You don’t have the Built In Speaker volume limit set by chance? Located under Sounds and Haptics?
Got a tip for us?
Let us know
Become a MacRumors Supporter for $50/year with no ads, ability to filter front page stories, and private forums.
iPhone 17 Pro and Pro Max Users Report Static Speaker Noise While Charging
- Thread starter MacRumors
- Start date
- Sort by reaction score
Disappointing to hear. Luckily I have not faced the issue on my 17 Pro Max. Hopefully the issue is not widespread and a software update should probably fix it.
I am relieved to report that I do not have this issue. I have a Christmas Day 17 Pro Max 256GB in silver. I charge wirelessly on my night stand right next to my ear and I have excellent hearing. Perhaps it’s been addressed at the factory already, or it is not universal across the line. Let’s hope.
Correction: I DO in fact have this issue. After another user pointed out I needed to be charged above 80% and plugged into a wired charger, I tried again and if I put my ear right to the speaker I can hear it. It was very, very quiet and required conditions I will not normally meet. I’m sure Apple will sort it out. In the meantime, fortunately it will not impact me.
Correction: I DO in fact have this issue. After another user pointed out I needed to be charged above 80% and plugged into a wired charger, I tried again and if I put my ear right to the speaker I can hear it. It was very, very quiet and required conditions I will not normally meet. I’m sure Apple will sort it out. In the meantime, fortunately it will not impact me.
Last edited:
Hopefully a software update should probably fix it for the very small number of users affected.
Apples true expertise is avoiding taking responsibility for faults until the pressure becomes so great they cannot deny the problem any longer.
Highly skilled at using phrases like "only a limited number are affected" buys them time during which the customers who think Apple can do no wrong, chime in with "I don't have that issue".
The list of issues like the 15" MacBook Pro Battery Failures, the butterfly keyboard problems and other issues languished for years until Apple caved in, finally admitting the problem and issuing recalls and service campaigns.
If not for their power and influence over the faithful, these issues would be addressed in a timely fashion. One would think with the company's massive resources they would put the customer first and immediately do the right thing. But this behemoth with an insatiable obsession for more money will drag out facing their responsibilities as long as they can get away with it.
Welcome to Apple's World.
Detailed report: iPhone 17 PM Static/Buzzing Noise (Charging vs Unplugged) + Audio Proof
Hi everyone,
I’ve been owning an iPhone 17 Pro Max since late November (256GB, Silver, eSIM). I can confirm I am also experiencing these static noise issues (buzzing and sometimes high-pitched squealing/whining). I noticed it from day one, even before reading about this widespread issue online.
For reference, the noise is audible in a quiet environment and is roughly as loud as the system audio would be at "2 clicks" up from zero volume.
That being said, the system volume setting itself has no influence on the loudness of the static noise. It remains at a constant volume whether the phone is set to 0%, 50%, or 100% (provided there is no other louder audio playing to mask it).
Charging behavior:
I hear it very distinctly when the battery is charging (usually limited to 80%). I want to clarify that I exclusively use high-quality chargers: Anker Prime Charger 250W + Anker cable, or the official Apple brick and cable.
Triggers:
The static is audible in many situations when the phone is under load:
Source of the noise:
To corroborate other reports: the signal comes mainly from the bottom-left speaker area. If I cover it with my finger, the noise becomes almost inaudible. I say "almost" because the top earpiece speaker seems to emit the noise as well, though it sounds more subtle and less aggressive there.
Unplugged behavior:
Beyond charging tests, I also tested the device while running on battery. To my surprise, the static does not disappear completely. It is present but at a much lower level that I hadn't consciously noticed before. But it definitely exists in both scenarios.
Audio Proof / Replication:
I recorded this using the Apple Voice Memos app while scrolling Reddit and scrubbing muted videos. Listening to these recordings at max volume undeniably confirms the presence and nature of the electrical interference.
File 1: Phone charging (80%), Reddit navigation:
voca.ro
File 2: Phone unplugged at the beginning of the audio, Reddit navigation:
voca.ro
Hoping this helps advance the understanding of the problem. Thanks for reading.
