Best Headphones for iPhone

With smartphones becoming a part and parcel of every person’s life, there is a high demand for these phones in the market. While there are different types of brands offering smartphones of various quality, classes, and prices to fit into everyone’s pocket, there is the iPhone that has set a particular standard. One of the most sought-after smartphones in this day and age, the iPhone comes from the most powerful brand in the world, Apple Inc., and has taken the market by storm. 

Although the iPhone has become a popular household name in America, or rather, across the globe, it is still seen in several situations as a sign of one’s social status. This is one of the reasons why having an iPhone is a style statement for several people. Aside from this, the numerous features of this smartphone from Apple are the main reasons for its growing popularity. Right from a college student to a business tycoon, it is the iPhone that they all prefer to have. 

Best Headphones for iPhone

For all those who own this crowd-pulling product from Apple, it is not just a mere phone for them to make calls, text, or dive into social media platforms. It is, instead, a small portable laptop, a gaming console, an on-the-go media player, your office assistant with several other functionalities in a single device.  To get the most out of an iPhone and its incredible sound quality, you need good headphones to go with it. 

While some previous versions of the iPhone came bundled with Earpods, the wired earphones from Apple, the company has eliminated the 3.5 mm headphone jack from its last few models- from iPhone 7 to all its predecessors till now. Yes, this means that the iPhone has now gone completely wireless. 

If you look for wireless earbuds for iPhone, or the best headphones for iPhone in-store or online, the collection is vast if not unlimited as in the case of some other smartphones from the well-reputed brands.  Here, in this article, after careful consideration of several reviews, ratings, and expert recommendations, we have curated a list of the best headphones for iPhone that are available today. 

But before that, you need to keep a few factors in mind that will help you get the right pair of headphones or earbuds for your iPhone so you can get the best experience out of it. 

List of Best Headphones for iPhone: Best In-Ear Headphone for iPhone

Well, if you are an iPhone owner, then the best thing to do is to go wireless on headphones, especially with Earpods not being an option anymore. There are several headphone options available that are perfect for iPhones including Apple’s Airpods. Here, we will cover some top-rated wireless earbuds for iPhones and headphones across different price points that work perfectly with iPhones. 

Sennheiser Momentum 2.0 (Best Headphones for iPhone for Audiophiles): 

If you do not mind an extended budget and want to pamper yourself with a premium accessory, then Sennheiser Momentum 2.0 is One of the best headphones for iPhone, perfect for audiophile ears. This over-ear headphone has thick leather ear pads along with a leather finish headband that elevates the overall look of this headphone. While thick ear padding gives a premium feel, it may feel a bit heavy to some. 

This headphone from Sennheiser is engineered with 18 Ohm sound drivers that deliver majestic sound across a wide frequency range of 16 Hz to 22,000 Hz. You will love its well-balanced rich sound that has clean, heavy bass that is not overemphasized, a clear mid-range, and undistorted highs. Owing to the light EQ boost, the sound is warm, just enough to have a pleasant listening experience. 

To add to more high-class audio, the headphone features active noise-canceling technology that perfectly eliminates the ambient noise allowing you to focus on your music completely. 

The headphone is collapsible ensuring easy storage and has an outstanding battery life of 22 hours even when the active noise canceling feature is on. This means you can have unlimited listening without worrying about having to charge in a couple of days. The headphone falls under the premium category with a price tag of $389.99. 

Downsides: 

• The exceptionally high price tag limits its options to only a few customers.
• The leather material may produce heat in the ears when worn for a long period of time.
• iPhones are not compatible with the headset’s aptX support.

Sony WH-1000XM4 (Overall Best iPhone Headphone): 

One of the best iPhone headphones, Sony covers almost everything you expect a good pair of audio gear to have. From a perfect Bluetooth connectivity with 40 feet range for seamless audio streaming to an incredible battery life of 30 hours, this headphone is something you cannot ignore if you are flexible with your budget. It also has a 10 minutes power change feature that will give you 5 hours of playback. 

These Sony extra bass headphones feature active noise-canceling technology filtering out the ambient noise giving you a quieter environment, so you can enjoy your music. The touch-sensitive controls are easy to operate with volume controls, play and pause, voice assistant activation, and call management. 

When it comes to sound quality, Sony is known for its powerful signature bassy sound and WH-1000XM4 has the same rich sound. The lightweight build makes it the best headphones for iPhone. It has a price tag of $278.00.

