Where is the Microphone on iPhone XR? [Revealed With Images]

Ever since its launch in 2018, we’ve seen users complain about microphone issues of the iPhone XR. If you’re among them, you’ve landed at the right spot. In this guide, we’ll explore where the microphone on iPhone XR is located to help you record crystal-clear audio effectively. 

On top of that, we’ll also lay down some impactful ways to troubleshoot iPhone XR microphone issues.

These include restarting your iPhone, updating its iOS version, and ensuring there’s no blockage in your iPhone’s microphones. With that out of the way, let’s dive in. 

Where is the Microphone on iPhone XR Located?

iPhone XR packs three microphones in total, located on the rear, front, and bottom sides. It’s because it uses different microphones during normal call mode and speakerphone mode.

Further, the rear microphone is used for recording videos. With that said, below is a detailed overview of each microphone location of the iPhone XR. 

Rear iPhone XR Microphone Location

An important iPhone XR microphone is on its rear side, just below the camera sensor and above the flash. This particular microphone is dedicated to recording videos with your camera. It always contributes to noise cancellation when you’re on a call. 

That said, if you face a microphone issue while recording videos from your iPhone, the rear camera is likely misbehaving. A quick fix would be to clean off the dirt from the mic and ensure there’s no blockage. 

Front-Facing iPhone XR Microphone Location

Another iPhone XR microphone is on its front side, just beside the long horizontal speaker. Since this microphone is quite tiny and is covered by the black notch, you may find it hard to spot it perfectly.

Anyhow, this microphone is used for a variety of recording purposes. Examples include FaceTime calls, front camera video recording, and talking to Siri.

If you face a microphone issue when doing any of these tasks, it’s likely the front-facing camera of your iPhone XR is causing it. 

To check if your front-facing microphone works well, start a FaceTime video call or talk to Siri to see if your voice is properly depicted.

Once you’re sure it’s the front-facing microphone of your iPhone that’s misbehaving, try restarting your phone or cleaning the microphone. 

Bottom iPhone XR Microphone Location

Last but not the least, iPhone XR has its third microphone on the bottom side. This microphone is located next to your phone’s lightning connector.

If you think this part of your phone is a speaker, you’ve taken it wrong. That said, this microphone is dedicated to recording audio and calls. 

To test your iPhone’s bottom microphone, place a regular phone call and see if the other person can hear you properly. If not, there might be an issue with your phone’s bottom microphone.

Try cleaning its bottom part to fix the bottom microphone issue on your iPhone XR. 

How to Fix iPhone XR Microphone Issues?

If your iPhone XR’s microphone seems to misbehave, the following fixes might help:

Ensure Microphone Permission is Enabled

If you’re willing to use a microphone on an app like Instagram, you’ll need to enable microphone permission first. You can do so by going to app settings, navigating to permissions, and enabling microphone access. 

Look for Blocked Microphone Openings

Dirt and debris can block your microphone openings in the long run. So, try cleaning your iPhone XR’s microphone openings and see if it helps get the mics to work. 

Restart Your iPhone

It’s not uncommon for software bugs to cause your microphone not to work properly. Restarting your iPhone can help overcome the software bugs and fix its microphone, so be sure to give it a go. 

Try Removing the Screen Protector or Case

If you’ve recently installed a screen protector or case on your iPhone XR, its microphone may be blocked, leading to issues in recording audio. Try removing the screen protector or case and see if the mic works now. 

Remove Accessories

If you’re using accessories like headphones, headsets, or earbuds with your iPhone, try unplugging them. This will force your iPhone to use its own microphones, leading to optimal audio recording quality. 

Restart the Misbehaving App

Consider restarting the app if an app doesn’t let you record audio effectively even after providing microphone access. While doing so, clean the phone memory to eliminate temporary junk files that may be causing your microphone to malfunction. 

Update Your iOS

Last but not the least, a software-hardware incompatibility may be keeping your microphones from working well. As iPhone XR will be supported till 2023, update your iPhone’s iOS version to the latest and see if it helps solve the mic issue. 

People Also Asked

Here we’ll answer the most frequently asked questions regarding microphone location on iPhone XR. 

Q1: How many microphones does the iPhone XR have?

Ans: The iPhone XR packs three microphones on its rear, bottom, and front sides. The rear microphone is dedicated to camera videos and noise cancellation during calls. On the other hand, the front mic is used for FaceTime video calls and front-camera videos.

Lastly, iPhone XR’s bottom camera is generally used for regular phone calls and recording audio. 

Q2: Why can’t I hear properly on my iPhone XR?

Ans: One of the main reasons you may be unable to hear properly on your iPhone XR is that one of its microphones is blocked. To overcome the microphone issue on your iPhone XR, try cleaning its rear, front, and bottom mics.

If that doesn’t work, restart your iPhone and update its iOS to the latest version. 

Q3: How do I test my iPhone microphone?

Ans: You can test your iPhone microphone by placing a regular or a FaceTime call. You can also record a video from your iPhone camera to test the microphone. Also, recording voice notes is another effective way to test your iPhone microphone. 

Final Words

It’s not uncommon for iPhone XR users to encounter microphone issues. Since locating the misbehaving microphone is the first step towards fixing it, we’ve laid down where the microphone is on the iPhone XR in this guide.

To summarize, iPhone XR packs three microphones on its rear, front, and bottom sides. Until next time, cheers!