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No one likes extra cables or dongles because they can cause problems, but these are necessary if you want to use your expensive headphones with the latest iPhones, iPads, or any Apple products.
There are many options these days.
These include Bluetooth headphone adapters that turn your old pair of headphones wireless and less stressful, but the best headphone jack adapters keep things simple.
Here's our guide to the best headphone jack adapters on the market right now. Make sure to read the whole article to find out!
Our Top 4 Picks: The Best Lightning to 3.5 mm Headphone Jack Adapter
- Best Overall: Belkin 3.5mm Audio + Charge RockStar
- Best Value: Apple Lightning to 3.5mm Headphone Jack Adapter
- Best Cable: Belkin 3.5mm Audio Cable With Lightning Connector
- Best Durability: UGREEN Headphone Adapter for Apple
Best Lightning To 3.5 mm Headphone Jack Adapter You Can Buy On The Market
Here is the list of best lightning to 3.5 mm Headphone Jack adapters that we tested! These can be found in the market, apple stores, technology stores, online shops, and many more!
1. Belkin 3.5mm Audio + Charge RockStar
3.5mm Audio + Charge by Belkin The RockStar headphone adapter is both durable and convenient, with a lightning and headphone port onboard. The sound quality of this is consistent, and you can charge your phone with a Lightning cable while using a wired speaker or headphones.
While it does not support USB-C, it does support fast charging at up to 12W — the same speed as an iPad power adapter. Belkin's adapter is available in two configurations, so be sure to read the description carefully before purchasing or attempting to use it!
If your headphones have a 3.5mm plug, one version converts a single Lightning port into two Lightning ports, necessitating the use of two different dongles.
Only get this if you intend to use Lightning earbuds, such as the EarPods that come with your phone. However, the version with one Lightning and one 3.5mm port is the one we recommend the most.
Try this Belkin 3.5mm Audio + Charge RockStar and find out its features!
PROS
- Lightning and 3.5mm ports
- Fast charging up to 12W
- Rugged and well built
- 3.5mm and lightning variants
CONS
- Bulky
- Full speed fast charging
2. Apple Lightning to 3.5mm Headphone Jack Adapter
If you're looking for the basics, Apple's Lightning to 3.5mm adapter is unquestionably the best option. It is reasonably priced, MFi certified and even comes packaged with older iPhone models. Of course, that assumes you don't require passthrough charging (wired charging while listening to wired earbuds).
Apple's adapter also has a similar amp and digital-to-analog converter as the iPhone 6s, allowing it to power most consumer-level headphones or speakers. Because of its low price and small size, we recommend getting one for the house and one for your bag so you always have one with you.
Try this Apple Lightning to 3.5mm Headphone Jack Apple Adapter and find out its features!
PROS
- Cost-effective
- MFi certified
- Small and easy to stow away
- Small and easy to stow away
CONS
- Easy to lose
- Thin cable, could break easily
3. Belkin 3.5 mm Audio Cable With Lightning Connector
The Belkin Lightning to 3.5mm cable stands out from the crowd. It is not an adapter, but rather a cable that plugs directly into your iPhone's Lightning connector and into your car's radio or headphones, with a male 3.5mm port on the other end.
While not the most practical circumstance, this connection works best solution if you intend to keep it in one location, such as your home audio, in a car, or on a dedicated pair of portable earbuds. However, if you intend to use your earbuds or speaker with several non-Lightning devices, this cable is not worth it.
Try this Belkin 3.5 mm Audio Cable With Lightning Connector and find out its features!
PROS
- Avoids the “dongle.”
- Stationary usage
- Solid audio quality
CONS
- Non-Lightning devices
- Expensive
4. UGREEN Headphones Adapter for Apple
Things are about to get as simple as they can get: you are about to get a dependable UGREEN 3.5mm lightning converter that has been certified by Apple to fulfill stringent iPhone specifications.