Downsides:

• The headphone does not have water or dust resistant protection.
• An expensive option for some.
• No aptX support.

Apple Airpods Max Bluetooth Headphones Apple (Best Headphones for iPhone With Outstanding Sound): 

Apple’s first pair of over-ear headphones, Apple Airpods Max has an unbeatable sound. This pair of headphones is exclusively for Apple devices and are not compatible with other mobiles. Even though the headphones are quite expensive with a price tag of $425.00, if you are flexible with the budget, then you should take into account its incredibly immersive surround sound from 5.1, 7.1, and Dolby Atmos will give you a cinematic experience. 

Other than the hi-fidelity sound, the Airpods are made of high-quality material offering ultimate comfort even though the overall weight of this headphone is heavier than the Sony WH-1000XM4. If you are very sensitive about weight, then this might give me something to think about. 

With a battery life of 20 hours, ANC feature, effortless Bluetooth pairing, and spatial audio, these pair are sure one of the best iPhone headphones available in the market. 

Downside: 

• Expensive 
• Only compatible with Apple devices.

Jabra Elite Active 65t Earbuds – True Wireless Earbuds (Affordable True Wireless Earbuds for iPhone)

Many people presume that the accessories of the iPhone always have to be high-end ones for it to work properly. Well, that is not true. Here is a decent pair of wireless earbuds for the iPhone that comes with an affordable price tag of $60.00. 

Unlike the headphones that we have listed so far, this one is in-ear true wireless earbuds. The earbuds deliver clear and high-quality audio and are engineered with an accelerometer to track your workout. The powerful sound with EQ setting through the compatible app is perfect enough to keep your energy boosted during your gym sessions. 

Other than that the 5-hour battery life with a single charge and a total of 15 hours is decent. But the company could have done much better in the battery department. The 4 built-in mics allow clear communication. These wireless earbuds for iPhone may not be the best option to go for, but if you are looking for pocket-friendly earpieces, this one can serve the purpose well. 

Downside: 

A few users have pointed out that the earbuds cause ear fatigue when worn for long hours and the tight seal can get uncomfortable. However, choosing the right size earbuds can resolve the latter issue to some extent.

Bose QuietComfort Noise Cancelling Earbuds (Most Comfortable Wireless Earbuds for iPhone) :

If you are looking for a comfortable pair of wireless earbuds for the iPhone, the Quiet comfort from Bose is sure to be an appealing option that you cannot ignore. The earbuds are engineered with active noise canceling technology (ANC) that filters the surrounding noise effectively giving you an enhanced listening experience. 

Supported by Bluetooth 5.1 technology, the earpieces allow seamless audio streaming and can pair with your iPhone instantly. With high-quality sound and a volume-optimized equalizer, you will get the best out of these earbuds when paired with your Apple phone. 

 The battery life is 6 hours when charged fully once, and its charging case has a backup of 12 more hours which combined has a pretty impressive performance. The earbud is also IPX4 certified for sweat resistance which makes it an ideal option for jogging or workouts. The earbud will cost you $279.00 which is definitely on the higher end of the price scale for an earbud. 

Downside: 

It is an expensive pair of earbuds and not everyone can afford it or would want to spend this much for a pair of earbuds.

Powerbeats Pro Wireless Earbuds (Best Apple Earbuds Wireless for Sports):

Perfect for fitness lovers and sports enthusiasts, this pair of earbuds are designed with an around-the-ear loop that offers a grip and will prevent the buds from falling off due to jerks. One of the best Apple earbuds wireless, this product offers a combination of comfortable wear, durable make, and high-fidelity sound quality. 

Power Beats Pro is engineered with an Apple Headphones chip and is supported by Class one Bluetooth that gives a good connectivity range allowing you to move around without having to carry your mobile. The earbuds have an incredible battery life of 9 hours along with a whopping 24 hours of battery back up in the charging case. You can go without charging it for 2 to 3 days when moderately used.

Packed with state-of-the-art features along with a price tag of $127.00, this is a pretty good deal when compared with some of the other offerings from different brands.  However, do note that the earbuds are available in a range of 5 different and the price varied with the colors. 

Apple AirPods Pro (Best Apple Earbuds Wireless): 

When it is an iPhone, Apple Airpods Pro cannot get away without a mention in the best headphones for iPhone category. These Apple earbuds wireless are the improved version of its predecessor. The earbud features amazingly immersive surround sound, software simulated Dolby Atmos sound together with the active noise canceling feature. You can also activate Siri through the Airpods hand-free. 

