Why Is There No Sound on My iPhone Videos?

There’s much ado about sound – for a good reason. Because of it, you gain more insights and contexts about your surroundings. It can make conversations more enjoyable, and if you are in marketing, sound can make the difference between a successful ad and one that falls flat. 

That is why it is frustrating if you and your audience do not hear anything when you play a video or anything audio-dependent on the iPhone. The good news is tools such as a reliable text-to-speech program can help you fix and avoid the issue. 

To further help you understand the problem, we list down all the possible reasons for the audio loss on the iPhone and provide ways to deal with them once and for all.

The Importance of Sound in Marketing

Historians often debate who invented sound. While much credit went to Thomas Edison, a French inventor named Scott Martinville might have “created” it in the mid-1800s. 

The only difference – and a huge limitation – with his work is the lack of playable recording. In other words, people had no way of correctly interpreting what they were hearing. 

Regardless of who developed the sound, though, no one can deny its huge contribution to many industries, especially in marketing. 

Here’s why:

1. It Adds More Value and Information about the Message

Sound has a major impact on how we perceive and feel about marketing messages. While visuals inform us about the core aspects of a product or service, sound gives us more insight into the overall atmosphere and attitude of those messages. 

In particular, certain sounds can evoke powerful emotions and behaviors. For example:

• Music can make people feel like they are part of a community or tickle nostalgia. 
• Sounds and voices can add warmth and dynamism to conversations while keeping the audience engaged. 
• Gloomy songs can encourage people to take action. 

2. Sound Is an Excellent Branding Tool

If I say “The holidays are coming,” what immediately comes to your mind? If you have been watching television since the 1990s, then you probably know it has become Coca-Cola’s traditional Christmas jingle. 

But that is not all. The repetitive tune, with the sounds of tiny bells in the background, ties up the soda’s holiday campaigns beautifully. These include the images of a charming old Santa and his white beard and the lit-up Coca-Cola truck. 

The bottom line is you can use sound to strengthen brand awareness and identity. In fact, you can trademark it.

3. Sound Can Enhance User Experience

Images can only do so much in marketing but sound amplifies those visuals even more. It allows people to experience the product more deeply. 

Sound is incredibly critical for people with disabilities. Visually impaired people use haptics to feel the product and utilize voice search and commands to interact with devices and learn more about brands.

4. More People Are Listening to Sounds

Thanks to technology access, people can now consume sounds in many ways. We have the quintessential televisions and radios. While their popularity has significantly declined over the years, CDs and DVDs still offer great audio quality. 

Then we have the Internet, with its vast library of music and videos available for streaming.  As if that were not enough, smartphones are now powerful enough to play audio – no matter what kind of file it is. 

These tools allow us to listen to podcasts, on-demand videos, and webinars, to name a few, whenever, and wherever. 

Common Reasons You Cannot Hear Any Sound on Your iPhone

Undoubtedly, sound is a great addition to marketing campaigns and user experience. But what if your iPhone suddenly stops playing any audio at all? 

Although it is disappointing, especially when you are using sound for your marketing materials, you can fix many of the issues. We show you how some of them here:

1. Unreliable Text-to-Speech Conversion

Many companies, especially small businesses, rely on text-to-speech platforms to generate voice-overs. But sometimes you encounter many problems such as:

• Inhuman-sounding voices, incorrect words, or slow conversions
• Platforms not converting the texts at all
• Incompatibility between the tool and the audio format you need

How to Fix It: You have two options. One, test the audio before you use the platform. Two, look for more reliable alternatives with better quality assurance and clear instructions on how to use them. 

2. Wrong Audio Source

We have two ways of interpreting this problem. First, the file type that you wish to play on the device is not compatible with the iPhone. 

Second, you are playing audio using the wrong accessory or output option. Take, for example, inadvertently turning Bluetooth on. 

How to Fix It: Check your audio file type and make sure it is compatible with the iPhone. As much as possible, stick to universal formats such as WAV,  WMA, MP3, and MPEG. Also, check the output option several times before you start playing anything on the device from cords and speakers to headsets.

3. Phone on Silent or Airplane Mode

Sometimes, the most obvious answer is the correct one. If you do not hear any sound from your iPhone, it is likely because you set it to silent, airplane, or do not disturb mode. 

How to Fix It: The solution depends on the mode. If you want to increase or turn on the volume, simply press the volume key. For airplane mode, you can disable it by going to Settings > Airplane Mode and toggling the switch off. For do not disturb mode, you can perform the same step but in the Do Not Disturb settings instead. You can also schedule when you turn on Do Not Disturb or customize the notifications you wish to hear.

3. Software and Hardware Bugs

The iPhone is a reliable device, but it still has its fair share of software and hardware bugs. Software issues can be caused by outdated versions or apps not being updated or installed correctly. 

Hardware problems include worn-out speakers and damaged jacks that stop the sound from coming out. 

How to Fix It: Start with software. Make sure all apps are updated and check if there is any background software causing the issue. If that fails to work, move on to hardware by checking your iPhone accessories such as speakers and headphones. If you cannot find any physical damage or signs of wear and tear, take it to a service center for repairs. 

Sound also makes the world go round. Without it, your experience and marketing efforts will not reach their full potential. 

If you or your audience cannot hear it on their iPhones, it pays to know the common reasons why.  The list above covers some of the most popular ones. When all else fails, get technical help as soon as possible.