Up until Apple released the iPhone 7, iPhones had normal headphone jacks and separate Lightning ports for charging. With the iPhone 7, both ports merged into a single Lightning port meaning you can either listen to music (with Lightning headphones) or charge your phone–but not both at the same time. Well, here’s some good news: several third party manufacturers are now coming out with adapters that allow you to listen to music and charge your iPhone 7 at the same time!
All the chargers in this article will work for all current iPhone models including iPhone 7, iPhone 7 Plus, iPhone 8, iPhone 8 Plus, iPhone X, iPhone Xs, iPhone Xr, iPhone SE, iPhone 11, iPhone 11 Pro, iPhone 11 Pro Max, iPhone 12, iPhone 12 mini, iPhone 12 Pro, and iPhone 12 Pro max. You can also use them with iPads and iPad Pros.
How to charge iPhone and listen to headphones at the same time:
Belkin Rockstar 3.5 mm Audio and Lightning Splitter
If you want a reliable dongle from a trusted brand name, the Belkin Rockstar is a great option for iPhone owners. It’s available in two styles depending on what type of headphones you have, a 3.5 mm audio port for traditional headphones, and a lightning port.
Like all of these adapters, it doesn’t support audio split, but you can listen to music and charge your phone at the same time. It also supports passthrough charging up to 12W so you can use it will your iPhone or iPad. Supports up to 48 KHz, 24 bit audio output.
2 in 1 Lightning to 3.5mm Adapter for iPhone
If you need flexibility with your cables, especially if they’re often bending at opposing angles, this lightning and audio splitter is perfect for charging your iPhone while listening to music at the same time. This one is different from other splitters because instead of being a brick shaped port splitter, it offers a flexible cable and both a Lightning port and a normal headphone jack. Some users might find this more convenient or desirable because they may feel it has less of a chance of snapping off or stressing the inside of their iPhone 12’s Lightning port. It’s perfect for using in the car to connect to the stereo or at your desk while you work.
