How to Connect 3.5mm Wired Earphones to iPhone

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As you may already know, iPhone doesn’t come up with a 3.5mm jack so you can’t plug wired earphones into it directly. There is only one port available on iPhone i.e. Lightning port which is for charging purpose. Apple also stopped providing wall charger and earphones with iPhone packaging box in 2020.

Connect wired earphones to your iPhone

There are mainly two types of earphones available in the market today: wireless and wired. Apple also provides both wireless AirPods and wired EarPods that you can buy separately as accessories. While wireless earphones may be more portable and easy-to-use, most people still prefer wired earphones as they are less expensive and can be plugged into your phone more quickly.

Getting wireless headphones to pair with your iPhone via Bluetooth is a task in itself. On the other hand, wired earphones only needs to be plugged into the jack and you are good to go! If you have a 3.5mm wired earphones and you want to connect them with your iPhone or iPad, we will show you how to do that. This is possible with the help of a simple adapter. We will also look at some other ways in this article.

How to use 3.5mm wired earphones with iPhone

iPhones only have a Lightning port so if you want to connect wired earphones to your device, you will need to buy a Lightning to 3.5mm headphone jack adapter. This will allow you to plug earphones with a 3.5mm jack into your iPhone. One end of this adapter has a Lightning connector that will go inside the charging port of your iOS device. The other end has a 3.5mm jack where you can plug in your wired earphones. There is nothing extra you need to do – it’s a very simple plug-and-play solution!

Apple Lightning to 3.5mm Headphone Jack Adapter

Apple Lightning to 3.5 mm Headphone Jack Adapter

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Key features

  • Works with all Apple iPhones that have a Lightning connector including iPhone X, Phone 8/8 Plus, 7/7 Plus, iPhone 11 series, iPhone 12 lineup, iPhone 13 models, and higher.
  • Provides best quality audio output to your earphones
  • Works with all 3.5mm headphones and earphones
  • Also works with iPad and iPod Touch

Apple Lightning to 3.5mm headphone jack adapter is manufactured by Apple itself. You can use this adapter to connect any wired earphones to your iPhone. This is a genuine Apple product which comes with a 1 year warranty. It is compatible with all iPhone and iPad models running on iOS 10 or higher that have a Lightning connector.

How to connect

Here’s a step-by-step guide –

  1. Plug the Lightning connector of the adapter into your iPhone charging port.
  2. Insert your wired earphones or headphones in the 3.5mm jack on the Lightning to 3.5mm adapter. Make sure to clean your headphones before using.
  3. When you connect for the first time, you will get a prompt message on your iPhone asking you to confirm if you have connected a pair of headphones. Tap the Headphones option and you are good to go!
  4. To test if your wired earphones have been connected successfully, open any music app on your iPhone such as Spotify or YouTube and play any song.

Sounce 3.5mm Headphone Jack Adapter Connector

Sounce 3.5 mm Headphone Jack Adapter Connector

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The original Apple Lightning to 3.5mm adapter is a little pricey. If you are looking for a cheaper alternative, this one is a good product. It does a pretty good job. There is nothing bulky or heavy about this adapter, it is very lightweight and extremely portable. The original Apple adapter would be our recommendation if we were asked about which adapter to choose. However, if cost is a major factor you’re considering, then this Sounce adapter is also not a bad choice.

Use Apple earphones with Lightning connector

Apple EarPods with Lightning connector

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If you are looking to buy a new pair of headphones for your iPhone, you can buy the ones that comes with a Lightning connector. This way, you don’t have to purchase a 3.5mm to Lightning headphone jack adapter separately. Apple manufactures its own EarPods with Lightning connector. They can be plugged into the charging port of your iPhone directly.

Key features

  • Easy and comfortable to fit in your ears
  • Compatible with all Apple devices that have a Lightning port
  • Volume control buttons to increase or decrease the volume
  • Control the playback of music with play/pause button
  • Pick up and end calls with a pinch of the cord

How to connect 3.5mm Apple EarPods with USB-C port devices

If you have a 3.5mm Apple EarPods and you want to connect them with a non-iOS device that has a USB-C port instead of the Lightning connector, then you will need to buy a different headphone jack adapter which is called Type C to 3.5mm adapter. On one end of this adapter, you get a USB type C connector that will go inside the USB port on your smartphone or PC, while on the other hand, you can plug in your wired earphones in the 3.5 mm jack.

You can check out this Type C to 3.5 mm jack audio connector by Sounce. It’s compatible with all OnePlus models and other smartphones that have a USB-C port.

3.5 mm Apple EarPods with USB-C port adapter

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Conclusion

Since Apple devices lack a 3.5mm jack, it seems impossible to connect wired headphones to them. But all you need is the right adapter to make this possible. Lightning to 3.5 mm jack adapter enables you to connect any wired earphones to your iPhone or iPad. We hope this guide has been helpful to you. The comment section is open below where you can ask your personal queries. Stay tuned with our website for more interesting guides!

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Vivek Chaudhary Author
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Vivek Chaudhary is an experienced tech blogger who has been writing about technology for more than ten years. He's written over 1500 articles covering various tech topics. Vivek is passionate about sharing his expertise to help others. Beyond the digital realm, he enjoys traveling and creating videos on YouTube. Feel free to contact here: vivek@geekinstructor.com

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