Some iPhone users who updated to iOS 26 report losing sound for incoming texts, keyboard clicks, and email alerts. Notifications still arrive, but the phone stays silent. Luckily, this is usually a settings hiccup rather than a hardware fault.
Here’s how to bring your sound back.
Table of contents
1. Check the Mute Switch
On the left side of your iPhone, above the volume buttons, is the physical Mute switch. If it’s flipped down toward the back of the phone, your device is in silent mode.
- Flip the switch forward (toward the screen) to turn sound back on.
- If the switch looks correct but you still have no sound, toggle it back and forth a few times. Some users found this restored their alert sounds.
This issue is similar to other iOS 26 quirks like icons appearing blurry or notifications not showing correctly.
2. Make Sure Do Not Disturb Isn’t On
iOS 26 puts Do Not Disturb and other Focus modes inside Control Center.
- Swipe down from the top-right corner.
- Look for the crescent moon icon.
- If it’s lit, Do Not Disturb is active and will silence message, mail, and keyboard sounds. Tap it once to disable.
If you’re new to Focus in iOS 26, you can also explore other customization options like making the clock bigger on iPhone or setting custom snooze durations for alarms.
3. Restart Your iPhone
If neither the mute switch nor Do Not Disturb explains the silence, restart your iPhone. A quick reboot clears minor glitches that can appear after an update. A force restart is even better since it reloads system processes that a normal restart doesn’t always touch.
4. Reset All Settings (If Needed)
Still no sound? Try resetting system settings without wiping data:
Go to Settings → General → Transfer or Reset iPhone → Reset → Reset All Settings.
This clears custom preferences (like Wi-Fi passwords) but keeps your apps and files safe. It’s the same reset that often resolves Face ID not working or Bluetooth problems.
Summary
Most sound issues after iOS 26 come down to the mute switch or Do Not Disturb mode being active. Flip the switch, check the moon icon, and restart your phone. In stubborn cases, resetting settings should get your alerts and keyboard clicks back. If nothing helps, you might be looking at a deeper system bug like those covered in our roundup of all reported iOS 26 issues.
FAQ
Usually no. Most users still hear incoming calls — it’s text, email, and keyboard sounds that get silenced.
Rarely. If sound works in videos and calls but not for notifications, it’s almost always software settings.
Apple may patch related notification bugs in iOS 26.0.1, but the mute switch and Focus mode are the most common culprits.
Some of the text tones have disappeared on iPhone so no announcing of texts. I had to chose new ones for several contacts. The battery level indicator disappeared on Apple watch. The swipe up items had disappeared. Had to put it on as a “complication” on watch face. Which means I lost one of my other ones. iOS 26.3.1 receives a failing grade from me. Have not found anything I like about it.
My problem is the same as Sarah’s. I got them working by turning NOTIFICATIONS OFF, then back on. BUT it seems like somle days they work and some days they don’t. My volume is also lower than it was.
I also don’t get these messaging sounds. What’s strange is one day I get them and the next day I don’t. What’s up?
I just updated to iOS 26.0.1, and I’ve lost the sound confirmation when a charging cable is plugged in and the sound when I manually lock the screen. I’ve tried troubleshooting already. Are these known issues? Thank you.