So, you just unboxed that bright, redesigned iPad 10th generation and you're looking for the little circular hole to plug in your favorite wired earbuds. You turn the tablet around. You check the top. You check the bottom. Honestly, it's not there.
The iPad 10th generation headphone jack simply doesn't exist. Apple finally killed it off on the entry-level model in 2022, making it the last iPad in the entire lineup to lose the 3.5mm port. It was a big deal at the time because the 9th-gen model—which stayed in the lineup for a while specifically for schools and budget buyers—was the final holdout. Now? Everything is USB-C.
It's kinda annoying if you have a pair of high-end Sennheisers or just those cheap Sony MDRs you've used for a decade. But that’s the reality of the modern Apple ecosystem. If you want to listen to music or watch Netflix on this specific tablet, you've got to change how you connect.
The real reason Apple ditched the iPad 10th generation headphone jack
Apple didn't just remove the port to be mean, though it definitely feels like a push toward AirPods. When they moved the iPad 10 to the "all-screen" design language—mimicking the iPad Air and Pro—the internal architecture changed completely.
The old 9th-gen iPad had those massive "forehead and chin" bezels. There was plenty of physical depth inside that chassis to house a 3.5mm jack assembly. However, the 10th-gen is significantly thinner and the screen occupies almost the entire front face. Engineers are constantly fighting for every millimeter of space. By removing the jack, they make room for the larger battery cells and the logic board components required for the A14 Bionic chip.
There's also the "courage" factor that Phil Schiller famously mentioned years ago during the iPhone 7 launch. Apple wants a wireless world. They’ve spent years perfecting the W1 and H1/H2 chips in their headphones to make Bluetooth pairing seamless. If they give you a jack, you might not buy AirPods. It’s business. Simple as that.
Dongles and Adapters: Your new best friends
If you aren't ready to go wireless, you need a dongle. Specifically, you need the Apple USB-C to 3.5 mm Headphone Jack Adapter. It’s about nine bucks.
Don't buy the cheap, unbranded ones from a gas station or a random bin on Amazon. Seriously. Many of those don't have a high-quality Digital-to-Analog Converter (DAC) inside. Since the iPad 10th generation headphone jack is gone, the tablet sends a digital signal through the USB-C port. The adapter has to do the heavy lifting of turning those bits and bytes into actual sound waves your ears can hear.
The official Apple one is surprisingly good. In fact, audiophile communities often praise it because it has a very low noise floor and clean output for the price. If you want something beefier, companies like FiiO or AudioQuest make "Dragonfly" DACs that plug into the USB-C port and provide enough power to drive high-impedance headphones.
What about the Apple Pencil situation?
This is where things got really weird for the 10th-gen iPad. Because the headphone jack disappeared and the port switched to USB-C, the original 1st-generation Apple Pencil (the one with the Lightning connector) couldn't charge by plugging into the bottom of the tablet anymore.
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Apple’s solution was... a lot of adapters. You needed a USB-C to Apple Pencil adapter just to pair the thing.
Thankfully, Apple eventually released the USB-C Apple Pencil, which fits this iPad perfectly. But if you’re coming from an older iPad and trying to bring your old accessories over, the lack of a jack is just the tip of the iceberg in terms of "adapter life."
The Bluetooth alternative (and the latency problem)
Most people just give up and buy Bluetooth headphones. It’s easier. You flip the case open, tap connect, and you're done.
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But there’s a catch. Latency.
If you are a musician using GarageBand on your iPad, or if you're a competitive gamer playing PUBG Mobile or Genshin Impact, Bluetooth lag can be a nightmare. Even with AAC codecs, there is a tiny delay between the action on screen and the sound hitting your eardrums. This is exactly why some pros still mourn the iPad 10th generation headphone jack. For those people, the USB-C to 3.5mm adapter isn't just an accessory; it's a requirement for precision.
Why some users actually prefer the missing jack
Believe it or not, some people don't care. Getting rid of the jack makes the device slightly more resistant to dust and debris. While the iPad 10 isn't officially IP-rated for water resistance, fewer holes usually mean fewer points of failure.
Also, USB-C is objectively more powerful. A USB-C port can handle audio, data transfer, and power delivery all at once. If you buy a USB-C hub, you can plug in your headphones, a keyboard, and a charging cable simultaneously. You couldn't do that with a simple 3.5mm jack.
Essential steps for iPad 10 owners
If you're struggling with the lack of a dedicated audio port, here is the roadmap to fix your setup:
- Check your current gear. If you have 3.5mm headphones you love, order the official Apple USB-C to 3.5mm adapter immediately. Put it on the end of your headphone cable and just leave it there so you don't lose it.
- Consider a USB-C Hub. If you use your iPad for work or school, get a small hub that includes a "Power Delivery" (PD) port and an audio jack. This allows you to charge the iPad while you're listening to music during a long study session.
- Audit your Bluetooth settings. If you go wireless, make sure your headphones support the AAC codec. iPads don't support AptX or LDAC (Sony’s high-res codec), so you won't get the best out of those fancy Sony XM5s unless you're using a wired connection anyway.
- Update your Apple Pencil. If you haven't bought a stylus yet, don't buy the old 1st-gen model with the cap. Buy the USB-C Apple Pencil. It simplifies your charging life significantly and eliminates the need for extra dongles.
The iPad 10th generation headphone jack isn't coming back. Apple has moved on, and the industry followed. While it’s a bummer for those of us who still appreciate the reliability of a physical wire, the transition to USB-C audio actually opens up higher-quality sound possibilities through external DACs that the old analog jack couldn't dream of reaching. Take the $9 hit, buy the adapter, and keep the music playing.