Simply put the converter into your iPhone, wait a few seconds for your Apple equipment to recognize it, and then enjoy the music ambiance and watch your favorite movies or series on Netflix! Furthermore, the long-lasting design is undeniable, with no damages, scratches, bendings, or tearings to contend with.
Try this UGREEN Headphones Adapter for Apple and find out its features!
PROS
- Extensive compatibility
- Advanced noise reduction technology
- Apple aux adapter made of Hi-Q aluminum alloy case
- Portable size
- Inexpensive
CONS
- Compatibility issues for some users
- Thick, rigid cable
- No passthrough charging
5. JSAUX lightning to 3.5mm Headphone Adapter
This JSAUX lightning to 3.5mm converter is also worth considering. First and foremost, it satisfies Apple's MFi certification standards. The Apple MFi certification and JSAUX stringent quality testing ensure that you can connect to your Apple devices securely and easily.
The innovative strain relief design can withstand 15000+ bends in severe laboratory tests, and the quality aluminum housing increases the cable's durability.
Try this JSAUX lightning to 3.5mm Headphone Adapter and find out its features!
PROS
- Compatible with earbuds, microphones, and speakers
- MFI is certified by Apple to meet rigid iPhone requirements
- 100% copper wire core
- Seamless Plug-and-Play connectivity
- Small enough to fit in your pocket or bag
CONS
- Lacks telephone headsets compatibility
6. Mangotek Lightning to 3.5mm Headphone Adapter
With a distinctive right-angle design, the Mangotek Lightning to 3.5mm Headphone Adapter focuses on mobility. This design reduces the total size of the adapter and improves its appearance when in use because it does not protrude too far away from a phone or tablet.
Mangotek's adapter also has a keychain loop built-in, so you can take it with you everywhere you go without worrying about losing it in your bag.
Most significantly, Mangotek's adapter is MFi approved, so you won't have to worry about incompatibility difficulties when listening to your favorite tunes.
Try this Mangotek Lightning to 3.5mm Headphone Adapter and find out its features!
PROS
- MFi certified
- Unique right-angle design
- Built-in keychain loop
CONS
- No passthrough charging
- Only available in black
Why Did Apple Remove The 3.5 mm Headphone Jack?
It's evident that wireless is the way forward for Apple, as evidenced by the company's AirPods Max over-ears and ever-popular AirPods Pro.
You don't have a large amount of money? That's fine!
Apple's sister brand, Beats, sells a wireless neckband called the Beats Flex for £50 ($50). Since 1964, when it debuted on the Sony EFM-117J radio, the 3.5mm headphone connector has been found in portable devices. With the advent of the Sony Walkman in 1979, it quickly became popular.
It's worth remembering that, while the removal of the iPhone's 3.5mm connector caused quite a stir and stress, the first iPhone also didn't have a headphone jack that worked for everyone.
Apple's first iPhone, released in 2007, did contain a headphone jack (still a rarity for mobile phones at the time), but it was deep-set, which meant that not every pair of headphones was compatible. The first-generation iPhone's audio jack connection was recessed a few millimeters into the top of the device, with a spherical recess narrower than many existing headphone sockets.
This left you with three options: use the earphones that came with your iPhone (which did fit), try to whittle down the rubber on your existing headphone jack (you may laugh, but some readers are nodding wisely at the memory), or use a dongle.
Moving forward in time, one important gain stated by removing the 3.5mm port entirely in 2016 was the ability to make the iPhone 7 slimmer. However, it was no thinner than the prior model – the iPhone 7 and iPhone 6S both measured 7.1mm.
One rumor that did come true was that the space occupied by the headphone jack would allow for the addition of a second speaker. The iPhone 7 (as well as the iPhone 8, 8 Plus, X, XR, XS, 11, and latest iPhones) had stereo speakers that Apple claimed could produce considerably better sound when not wearing headphones.
