How to Stop an iPhone App's Sound from Dropping Out when You Change Screens

Multitasking support was one of the best things to happen to the iPhone operating system, but unfortunately it doesn't always work flawlessly. In fact, the iPhone's software allows certain types of multitasking, but because it limits other functions, apps can behave in strange ways.

The most common example is sudden audio dropouts when changing screens. Say that you're using Pandora, Stitcher, or another iPhone app that streams music. When you hit the home button--or even when the iPhone locks itself and turns its screen off after a few minutes of inactivity--the audio might suddenly stop working. Needless to say, this can get a little frustrating, especially when using an iPhone app that doesn't save your place in a podcast or a song.

If your iPhone seems to have trouble playing sound in a specific app like Pandora or Rhapsody, here's a few quick ways to fix the problem.

Close any iPhone apps that might be trying to play sound simultaneously. The most common cause of sudden audio dropouts is a simple programming error. Two or more iPhone apps might be trying to play sound or at least have the ability to play sound. It's more than the iPhone's operating system can handle, and multitasking won't work properly.

You can close all of your iPhone apps that use sound by double-clicking the home button from the iPhone's main screen. A list of open apps will pop up. Hold your finger on one of the apps until a little red minus sign appears. You can now close as many apps as you'd like. Try closing anything that uses sound, including the iPod app. You can then re-open the app that you want to use and the sound issues shouldn't continue.

Restart the iPhone. You might need to restart the iPhone if closing the other apps doesn't do the trick. Shutting the iPhone down and restarting it will free up a number of system files that are used by sound-streaming apps, allowing them to function properly.

To shut off your iPhone, hold down the top button until the red slider bar appears. Wait until the phone's completely off before pressing the top button again to turn it back on.

Reinstall the problem app. If a sound app still won't work correctly after a restart, check to make sure that you're running the latest version of the app and that multitasking is supported. If this all checks out, you may need to reinstall the app.

Delete it by holding your finger on the problem app until a red X appears. You can then go to the App store to reinstall it. This should completely fix any audio issues you're having with the app.

Have any questions about iPhone bugs and technical issues? Post in the comments section below.