Released in 2016, theiPhone 7still holds its own as a midrange smartphone. The camera is a great performer, there are dual speakers, and it was the first flagship Apple device to have an IP67 rating for water resistance. If you’ve managed to get your hands on one, then you’re likely still enjoying it, but sometimes a single issue can kill the fun. We’ve been filtering feedback to isolate the main iPhone 7 problems that users are still running into even now, and we’ve got some potential fixes and workarounds to put the smile back on your face.
Problem: iPhone 7 is not charging
Is your iPhone 7 not charging? Don’t worry! It happens. Here’s what to do to get it started again.
Potential solutions:
Problem: Speaker button is grayed out during calls
On some iPhone 7 models, the speaker icon is grayed out when making phone calls. This issue, acknowledged by Apple, affected a small number of users. The company is no longer offering free out-of-warranty repairs for internal speakers.
Potential solution:
Problem: No 3.5mm headphone jack
Apple’sdecision to kill the headphone jackin the iPhone 7 was controversial. Having to use the Lightning port to plug in headphones means that you can’t charge your iPhone 7 while you’re using headphones. Here are two viable workarounds, as there is no solution to a new design.
Problem: iPhone 7 makes a hissing sound
Many iPhone 7 ownerscomplainedabout a hissing sound coming from the back of the device. It’s louder when the iPhone is running a demanding app or game, which suggests that it’s related to the processor. Put your ear next to the Apple logo and run something that requires a lot of processing power to test for yourself.
Issue: Poor battery life
Battery life for the iPhone 7, although pretty good for the most part, did getvarious complaintsaboutrapid battery drain.These complaints often coincide with an OS update, and get solved with a later update.
Problem: Can’t activate your iPhone 7
The iPhone 7 is several years old, but people are still buying and selling secondhand or refurbished units. Here’s what to do if you’re having problems activating your new phone.
Problem: Poor phone call/speaker quality
This is one of the most widely reported iPhone 7 problems — withmultiple threadson the Apple discussion forums. Problems range from incoming audio that’s distant or too low to hear. Apple hasupdated a support pageto help people with sound issues.
Official solution:
Problem: Microphone cuts out
When in the middle of a voice call and using either speakerphone or the handset, the miccuts out, resulting in static and unintelligible sounds. The problem is intermittent. Often, after hanging up and calling again, the static is gone, but the caller is still hard to hear or muted completely.
Problem: Phone app crashes and freezes
Many users took to the Apple discussion forumsto report that thePhone app will crashor lock up when in the Phone app’s settings, in the Recent Calls list, and while making calls using Bluetooth headsets. Soft and hard resets have not fixed the problem, and those who have tried a factory reset have not experienced any changes either.
Problem: 3D Touch no longer working
3D Touch was an integral part of the iPhone 7 andiPhone 7 Plus, making it easier to interact with apps and access their deep settings and features. While 3D Touch is technically still available in hardware, the feature has been deprecated in later versions of the iOS where Haptic Touch has largely replaced 3D Touch and functions similarly. If you find the press and hold feature is not working as you expect, here are some things you may try.
Problem: Touch ID has stopped working
People on the Apple forums have beenhaving trouble with Touch ID. The feature either stopped working completely or was not functioning optimally, with someusers reportingthat they can’t use Touch ID while the iPhone is plugged in and charging.
Problem: Bluetooth issues
As with other smartphones, people have been having troublemaintaining a Bluetooth connection, eitherwith 3rd party wireless headphones, or whentrying to connect their iPhone to a car. Some users have also noticed a much larger drain on the battery when using it.
Problem: Camera displays a black, green, or purple screen
This issue affects users with the iPhone 7 Plus. Users on theApple discussion forumsandRedditcomplained that their iPhone 7 Plus shows a black — or sometimes a green or purple — screen when they use their camera. Sometimes an error also appears that says “Emergency iPhone needs to cool down.” Otherusers reportedthat the Camera app doesn’t load.
Problem: Exterior chips or peels
Apple’s support pagesreport on the likelihood of micro-abrasionson the glossy finish of the jet black iPhone 7, which was prone to scratching. However,a threadthat reached epic proportions on Apple’s discussion forums shows the regular black finish on the iPhone 7 is also prone to chipping and peeling, even when encased.
Workarounds:
Problem: Overheating
Over the years,many iPhone 7 users have complained that the phone can get uncomfortably hot. While it’s normal for smartphones to heat up when performing certain CPU-intensive tasks like broadcasting live video, using Snapchat, or playing games, your iPhone should return to a normal operating temperature when you’re done.
Problem: ‘No Service’ detected
In 2016, Apple acknowledged a bug that caused the iPhone 7 to lose cellular service after coming off Airplane Mode. The company resolved the issue and also launched a repair program dedicated to it — discontinued in 2018. However, we include this older problem in case you encounter it.