Hi everyone,
I’ve been owning an iPhone 17 Pro Max since late November (256GB, Silver, eSIM). I can confirm I am also experiencing these static noise issues (buzzing and sometimes high-pitched squealing/whining). I noticed it from day one, even before reading about this widespread issue online.
For reference, the noise is audible in a quiet environment and is roughly as loud as the system audio would be at "2 clicks" up from zero volume.
That being said, the system volume setting itself has no influence on the loudness of the static noise. It remains at a constant volume whether the phone is set to 0%, 50%, or 100% (provided there is no other louder audio playing to mask it).
Charging behavior:
I hear it very distinctly when the battery is charging (usually limited to 80%). I want to clarify that I exclusively use high-quality chargers: Anker Prime Charger 250W + Anker cable, or the official Apple brick and cable.
Triggers:
The static is audible in many situations when the phone is under load:
- Waking the screen for 1-2 seconds.
- Simply scrolling through Home Screen pages.
- Most virulent scenario: Doom-scrolling on Reddit for a few seconds.
- Worst case: Opening a video on Reddit in Mute mode and scrubbing the timeline/slider back and forth (see my audio files below).
Source of the noise:
To corroborate other reports: the signal comes mainly from the bottom-left speaker area. If I cover it with my finger, the noise becomes almost inaudible. I say "almost" because the top earpiece speaker seems to emit the noise as well, though it sounds more subtle and less aggressive there.
Unplugged behavior:
Beyond charging tests, I also tested the device while running on battery. To my surprise, the static does not disappear completely. It is present but at a much lower level that I hadn't consciously noticed before. But it definitely exists in both scenarios.
Audio Proof / Replication:
I recorded this using the Apple Voice Memos app while scrolling Reddit and scrubbing muted videos. Listening to these recordings at max volume undeniably confirms the presence and nature of the electrical interference.
File 1: Phone charging (80%), Reddit navigation:
Vocaroo | Online voice recorder
Vocaroo is a quick and easy way to share voice messages over the interwebs.
voca.ro
File 2: Phone unplugged at the beginning of the audio, Reddit navigation:
Vocaroo | Online voice recorder
Vocaroo is a quick and easy way to share voice messages over the interwebs.
voca.ro
Hoping this helps advance the understanding of the problem. Thanks for reading.
They have stopped QC testing products for a long time, for financial gains.
"I don't have this issue" as helpful as this comment is there is an absolute plethora of users with this issue.
Myself being one of them, it started with iOS 26.1 and whilst I hope for the issue to be fixed via a software update deep down it just seems like a hardware issue, especially after Apples new stance on this is that it is within tolerance.
Myself being one of them, it started with iOS 26.1 and whilst I hope for the issue to be fixed via a software update deep down it just seems like a hardware issue, especially after Apples new stance on this is that it is within tolerance.
No hoop jumping here, just unlocking the phone whilst connected to my MacBook produces the noise whilst in an admittedly quiet room. You don't have the issue nor does your wife, that's great. But don't trivialise peoples experiences, these are high end devices. The details matter.
I just watched the video on the article and mine isn’t that bad 😳 Mine is a faint buzzing/static noise - I thought it was coming from the charge port itself. I’ll try to capture it later.
If you watch the video closely, you'll see he is using some microphone for it to catch the sound. Of course it's not that loud in reality, it's just so he can show what it sounds like. You can hear it only when you push the speaker directly to your ear or when in a super quiet environment.
And those charging wirelessly saying they did not notice it - of course you did not, mine is doing it only on wired charger.
me too!
the worst iphone ever qa made, static noise and terrible model logics, baseband issue everytime!
They probably deliberately removed the charger from the box, so they dont need to test charging capabilities and deny all responsibility.
Idiot sheep like this …. The article and other people say it happens with the official chargers. Now get your face out of Tim’s ass
I have the same problem as well. I discovered it in the evening a day or two after receiving the phone, when the only thing I was doing was arranging apps on the Home Screen in silence with the phone connected to the charger, and the noise was becoming increasingly intense. Then I checked the camera and discovered another form of noise.
