The finally made its flagship device water-resistant. If you’ve managed to snag one, then you’re likely enjoying it, but sometimes a single issue can kill the fun. We’ve been filtering feedback to isolate the main iPhone 7 problems that users are running into, and we’ve got some potential fixes and workarounds to put the smile back on your face.
Problem: Speaker button is grayed-out during calls
Some iPhone users have noticed that the speaker icon is grayed-out when making phone calls. This issue seems to affect a small number of users and Apple is aware of the issue, however, it is no longer offering free out-of-warranty repairs for internal speakers that no longer work.
Potential Solution:
- This issue may be attributed to accessories that are paired to your phone via Bluetooth. Turn off Bluetooth by swiping up from the bottom of your phone and tapping on the Bluetooth icon to disable it.
Issue: “No Service” detected
In September, for those still suffering from it. Apple says the issue affects a “small” percentage” of devices, but those with an affected device can take their phone in to an Apple Store to get a free repair. Model numbers affected by the issue include A1660, A1780, and A779, and you can check the model number on the back of your device.
Potential solutions:
- Apple has an for this issue, which walks you through restarting and re-inserting your SIM card. We suggest that you follow these instructions any time your iPhone 7 can’t get a cellular connection.
- Update to the latest version of iOS, if you haven’t yet.
- If the issue persists, check your model number to see if your eligible for a free device repair.
Annoyance: No 3.5-millimeter headphone jack
Apple’s has, understandably, been very controversial. If you’ve already invested in a killer pair of headphones that rely on the standard port present in every phone up until now, you could be forgiven for being a wee bit peeved. Having to use the Lightning port also means that you can’t charge your iPhone 7 while you’re using headphones. There are some workarounds, but there’s no real solution for this one.
Workarounds:
- There’s an adapter in the box with your iPhone 7, or you could consider snagging a Bluetooth adapter. Check out our guide on for more ideas.
- Maybe it’s time to go wireless? Check out our guide to the .
Problem: iPhone 7 makes a hissing sound
A lot of iPhone 7 owners reported on it.
Potential solution:
- There’s currently no fix for this, but reports suggest that it’s not something that’s present in every iPhone 7, so you might want to return your handset and get a new one. If it’s really bothering you, then contact Apple, your carrier, or your retailer and ask for a replacement.
Issue: Poor battery life
Battery life for the iPhone 7 should be a lot better than it was for the , but we’ve also seen some complaints about rapid battery drain, with more recent complaints resulting from the iOS 10.2 update.
Workarounds:
- Update to iOS 10.3.2 if you haven’t already. Battery drain issues were addressed in this update.
- If you head into Settings > Battery, you can turn Low Power Mode on to stretch your battery further, but it comes at a cost. Mail fetch, Hey Siri, Background app refresh, automatic downloads, and some visual effects will be reduced or turned off completely. However, you can individually turn off any of these things for a lesser bump in battery life.
- Take a look under Battery Usage in Settings > Battery and see if any particular app is guzzling too much power. Consider updating, uninstalling, or replacing it.
- Check out our
Glitch: Can’t activate a new iPhone 7
— if there isn’t a green box next to iOS Device Activation, then try again later.
Possible fixes:
- If you’re trying to do it using your cellular connection, then switch to Wi-Fi instead.
- Try turning your iPhone off and on again by pressing and holding the Sleep/Wake button and then dragging the slider to turn the device completely off. Press and hold the Sleep/Wake button again to turn it on.
- Make sure that iTunes is up to date, and try plugging your iPhone 7 into your computer and completing the activation using iTunes.
- Contact your carrier and ask if there are any known issues with iPhone 7 activation. You might need to get a replacement SIM card.
- If nothing has worked, then it’s time to contact Apple.
Problem: Poor phone call/speaker quality
This is one of the most widely reported iPhone 7 problems. in an attempt to help people with sound issues.
Official solution:
- Go to Settings > Sounds and drag the Ringer And Alerts slider to turn the volume up.
- If you can get audio out of the speaker, there are several other things you can try:
- Check the Ring/Silent switch on the side of the phone to make sure it’s not set to Silent (Orange).
- Make sure your case isn’t blocking the speaker.
- Restart your iPhone.
- Clean any dirt, dust, or debris out of the speaker.
- Launch an app that plays audio or sound effects and adjust the volume using the volume keys or Control Center controls.
- If you can’t get sound out of the speaker, or nothing changes after trying the aforementioned methods, reach out to Apple Support.
- It’s been suggested that if your carrier is Verizon, that could be the source of the issue. Reach out to the company’s support .
Bug: 3D Touch haptic feedback no longer working
This is almost certainly a bug since 3D Touch continues to work, it’s just that there’s no feedback from the phone indicating that 3D Touch was used. through iOS 10.2, but there are a few things to try.
Workaround:
- Restarting the phone will temporarily restore haptic feedback.
Potential solutions:
- Go to Settings > Sounds & Haptics and toggle System Haptics off and on again.
- Go to Settings > General > Accessibility > 3D Touch to toggle the feature on and off, and to adjust the sensitivity.
- If you have Skype installed, some have managed to restore feedback after disabling the app’s integration option.
Issue: Phone app crashes and freezes
or lock up when in the Phone app’s settings, in the Recent Calls list, and while making calls using Bluetooth headsets. Soft and Hard Resets have not fixed the problem, and those who have tried a factory reset have not experienced any changes either.
Potential solutions:
- Update to iOS 10.3.2 if you haven’t already.
