I recently purchased an external DAC to connect headphones to my iPhone in order to avoid Bluetooth lag when watching videos. It worked well on my iPhone 14 Pro Max with the lightning connector, but when I upgraded to the 17 Pro Max I find that the phone does not recognize the USB C cable for audio output and only sends audio to the external speaker. Any thoughts?
iPhone 17 Pro Max, iOS 26
If your iPhone is not operating as expected, try a forced-restart - as this will often clear an isolated software issue:
Force restart iPhone - Apple Support
If the problem persists after performing the restart, it may be necessary to reset your iPhone settings. While this reset will not cause any loss of data, as a precaution, it is always wise to ensure that you have a current iCloud or iTunes backup before performing the reset:
How to back up your iPhone, iPad, and iPod touch - Apple Support
When you are happy to proceed, you can perform the reset from iPad settings:
Settings > General > Transfer or Reset iPhone > Reset > Reset All Settings
If the problem still doesn’t clear, the next step is to reset the iPhone to factory settings:
Restore your iPhone, iPad, or iPod to factory settings - Apple Support
Otherwise, you would be best advised to seek assistance directly from Apple Support. You can contact the Support Team using the Support link at top-right or bottom-left of this page. Alternatively and perhaps easier, you can initiate and manage your support cases using the excellent Apple Support App. If not already installed on your iPhone, the App can be downloaded from the App Store:
https://apps.apple.com/app/apple-support/id1130498044
You might also visit the Genius Bar at your local Apple Store or Apple Authorised Service Provider (AASP) - where the technicians will be able to assist with troubleshooting:
Check (and reset if necessary) your iPhone's Privacy & Security settings:
Settings > Privacy & Security > [Security] Wired Accessories >
It's set to "Always allow."
No usb C audio output on iPhone 17 Pro Max
