What to do if your iPad has no sound

🧰 Difficulty: ★★☆☆☆ (Looks easy, hides surprises)

⏱ Time involved: 10–20 minutes

⚠️ Risk level: Low. Most fixes are in settings—unless you start poking at speakers.

💡 Pro insight: Muted, dusty, or lint-filled—that’s most “broken” iPads. Check settings first.

⚙️ Still silent? Visit your nearest uBreakiFix® by Asurion for quick sound diagnostic and repair.

When the sound on your iPad® isn't working or randomly cutting in and out, it can be frustrating—especially when you're in the middle of an important presentation or streaming one of your favorite shows on Netflix®.

But don't worry. At Asurion, our experts help millions of people like you resolve issues like this every day–on all their favorite devices. When tech breaks, we fix it—from frozen laptops to swollen phone batteries. Here's our guide to why your iPad has no sound and what you can do to get it back up and running.

Why is the sound on my iPad not working?

There are several reasons that could lead to the sound not working on your iPad. Here are some of the most common ones:

• Silent mode is turned on.
• A Bluetooth® accessory is connected.
• The application you're listening to isn't working.
• The speakers on your iPad need to be cleaned.
• The network settings on your iPad need to be reset.
• Your operating system needs to be updated.
• The hardware on your iPad is damaged.

How to fix no sound on an iPad

The following steps are for iPads running the iPadOS® 26 operating system or later. If you're unsure which version of iPadOS you have or how to update it, check out the “update your operating system" section of this article.

Make sure Silent Mode is turned off

Most modern iPads no longer have a physical mute switch on the side. Instead, Silent Mode is controlled digitally.

1. Swipe down from the top-right corner of your screen to open the Control Center.
2. Look for the Bell icon. If it is red or highlighted, Silent Mode is ON. Tap it to turn it OFF.

Note: Even if Silent Mode is on, some apps (like YouTube) may still play sound, while others (like games or notifications) will stay silent.

Check audio routing (Bluetooth and AirPlay)

If your iPad is connected to wireless headphones or an AirPlay speaker in another room, you won't hear sound from the built-in speakers.

• Control Center: Tap the AirPlay icon (the triangle with circles) in the music playback box. Ensure iPad is selected as the output source.
• Bluetooth: Go to Settings > Bluetooth and toggle it OFF entirely to force the sound back to the iPad speakers.

Test the "Ringer and Alerts" Slider

If your media volume is up but you can't hear notifications, your "Alerts" volume might be separate.

• Go to Settings > Sounds (or Sounds & Haptics).
• Drag the Ringer and Alerts slider back and forth.
  • If you hear a chirp, your speakers are working.
  • If the slider is grayed out, your iPad might think it's still connected to headphones.

Check your sound settings

This will help you determine whether your iPad speakers are damaged and need to be repaired or replaced.

1. Tap Settings > Sounds & Haptics (or Sounds on some older models).
2. Find the Ringer and Alerts slider.
3. Drag the slider back and forth a few times.

Clean your speakers and ports

Dirt, debris, or lint trapped in the speaker grilles or the charging port can muffle sound or trick the iPad into "Headphone Mode."

• Remove any cases or screen protectors that might be blocking the speaker openings.
• Gently clean the speaker grilles using a small, soft-bristled brush (a clean, dry toothbrush works perfectly).
• Carefully inspect the charging port. If compressed lint is inside, it can cause audio routing issues. Use a non-metallic tool (like a wooden toothpick) to gently remove debris.

Restart or force restart

A restart clears minor software glitches that can cause the audio driver to hang.

• For iPads without a Home Button: Quickly press and release Volume Up. Quickly press and release Volume Down. Press and hold the Top Power Button until the Apple logo appears.
• For iPads with a Home Button: Press and hold both the Home and Top buttons until you see the Apple logo.

Reset your network connections

If your iPad only has sound problems during Wi-Fi or cellular calls, try this step to clear out any mismatched signals.

1. Go to Settings > General > Transfer or Reset iPad.
2. Tap Reset > Reset Network Settings.
3. Enter your passcode and confirm. Note: This will remove saved Wi-Fi passwords.

Update your operating system

An outdated operating system can occasionally cause the sound on your iPad to stop working. To avoid this, check to see if any new updates are available.

1. Connect to Wi-Fi and go to Settings > General > Software Update.
2. If an update is available, tap Download and Install.

Reset all settings

Before erasing your data, try resetting system configurations. This won't delete your photos or apps, but it will return settings like volume, display, and privacy to their defaults.

• Go to Settings > General > Transfer or Reset iPad > Reset.
• Tap Reset All Settings.

Factory reset your iPad

If none of the previous steps resolve the problem, it may be time to factory reset your device. This will wipe your iPad clean and help clear out viruses or more serious software issues that could be causing your iPad to have no sound. To do so and safely back up your personal information, see this article on how to reset an iPad to factory settings.