I first contacted Apple Support on September 24. I reported noise from the left speaker while charging, as well as a constant hissing noise when turning on the camera, coming from the central part of the camera plateau. There were many phone calls, questions and requests for attachments such as photos of the phone from every side, photos of the cable (original Apple), the charger (original Apple), and recordings showing the cable plugged in while charging and unplugged. They actually completely ignored the issue of the noise coming from the camera plateau.
They wanted to take my phone for disassembly and inspection of the internal components, but I refused. They then came back with a proposal to replace the phone with a new one after taking the old one. I agreed, but unfortunately the new one has the same problem.
New updates haven’t improved anything. I’ve learned to somewhat ignore the issue, but honestly, none of my previous iPhones had this problem and it’s not something that should be acceptable. I have the contact details of the Apple technician to whom I sent the phone, but neither Apple Support nor the technician have provided any information about what caused the defect in the returned phone.
On Reddit/Apple Discussions people reported replacing their phone with a new one more than three times and each one had the same issue. Apple has not issued any statement or addressed what it plans to do about this so far. I remember replacing my Apple AirPods Pro twice due to static noise, and everything went smoothly thanks to the repair program.
And here? They prefer to replace phones with new ones for essentially no reason. So now you actually have a great opportunity to replace your phones if you’ve already managed to scratch them - all you need is noise from the left speaker while charging… This is not what I expected from Apple.
Besides that, the situation in the media is relatively quiet. No one is taking the phone apart on YouTube to look for the cause of the problem, and in fact it’s not known what it comes from or why it would be considered "normal" if it wasn’t a standard issue in previous phones. So the question can be asked: will the iPhone 18 and later models also use this "standard"?
I first contacted Apple Support on September 24. I reported noise from the left speaker while charging, as well as a constant hissing noise when turning on the camera, coming from the central part of the camera plateau. There were many phone calls, questions and requests for attachments such as photos of the phone from every side, photos of the cable (original Apple), the charger (original Apple), and recordings showing the cable plugged in while charging and unplugged. They actually completely ignored the issue of the noise coming from the camera plateau.
They wanted to take my phone for disassembly and inspection of the internal components, but I refused. They then came back with a proposal to replace the phone with a new one after taking the old one. I agreed, but unfortunately the new one has the same problem.
New updates haven’t improved anything. I’ve learned to somewhat ignore the issue, but honestly, none of my previous iPhones had this problem and it’s not something that should be acceptable. I have the contact details of the Apple technician to whom I sent the phone, but neither Apple Support nor the technician have provided any information about what caused the defect in the returned phone.
On Reddit/Apple Discussions people reported replacing their phone with a new one more than three times and each one had the same issue. Apple has not issued any statement or addressed what it plans to do about this so far. I remember replacing my Apple AirPods Pro twice due to static noise, and everything went smoothly thanks to the repair program.
And here? They prefer to replace phones with new ones for essentially no reason. So now you actually have a great opportunity to replace your phones if you’ve already managed to scratch them - all you need is noise from the left speaker while charging… This is not what I expected from Apple.
Besides that, the situation in the media is relatively quiet. No one is taking the phone apart on YouTube to look for the cause of the problem, and in fact it’s not known what it comes from or why it would be considered "normal" if it wasn’t a standard issue in previous phones. So the question can be asked: will the iPhone 18 and later models also use this "standard"?
Last edited:
Nice, so you're health shaming others.
Got it.
I have two 17 PM - release-day phones - and (thankfully) do not have it. I almost exclusively use Anker chargers (140W and 65W USB-C, sometimes charger USB-A port).
Otherwise the phone is a total POS - we used our 16/16 Plus for European family photos because the 17PM is awful.
Do you have a fixed number for that small set of users affected by this problem?
One is one to many.
Just realized I also have this issue. But it’s very quiet. Shame. Looks like Samsung is better quality these days. Even software has less bugs than bugOS
Odd. I don’t have a cheap ac adapter or a cheap cord, and yet I too hear the sound.
it’s almost like your patronizing assumption is dead wrong.