Finally, Apple decided that the 35mm headphones jack wasn't doing enough to justify the iPhone's size – and, of course, it's a nice excuse to persuade everyone to switch to Lightning. Wireless headphones have recently become Lightning's main rival.
Is Using The Lightning Connection Result In Higher Sound Quality?
Every iPhone we've tested to date has sounded incrementally better with each new iteration, and – while a large part of that is due to the quality of the headphones you use with them – the apple iphone 12 now supports Dolby Atmos and Apple's own spatial audio jack processing, which is available via the AirPods Pro and AirPods Max.
Apple has developed a reputation for delivering some of the best-sounding smartphones on the market, and the current apple iphone 12 essentially continues where the iPhone 11 left off.
Wireless headphones did have a tendency to sound poorer than similarly priced cable counterparts, but a quick check at the latest AirPods Max review shows that Apple has made amends.
However, Lightning adapter headphones, which use digital rather than analog audio from your device, have the potential to sound better than analog counterparts — but it's a close race.
What Are Some Of The Drawbacks Of Apple Lightning Headphones?
The most obvious issue we encountered after Apple removed the 3.5mm headphone jack was that our existing headphones would no longer plug directly into our apple iphone. We couldn't even connect the iPhones to our system with a simple aux wire. This also affects a slew of additional accessories.
Apple sells a Lightning-to-3.5mm converter for £9 (it is no longer included in the package with the purchase of an iPhone), but it isn't especially attractive – and is easily misplaced if detached and bundled in with your headphones on a road trip.
With the iPhone 7, it was no longer feasible to listen to music with wired headphones while charging (both require the Lightning port), but Apple rectified this issue with the iPhone 8, 8 Plus, and X series by offering Qi-standard wireless charging.
There are plenty of Qi-certified charging pads on the market, so you don't have to wait for Apple's troublesome – and now stopped – AirPower charging system to resume.
Any active noise-canceling headphones that drain power from your iPhone may degrade battery life, which hasn't been a strong suit for several of Apple's latest devices.
CONCLUSION On Best Lightning To 3.5 mm Headphone Jack Adapter
Whether you want to keep an old favorite apple product/apple device or ios device or don't want to hassle with charging and pairing, the finest headphone jack adapters ensure that your headphones will function with the latest iPhones such as iPhone XR, iPhone SE, iPhone X, iPhone 11 and 12 or the latest 13 and iPads including the iPad Pro, iPad mini or even the iPod touch.
There are numerous options available these days, with some featuring quality materials, passthrough charging, and travel-friendly designs. The most crucial item to check for, though, is MFi certification, which all of the adapters on this list have.
The Audio + Charge 3.5 mm If you want a little bit of everything, the RockStar from Belkin is your best bet. Its port configuration allows for 12w rapid charging as well as audio playing via the conventional 3.5mm socket, allowing you to keep your phone charged while rocking out.
Furthermore, because it is from Belkin, you know you are getting robust construction that is as near to Apple as possible.
FAQs About Lightning To 3.5 mm Headphone Jack Adapter
Is lightning to 35mm adapter sufficient?
If you're looking for the basics, Apple's Lightning to 3.5mm adapter is unquestionably the best option. It is reasonably priced, MFi certified and even comes packaged with older iPhone models.
Is a Lightning to headphone adapter available?
This adapter allows you to connect 3.5mm audio plug devices to your Lightning devices.
Is a 3.5 mm adapter included with the iPhone 11?
The 3.5mm dongle is no longer a free accessory, and Apple's own fast Lightning to 35mm headphone jack adapter will not be included with the new iPhones.
What is the most recent iPhone with a headphone jack?
In fact, the last iPhone to ship with a headphone jack was the iPhone 6s and iPhone 6s Plus, which were released in 2014. From the iPhone 7 onwards, all iPhones were shipped without headphone jacks. When using an iPhone, you must use wireless headphones. There's no getting around it.
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