Phone speaker sounds muffled or crackly
A blocked speaker grille is the most common cause. Dust or lint builds up and muffles the sound. Check if the bottom or top speaker has visible debris and clean it gently with a dry cloth or a soft brush. If that doesn't help, the speaker itself can be damaged.
Muffled or crackly sound comes from dust and lint blocking the speaker hole. Your phone has two speakers (top and bottom), so if one is blocked, that side will sound broken. Cleaning the grille takes 30 seconds and fixes it in most cases. If the sound is still bad after cleaning, the speaker hardware itself can be damaged.
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Skip — I just want a technicianCommon mistakes to avoid
- Poking or pressing hard into the speaker holes trying to clean them. You can damage the speaker cone or grille, so be gentle
- Using water to clean the speaker. This can push moisture deeper inside, so only use a dry cloth or brush
- Using a hairdryer to dry the speaker. Heat can damage the electronics, just let it air dry naturally
Signs you need professional help
- If you've cleaned the speaker and let it dry for a day and it's still crackling, give us a call and we can check if the speaker is damaged.
Book a technician
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