- If the problem started after an update, the update itself may have installed incorrectly. If possible, restore your device to a backup made before the update was applied, then install the update again.
- A proposed workaround suggests turning off Exchange contacts. You can do so by going to Settings > Contacts > Accounts, then tap your Exchange account(s) and toggle the Contacts slider off.
Problem: 3D Touch no longer working
The 3D Touch feature is an integral part of the iPhone 7 and , or have noticed the feature has stopped working completely.
Potential solutions:
- Restart your iPhone.
- If you’ve recently applied a new screen protector, remove it and try using 3D Touch again. If it works, the problem was with the screen protector.
- Clean your touchscreen, as well as your own hands.
- Go to Settings > General> Accessibility > 3D Touch and make sure the feature hasn’t been turned off by accident. From this page, you can also adjust the feature’s sensitivity and test it out.
- Reach out to Apple Support or go to an Apple Store or Apple Service Provider in order to get your device repaired or replaced.
Glitch: Microphone cuts out
When in the middle of a voice call and using either speakerphone or the handset, , resulting in static and unintelligible sounds. The problem doesn’t occur during every phone call. Often, after hanging up and calling again, the static is gone, but the caller is still hard to hear or muted completely. This is different from the Phone quality issue above, which dealt with audio from incoming calls. This is an issue with the person making an outgoing call.
Potential solutions:
- As always, restart your phone and also check for an update.
- One solution that had been said to work is to backup your iPhone, then perform a factory reset and restore the phone using the backup.
- It could also be a hardware issue. Reach out to Apple Support or go to an Apple Store to get repairs or a replacement.
Problem: Touch ID has stopped working
People on the , one user has been unable to use Touch ID while it’s plugged in and charging.
Potential solutions:
- As always, start by restarting your phone and then trying to use Touch ID again.
- Clean the sensor and the finger(s) used for Touch ID. Dust, dirt, and other debris can interfere with the sensor.
- If you’re not currently running iOS 10.3.2, download and install the update.
- Remove previously added fingerprints and re-add them. Consider creating multiple fingerprints by scanning the same finger at different angles.
- If it doesn’t work while plugged in, try using a different wall outlet or USB port. Be sure to check the Lightning port as well and remove any debris.
- Reach out to Apple Support, as it may be a hardware issue. You may be able to have your phone repaired or replaced.
Problem: Bluetooth issues
As with other smartphones, people have been having trouble . Some users have also noticed a much larger drain on the battery when using it.
Potential solutions:
- Restart the phone.
- Toggle Bluetooth off and on again.
- Unpair the Bluetooth devices and try pairing them again.
- You can try resetting your network settings by tapping Settings > General > Reset > Reset Network Settings. Then try Bluetooth again.
- iOS 10.2 contained improvements for Bluetooth performance and connections to 3rd party accessories. If you’re not running 10.2 or 10.2.1, those updates may alleviate the issue.
- If you’re noticing a bigger battery drain like , the cable you’re using may be the culprit. Consider using the Lightning cable that came with the iPhone or better quality cables.
- , restore your phone using a backup (or as a new phone) and try Bluetooth again.
Problem: Camera displays a black, green, or purple screen
This issue affects users with the iPhone 7 Plus. Users on the often complain that their iPhone 7 Plus shows a black — or sometimes a green or purple — screen when they try to use their camera. Sometimes an error also appears, one that says “Emergency iPhone needs to cool down.”
Potential solutions:
- The first thing to do is to try the steps
- If the aforementioned steps don’t resolve the issue with your camera, it is likely that your iPhone 7 is suffering from a hardware problem. In that case, we suggest that you contact Apple support. Many users with this issue have gotten their iPhones either repaired or replaced.
Annoyance: Black paint chips or peels
Apple that is reaching epic proportions on Apple’s discussion forums shows the regular black finish on the iPhone 7 is prone to chipping and peeling, even when encased.
Workarounds:
- Unfortunately, Apple’s warranty doesn’t cover this kind of cosmetic damage. Some users have ended up selling their iPhone and getting another iPhone 7 in a different color.
- According to on the Apple support forums, a customer who goes by the username xfuz1on was able to escalate this issue to a supervisor. The supervisor then asked this customer to send in pictures of the iPhone 7, and he was able to get his phone swapped at an authorized service center.
Problem: Overheating
that spans the current lifespan of the iPhone 7, users in the Apple forums have complained about their iPhone 7 getting uncomfortably hot. It is normal for smartphones and other electronic devices to get hot when they’re performing certain tasks, however. For example, an iPhone can get warm while you’re broadcasting live video, using Snapchat, playing games, or doing other tasks that will push the CPU to its limits. While it is normal for it to get hot while doing CPU-intensive tasks, your iPhone should return to a normal operating temperature when you’re done.
Potential solutions:
- A misbehaving app could be what is causing your iPhone to overheat. This app could also be working in the background, and making your iPhone overheat. Check for any apps that were just updated — after all, this issue is often caused by a bad update. If you can’t seem track down the issue, you can follow our guide on .
- If you have reset and restored your iPhone and the issue persists, we encourage you to contact Apple support. A smartphone that is prone to overheating could be suffering from a dangerous hardware problem, one you’ll want to take care of as soon as possible.
Updated on July 17: Added grayed-out speaker section.
Editors' Recommendations
-
Common iOS 13 problems and how to fix them (iOS 13.3.1 update)
-
How to replace your iPhone’s battery
-
How to turn off the camera sound on an iPhone
-
Here are some common Kindle Fire problems, and how to fix them
-
The best iPhone to buy in 2020
