Troubleshooting BlackBerry Speaker

Troubleshooting BlackBerry Speaker
Page content

What is the BlackBerry Speaker?

If you activate the BlackBerry speaker on your device, you can talk on your BlackBerry without holding the phone to your ear. You can answer calls, make calls, check voicemail and listen to media on your BlackBarry all through the BlackBerry speaker. However, there may be times when you are in a public place or you just don’t want everyone listening to your conversation and you need to talk on the phone in private. You can still talk on your phone using the regular phone option of your device with the phone pressed to your ear. There is a known issue with some BlackBerry devices that causes you to not hear the person on the other line if you do not have the speaker activated. This is an inconvenience because you have to always talk on your phone using the speaker. This issue is caused by corrupt software in the phone or incorrect settings on the device. You can change these settings or if that does not work, you can remove the corrupt software from your device completely by resetting your device to factory settings.

Hard Reset

BlackBerry battery cover

One of the most common troubleshooting steps I have learned from being a certified BlackBerry technician is to perform a hard reset on the device. When this is done, mostly every problem you have experienced on the phone corrects itself. To do a hard reset, turn the phone completely off by pressing and holding the red “Phone” button on your BlackBerry for two seconds until your phone turns off. Turn your phone over so the back of the phone is facing you. Remove the battery cover from your device by turning the device so the metal button is nearest to you. Press the metal button on the back of your device in with your thumb. Push the battery cover up with your thumb until it pops out of place. Take the battery out of the device. Leave the battery out for three minutes. Put the battery back in your device and replace the cover. Turn your device back on by pressing and holding the green “Phone” button for two seconds. Test your speaker by making a phone call from your device.

Activate the Headset

BlackBerry Headset

Another method you can try to fix your BlackBerry speaker problem is to activate your headset. This will trigger your BlackBerry to switch speaker options and once you change it back, your speaker should be normal again. To activate the headset, insert a pair of headphones into your “Headphone” port on the left side of your device. Insert the speaker adapter firmly into the speaker port. Click the “Activate Headset” option. Play music or make a call from your phone just to get the headset to play properly so you can test the sound. While you are talking or listening to music on the BlackBerry, take the headset adapter out of the “Headset” port. Click “Activate Phone” to activate the regular speaker on the device. End the call or turn off the music. Now, make a test call from your device and test the speaker.

Update the BlackBerry Software

BlackBerry Operating System

The next step you should try is to reset your BlackBerry to factory settings. Click the link to learn how to do this. If this doesn’t help, then install the latest BlackBerry software for your device or you can re-load the software if you have the latest version already. Visit the BlackBerry website (BlackBerry.com) from your computer and click on “Apps & Software.” Click the “BlackBerry Device Software” link. Scroll to the bottom and click “Update Your Device Software.” Click whichever operating system you want to load into your device. To check which operating system your device currently has installed, click the “Options” icon and click “About.” You can view your current operating system there. Download the new software file listed under the operating system you want. You can also download an older software version, newer version or the same one you had by scrolling down the page and clicking the “Check for Updates” link. Plug your phone into your computer by connecting one end of the USB cable that came with your device to the “USB” port on your computer. Plug the other end of the USB cable into the corresponding port on your computer. Type in your password for your BlackBerry device. Type your password again. The system will search for the newest software available for your device. If no new software is found, it will ask you if you want to re-load the current software or downgrade to other software that’s available. The downgraded software will list as “downgrade.” Place a check in the box next to the one you want. Click “Install.” Follow the instructions on your computer screen to finish loading the operating system to your device.

Repair Center Visit

If all else fails or you just do not want to bother anymore, you can just take your device back to the wireless service provider so they can test your device. They can determine what is going on with your device and fix it in the store. It may be a mechanical issue, you may have moisture in your phone, your speaker may be loose from dropping your device a lot or your may have a faulty speaker. The only way to know for sure is to take it to a wireless repair center and having the technicians run a series of tests on your device to fix the issue or have your device replaced.