Turn on iPhone microphone

Method 1: System Settings

It is possible to activate the microphone on an iOS device, for one reason or another, through several sections of the system settings, which are partially linked to each other. If the desired application is not found in the commented configuration categories, be sure to look at the last two solutions within the manual.

Option 1: Privacy Settings

Microphone accessibility control is available in settings "Privacy"located on the system home page "Settings".. Here you must select the marked category "Microphone". and on the next screen, use the sliders against the detected apps.

Pay special attention to the individual settings of each installed application, which can be opened by touching one of the elements at the bottom of the system «Settings». If the app has previously sent data requests, you can activate the microphone with the corresponding slider checked.

Once activated, the microphone is immediately available for use, no reboot is required. If necessary, it is also possible, on the contrary, to revoke the authorization to receive audio in a similar way.

Option 2: Screen time

On any iOS device, screen time can be used to limit different actions, apps, and importantly in this case, individual components. This solution would be relevant in cases where the article "Microphone". is available for one or all of the desired applications, but is not activated (highlighted in gray).

1. 1. Enlarge «Settings» using the icon on the home screen, scroll through the list below and open Screen time.. Here, in turn, it is necessary to address the point "Content and privacy". and select "Microphone" within the category "Privacy"..
   2. To allow the use of a microphone and change related settings, simply check the box next to "Allow changes" and exit this section. The sliders are activated automatically when you revisit the page and also when you try to change the settings of individual apps.

In addition to the procedure described above, you can also simply disable Screen Time, thereby getting rid of any previously set restrictions. However, as this feature is intended to enforce restrictions on the use of the device, you should be aware that any changes may require additional confirmation.

Option 3: Browser Settings

The standard Safari on iOS, as well as many other browsers on PC, offers its own privacy settings for the use of microphones on specific sites. It is important to note here that this in no way applies to third-party mobile browsers, where streaming audio is regulated by only one method discussed above.

From the list of pre-installed apps on «Settings» select "Safari" and scroll to the bottom of the page that opens. Once there, press "Microphone". in subsection "Configuration of websites" and check the checkbox "Allow"..

Upon completion, the permission pop-up will disappear on websites that use the microphone, and audio streaming will begin immediately. Unfortunately, this configuration is not entirely stable, so even with the above, you may still see warnings.

Method 2: Call Management

All calling applications, in one way or another, offer a function to activate or deactivate the microphone, located on a separate screen. Most of the time, the interface does not change and corresponds to the examples of the first option, but there are also some exceptions with minor differences.

Option 1: Standard tools

The easiest and most versatile method to enable a microphone during a dialogue is to use a special button on the general call screen. This solution is especially relevant for the standard "Phone" и "FaceTime"The following examples will serve to illustrate all the following steps.

1. 1. During an active call, expand the settings screen by tapping the top bar on Touch ID devices or the top left corner on Face ID devices. Here you just have to touch and at the same time deactivate the function "Be quiet"..
   2. When using FaceTime, as in the previous case, you have to display the call in the same way, but this time by pressing the button with the microphone icon on the top panel. Also, the feature should be enabled, not disabled.

A successful configuration change can be recognized by a fairly loud beep. In addition to this, the icon when used "Telephone". will become transparent, while in "FaceTime"on the other hand, it will be colored white.

Option 2: Messaging Settings

Most messaging programs provide their own call control interface and therefore allow you to enable the microphone in ways other than those described in the previous section. For example, in the popular Zoom, the audio output is controlled by the button "Sound on." in the left part of the bottom bar of the main screen of the application.

More: Activate the microphone in Zoom, WhatsApp and Discord

If you use Discord, in the internal settings you can only activate the audio transmission during the capture of the speakers or by pressing a special button. At the same time, tools like WhatsApp or Viber are practically indistinguishable in terms of interface from the standard iPhone dialer, aside from a different panel layout.

Method 3: Reinstall the application

In some cases, the application for which you want to activate the microphone may not appear in the settings due to various system errors. The only way to fix this issue is to completely reinstall the app, which will reset all related settings and allow you to activate the desired feature.

1. 1. To start the reinstallation, select the application in "IPhone Storage". and press the button "Delete" o "Download".if you do not want to lose your personal data. An alternative to this method is to long press the client icon on the device's home screen, and then select the corresponding item. Read more: Uninstall apps on iPhone
   2. Once you have resolved the uninstallation of the application, go to the official page of the App Store, press the cloud button and wait for the download to complete. The app icon will reappear on your home screen, and more importantly, the microphone permissions settings should appear. Read more: Downloading Apps on iPhone
   3. If after reinstalling, system setup does not show "Microphone" for the desired application, try to make a call or activate the microphone in another way. This will cause an access rights request to be sent, which you can approve in a special popup window.

Please note that when reinstalling, the download will only be available for those programs that are present in the official app store. This does not apply except to third party programs, for example added through the AltStore.

Method 4: Reboot the device

As a last resort only, in addition to the method above, you can reset your iPhone's settings, which, while not requiring a full device wipe, will undo all permissions granted. To perform this task, you must open "Basic". settings, go to category "Transfer or restart iPhone" and in the menu "Reset". use option "Reset all settings".

Read More: Reset Settings on iPhone

The mobile phone will take some time to complete the task, during which the use will not be available. You can speed up the process somewhat by using the reset function of iTunes or another suitable program on your computer.