones are waterproof, intentionally submerging them in water may cause damage.
Even if you’re scraping the speaker with non-metallic things, be careful not to pierce the mesh.
Apple advises against using cleansers that contain bleach or hydrogen peroxide.
You need to avoid using any cleaning fluid on the device.

Best Alternative: Directly Contact Apple Service

Have you cleaned the iPhone microphone but are still having issues, and have you found any additional valuable information to help you deal with and/or diagnose any malfunctions? Then I believe you should contact Apple directly to try to resolve the issue.

You can contact the Cupertino company’s Customer through one of the channels listed and discussed below, depending on your resources, needs, and preferences. Choose freely what you believe will be the most beneficial to you; they are all equally trustworthy.

Tphone

You need to dial the toll-free number 800 915 904 and follow the recorded voice’s instructions. The call is free, and the line is open from 8:00 a.m. to 7:45 p.m., Monday through Friday.

Website

At this, go to the Apple website’s online support page, click on the iPhone-related button, and use the wizard to specify the type of problem you’re having and obtain help.

Apple Support App

For this, you need to install the Apple Support App on your iPhone or another iOS device, run it, sign in with your Apple ID, choose your iPhone from the list of devices for which you can obtain support, and then select the item connected to your doubt or problem from the list that appears.

Twitter

For this, you need to send a tweet or direct message to @AppleSupport with any questions or difficulties. You should get a response soon.

Apple Store

For this, you need to go and visit an Apple Store and get assistance from the staff. If you don’t know where the nearest Apple Store is in your region, use the list on the dedicated web page to find out.

FAQs

1. Why does my phone’s microphone sound distort?

Ans. Something is obstructing your capsule or port. This is usually found in the device when you try to record by using a small port to your smartphone mic.

If debris obstructs the port, sound waves have a tougher time penetrating, resulting in a muted recording.

2. What’s the deal with my audio being muffled?

Ans. A loose connection to the audio source can cause muted sounds while using wired headphones.

Sound quality will be erratic if the plug of your headphones is not correctly inserted into the audio port. Mismatched codecs in Bluetooth headphones can cause this.

3. Suggest a way for improving the sound quality of my iPhone microphone.

Ans. The built-in Voice Memo app on iOS can capture excellent audio, and you can even improve it—but not within the app itself. Instead, go to Settings > Voice Memos > Audio Quality and select Lossless as the quality.

4. How do I repair the microphone on my iPhone?

Ans. For repairing the microphone you need to follow the given instruction:

In the first step, restart the iPhone if necessary.
In the next step, look for any obstructed openings.
Then, remove the screen protector or case if you have one.
Now, remove any accessories that are plugged in.
Then, invest in a new headset.
Then, apps for communication should be restarted. After that allow apps to use your microphone.
Finally, make sure the microphone holes are clean.

5. Why isn’t the microphone on my iPhone working during calls?

Ans. If the microphone isn’t working in a particular app, To access the microphone, go to Settings > Privacy > Microphone.

You need to be aware that whether the app is turned on or not. However, you can also contact the creator of the app if the app has the authorization for using the microphone.

6. Why can’t the other person hear me when I call?

Ans. If you’re on a call and the other person can’t hear you, the problem may be due to a network issue.

The microphone on your iOS mobile device contains apertures, and dirt particles can gather in the openings over time, obstructing the microphone.

7. On the iPhone 7, where is the microphone?

Ans. Microphones and speakers should be located. The device’s receiver/microphone is positioned on the bottom. The device’s speakers are situated on the bottom.

8. On the iPhone 8, where is the microphone located in the settings?

Ans. The device’s receiver/microphone is positioned on the bottom. The device’s speakers are situated on the bottom.

9. Why isn’t my iPhone 7’s microphone working?

Ans. This is due to some accessory connected to your iPhone’s microphone jack. So, you need to remove or unplug it to work properly.

If you’re having trouble with the microphone while shooting a video, make sure your fingers aren’t blocking the microphone or the iSight mic while holding your device. Examine the microphone for any dirt, dust, or debris that may have clogged it.

10. How can I clean the speaker and microphone on my phone?

Ans. Firstly, wipe the speakers down with a rubbing alcohol-soaked microfiber towel. Then, using a microfiber cloth, dab a small amount of rubbing alcohol.

Now, scrub the speaker parts gently until they are clean. Blowing gently from the outside into the apertures is a good idea.

Related Posts:

Final Words

The iPhone’s speakers and microphones are critical components. And, it stops working, you will find difficulty in your work. However, the approaches I’ve listed in this article are tried and true ways to clean them up and improve their performance or get them working again.

Keep in mind, however, that your iPhone will need to be cleaned regularly to avoid dirt buildup. Do you have any doubts or any sort of questions in your mind? Don’t hesitate, please do share your thoughts with us.