When you are on a busy road, you can activate its transparency mode to let the ambient noise in. The Apple earbuds wireless has mics that offer a crystal clear calling. The latest H1 chip integrated into the earbuds allows easy one-tap pairing with the iPhones and can switch easily between devices.  

The battery of these wireless earbuds for the iPhone will give you a run time of 5 hours along with a 24 hours backup charging case. The best part about the Airpods Pro is that they are compatible with Android devices as well and are not exclusive to iPhones only. 

Edifier TWS NB2 True Wireless Earbuds for iPhone (Best Performing Pocket-friendly Apple Earbuds Wireless)

Here’s yet another contender to the best headphones for iPhone list under the $100 mark. The earbuds have a chic design with several features that gives this set a competitive edge over many other similar products. Integrated with a dual microphone for active noise cancellation and crystal clear voice, the earbuds are ideal for use at work and home. However, if you’re looking for something more professional, you might want to check out these podcasting headphones.

Edifier TWS NB2 is packed with 10 mm large drivers which are bigger than many other earbuds available in the market. The large drivers ensure high-resolution sound quality with a broad soundstage. The earbud also delivers distinctively clear and powerful bass to make the bass-forward tracks more enjoyable. 

The touch-sensitive controls are easy to use; you can use either earbud in a mono mode or a stereo mode depending on your convenience. The earbuds are supported by Bluetooth 5.0 version and are compatible with SBC and aptX codecs. 

Downside:

Some users feel that the few controls on the earbuds are a bit absurd.  

Beats Solo Pro Wireless On-Ear Headphones (Best iPhone Headphone With Active Noise Canceling):

Featuring its first noise cancellation on-ear headphones, Beats has designed Solo Pro with solid sound engineering. The acoustics of the headphone is well balanced making sure it delivers high-quality sound across all music genres. One of the best headphones for iPhone, this audio gear is integrated with two different modes of sound- the active noise canceling mode and the transparency mode. 

While the ANC feature gives you an undisturbed quiet environment, the latter keeps you aware of the surroundings by letting the ambient sound in without compromising on the quality of the sound. Apple’s H1 chip allows you to summon Siri hands-free call management and other functions. The headphone has been ergonomically designed for a comfortable fit for long hours of wear. 

When it comes to the battery performance, the headphone delivers what it claims. You will get 20+ hours of run time with either of the modes on. If you turn both the modes on, you will get up to 40 hours of playback time depending on how you use it. With a price tag of $149.00 (in Walmart) and all the features that it is equipped with, this is one of the best iPhone headphones to consider. 

Downside: 

• Because of the on-ear design, the headphones can get uncomfortable for some, especially those who are not accustomed to this type of headphones. 

Jaybird Vista (Best Waterproof Wireless Earbuds for iPhone):

If you are looking for the best headphones for iPhone that can work perfectly under any weather condition, then this is your go-to. With IPX7 certification, this Apple earbuds wireless option is impact resistant, water, and sweatproof making it a perfect option for someone with an active lifestyle. However, it is not recommended to take these underwater. If you are looking for something to wear along to your water sports, these are the best headphones for swimming that you can buy today.

The battery has 6 hours of run time on a single charge along with 10 more hours of backup in the charging case. Its fast charging mode will give you 1 hour of extra playtime with just 5 mins of fuelling. You can get double this charging time if you use the buds in the mono mode (using just one earbud at a time). With the superior design to fit comfortably and lightweight, these truly wireless earbuds are perfect if you need to wear them for a long period. 

You can reap several benefits out of the Jaybird iOS app like sound or EQ adjustments, track your earbuds, and more. 

Downsides: 

• You may experience latency when watching videos. 
• The earbuds feel plasticky and cheap.

Alternative Options

Some other headphones and wireless earbuds for iPhone that are worth mentioning are: 

• Sennheiser Momentum True Wireless Earbuds for iPhone
• Plantronics BackBeat FIT 3200 Bluetooth Earbuds
• JBL Reflect Mini 2.0 (budget Apple earbuds wireless)
• JBL Tune 750 BTNC (best iPhone headphone with noise cancellation with a low price tag)

For you to use your iPhone and the headphones smoothly without any hassle, the next section has a few commonly occurring problems and their solutions to them. 

