Have a busted headphone jack in your iPhone 5s? Not being able to listen to music, podcasts, and other kinds of audio is a complete bummer. Not only that, if your iPhone thinks headphones are plugged in when they aren’t, a broken headphone jack can mess with sound through the speaker too. Other symptoms could include crackling or audio cutting in and out sporadically. If any of this sounds like something you’re experiencing, a DIY iPhone repair can not only save the day, if you’re out of warranty, it’ll cost a heck of a lot less than a new iPhone.
Note: The headphone jack in the iPhone 5s is actually part of the dock assembly. This means you’ll be replacing the entire dock in order to restore functionality.
What you need to DIY replace a broken iPhone 5s headphone jack port
You’ll need some tools and parts in order to repair your iPhone 5s. If you’re in the United States or Canada, we highly recommend checking out eTech Parts as we’ve had lots of good experiences with them and know their customer service is out of this world. All the links below will route you to the direct item on eTech’s site.
- Replacement iPhone 5s dock – Buy black dock, Buy white dock
- Suction cup – Buy now
- 5-point security screwdriver – Buy now
- Standard #000 Phillips screwdriver – Buy now
- Spudger tool – Buy now
- Razor blade – Buy Now
- iSesamo Opening tool – Buy Now
1. Power off your iPhone 5s
Before performing any repair on any device, always remember to power it off. Simply hold down on the Power button until you see Slide to Power off. One you’re sure your iPhone 5s is turned off, proceed to the next section.
2. Remove the two security screws on both sides of the dock connector
There are two security screws that secure your device’s screen to its frame, and they sit on each side of the dock connector. Use your 5-point security screwdriver to remove them. They are both the same size, so it’s okay if you mix them up.
3. Remove the display assembly
*Note: I recommend the suction cup method here, but if you can’t get a firm grip with a suction cup, you can use a razor blade or the iSesamo opening tool. Carefully work your way around the bottom of the phone between the frame and display assembly with a razor blade or the iSesamo Opening Tool until you can gently pry up the screen using the flat end of your spudger tool. We recommend using plastic razor blades if you can find them, since they won’t cause damage to the finish of the iPhone’s frame.
4. Disconnect the battery
This is as far as you need to go. It isn’t necessary to completely remove the battery, but it’s always a good idea to disconnect it before replacing any components. This prevents any shorts from happening if the Power button accidentally gets pushed during the course of a repair.
5. Remove the loud speaker assembly
6. Replace the entire dock assembly, including headphone jack
Once you’ve got the Dock connector in place, try plugging in a Lightning connector to ensure that it is lined up correctly. It also is not a bad idea to plug in a pair of headphones as well to be sure that it goes in with no resistance. This way, if something is aligned improperly, you can fix it before re-assembling the rest of the device.
If everything appears to be aligned correctly with the replacement, continue on to finish re-assembling your iPhone 5s.
7. Reconnect the battery
8. Replace the display assembly
If the display doesn’t want to go back down, do NOT force it. Instead, be sure that the top is lined up correctly and that you aren’t snagging any cables. There should be no resistance when snapping it back into place. If there is, you aren’t lining it up correctly.
9. Replace the dock connector screws
Use your 5-point security screwdriver to replace the two dock connector screws that sit on either side of the dock.
10. Test the new dock and headphone jack
Once your iPhone 5s is completely re-assembled, not only will you need to check the headphone jack but the dock functions as well. In order to do so, complete the following tests:
- Plug your iPhone 5s into a charger and ensure it charges correctly. Monitor it for overheating.
- Plug in a pair of headphones and ensure you can hear through them.
- Turn the volume up and down with headphones plugged in and unplugged.
- Test sounds both from your ringer, loud speaker on a call, and music or some other kind of audio.
- Listen to music or some kind of audio to ensure you don’t hear any bad feedback. Also twist the headphones around in the socket to be sure that doesn’t cause interference or issues.
If all of the above checks out okay, give yourself a pat on the back, you successfully fixed your iPhone 5s headphone jack!
More iPhone DIY repair
- The ultimate guide to replacing iPhone batteries
- The ultimate guide to fixing smashed iPhone screens
- Everything you need to know about iPhone DIY repair