iOS Music App

iOS Music App: a reader asks…

Why does music auto play ever time i plug in my earphones or connect to bluetooth? This occurs on both my iphone and ipad. Very annoying to have to go close the music app when  not wanting to hear music? Is there a fix or setting to stop this?

I previously wrote about this behavior in my article In-car auto-play music. This is an annoying problem, but I’ve found it limited to use in the car, and the solution is to set the car’s audio system on radio or CD instead of leaving it set on streaming.

Anytime I’ve plugged in headphones or connected Bluetooth earbuds (or even a Bluetooth speaker), nothing auto-plays. I do see in the Apple support forums that a few folks have experienced this problem with plugged in headphones/earbuds, and it turned out the iOS device they had was defective – Apple replaced the bad iPhone/iPad and the problem disappeared. If your iPhone and iPad are in warranty or covered under AppleCare, you should contact Apple Support (800) 694-7466 or https://support.apple.com/.

There are plenty of other cases where the problem was with the headphone/earbud connector, worn/frayed earbud cords, and non-Apple headphones with plugs that aren’t quite right to fit in the iPhone. But since your problem is occurring with both wired earphones and Bluetooth, those other cases really don’t apply (unless the only Bluetooth connection you have is with the car, in which case read on below). That it also happens with both your iPhone and iPad is doubly vexing, since it’s unlikely (but possible) that both your iOS devices have a defect.

If the problem is only affecting your corded earphones and Bluetooth is only an issue connecting to your car’s audio system, then we can look at the Bluetooth problem as separate (with its own solution I noted above), and focus on the item that’s the most likely common factor – your wired earphones. Those connect using an earphone plug on your iPhone and  iPad. Check the earphone wires carefully, even if there’s no obvious break in the white plastic covering, there might be broken wires – this usually happens at either the earbud end or the jack end. If you can, borrow or use another pair of Apple earbuds and see if the same auto-playing music thing happens. If it doesn’t then your earphones are likely at fault and you can/should get a new pair.

If this happens regardless of which earphones you plug in, and happens on both your iPhone and iPad, then the only other possibility I can think of is that there’s something in the headphone jack on both iPhone and iPad. Lint can build up in those jacks and cause intermittent connection problems. If there’s enough lint, it can cause shorting between the contacts inside the jack. You can use a can of compressed air and a wooden toothpick to try to clean out the jack.

If none of the above helps, and your devices are out of warranty/AppleCare coverage, then there’s not a lot more you can do other than either living with the annoyance, or replacing the devices.