Factors to Keep in Mind When Choosing the Best Headphones for iPhone:

When you are going for a headphone, clearly it means that you need to pick up one that gives you maximum convenience. One of the reasons most smartphone companies have stopped bundling earphones with their mobile phones is that people have their personal preference for headphones. While some like the traditional wired ones, some go wireless. With that said, if you are confused about where to start from, there are a few things you need to take into account when you are shopping for headphones for your iPhone. 

• Firstly, check the compatibility. Not every earbud or headphone may be compatible with your iPhone although most of the present-day audio gears are pretty versatile.
• The second most important thing that you should take into consideration is the audio quality of the headphones. The iPhone has superior audio quality, and you do not want to get any less of it when you are connecting it with headphones, right? So make sure to go for one that delivers a solid sound quality.  
• You also need to check the wireless compatibility and connectivity option of the headphone with your iPhone. Make sure the Bluetooth version and codec are the latest so there is smooth streaming of audio and video. 
• Other than these some other obvious parameters to be taken into account are the type of headphone (on-ear, earbuds, or over-ear), comfort, features, etc. 

Common Issues

Whether you use a luxury phone like the iPhone or any other mobile device, they are electronic products after all. Therefore, you are likely to face different kinds of issues occasionally, whether they are smaller or serious ones. Here is a list of some commonly occurring headphone related problems that most iPhone users face with these phones: 

The Phone Is Frozen on Headphone Mode:

Whether you have an older version of the iPhone with a real headphone jack or one of the latest models that has ditched the headphone port, this is one of the most common problems that every user might have faced at least once. In the case of the old iPhone models that have headphone jacks, this may arise if you use headphones from brands other than Apple. Slowly interesting a Q-tip and removing it several times have proven to have solved this issue in most of the cases. 

What about the models after iPhone 7 that no longer come with a headphone jack? Well, the newest versions of the iPhone come with a dongle that enables you to connect the wired headphones to the phone’s lightning port meant for charging. So if these iPhones are stuck in the headphones mode, it means that the phone assumes the headphone is connected to the lightning port. If you want to know the different ways this can be resolved click here. 

The Dirt Inside the Headphone Jack

Well, if your headphone jack has debris, lint, or dirt accumulation, it can lead to audio problems. You can use a small vacuum cleaner to pull the dirt off or a toothpick to carefully pull the lint and your problem should be resolved. 

Volume Issues

Here’s yet another problem that is pretty common with iPhones and their associated headphones. When you wear the headphones you may just end up having no audio at all despite the headphone volume at the max. Don’t panic. Your phone volume is probably at the lowest. Simply turning up the phone volume may resolve this issue. 

Experiencing Breaks or Static While Listening to the Music

This is probably because you went too far away with your wireless headphones from the main audio source. Coming closer to the phone can restore the signal. If this issue persists, then restart the phone again and connect the headphones again. 

One Side of the Headphone Isn’t Working

In the case of wireless headphones, if you face this it may mean that the side that isn’t functioning might be damaged and that you need to change it. If you face this issue with the truly wireless earbuds, then it may be because the second earbud has not been paired. You can turn the Bluetooth off and redo the pairing process. If it still doesn’t work, then probably it’s time to replace it.

Functionality of Old iPhones

In case if you are using one of the older iPhone models with a headphone jack and wired Apple made earphones, then here are a few functionalities of these earphones if you didn’t know about them earlier: 

• To fast-forward a song, tap the center button two times, and you need to long-press on the second time you are tapping.
• Rewinding a song: Similar to fast-forwarding, but in this case you need to tap the center button three times while long pressing on the third tap.
• You can “double-tap” the center button to skip a track. 
• If you want to go back to the previous track, you can press the button three times briskly. 
• If you find it hard to tap on the capturing button on-screen while taking a selfie, you can easily do it by clicking the Volume up key. 
• In case you do not wish to answer an incoming call, you can long-press the center button when the call comes in and it will divert the caller to your voicemail. 
• If you want to switch between calls when the second call comes in while you are already on the call, just press the middle button once. 

Conclusion

Returning to the best headphones for iPhone, there are plenty of options to look at that are compatible with the iPhones. When looking at the wireless or Bluetooth options, the most important thing that you need to take into account is the playback time and the total backup charges its charging case can hold.

If you have an open budget and do not mind investing in a high-end product with a premium price tag, then ensure your headphone has all the state-of-the-art features in it with the best quality sound and performance. Speaking of that, here, we have listed some of the best headphones for the iPhone offered by different brands under different price ranges. Do take a look and see if something interests you!

Frequently Asked Questions(FAQ’s):