diff --git a/PROGRESS.md b/PROGRESS.md
index aee8cfe..74fad92 100644
--- a/PROGRESS.md
+++ b/PROGRESS.md
@@ -1,6 +1,6 @@
 # VoiceCat status
 
-Updated: 2026-09-22
+Updated: 2026-09-25
 
 ## Current state
 
@@ -23,7 +23,10 @@ The physical-device iOS voice path now supports ReplayKit fallback, stable Apple
 capture using a paced 20 ms handoff, and true built-in stereo microphone capture. Stereo was
 verified on an iPhone 16 Pro Max with a two-channel AVAudioEngine input and distinct left/right
 samples; the managed Apple binding requires native use of its otherwise-unmapped stereo polar
-pattern constant.
+pattern constant. The voice-chat preset now leaves speaker routing off so a connected Bluetooth
+headset can supply both input and output; speaker routing remains an explicit Advanced setting.
+Device-selected inputs are not saved as preferences during route refresh. Bluetooth switching
+still needs device validation.
 
 The iOS user list now opens a remote-user detail view with independent tuning for each active
 audio stream. Private messages are grouped into per-user conversations with direct access to the
diff --git a/clients/apple/VoiceCat.iOS/IosAudioRouter.cs b/clients/apple/VoiceCat.iOS/IosAudioRouter.cs
index 6200171..07c0042 100644
--- a/clients/apple/VoiceCat.iOS/IosAudioRouter.cs
+++ b/clients/apple/VoiceCat.iOS/IosAudioRouter.cs
@@ -52,10 +52,14 @@ internal sealed class IosAudioRouter
         if (Enum.TryParse(defaults.StringForKey("cat.voice.audio.bluetoothMode"), true, out IosBluetoothMode bluetooth)) BluetoothMode = bluetooth;
         if (Enum.TryParse(defaults.StringForKey("cat.voice.audio.micMode"), true, out IosMicMode mic)) MicMode = mic;
         ForceSpeaker = defaults.BoolForKey("cat.voice.audio.forceSpeaker");
+        // Older voice-chat selections saved an automatic speaker override. Drop that
+        // preference for the named preset so an existing install can follow HFP again.
+        if (Preset == IosAudioPreset.VoiceChat) ForceSpeaker = false;
         VoiceProcessing = defaults.ValueForKey(new NSString("cat.voice.audio.voiceProcessing")) is null || defaults.BoolForKey("cat.voice.audio.voiceProcessing");
         AutomaticGainControl = defaults.ValueForKey(new NSString("cat.voice.audio.agc")) is null || defaults.BoolForKey("cat.voice.audio.agc");
         CaptureChannels = defaults.IntForKey("cat.voice.audio.captureChannels") == 2 ? 2 : Preset == IosAudioPreset.StereoMicrophone ? 2 : 1;
         SelectedInputId = defaults.StringForKey("cat.voice.audio.inputPortId"); SelectedDataSourceId = defaults.StringForKey("cat.voice.audio.dataSourceId");
+        if (Preset == IosAudioPreset.VoiceChat) { SelectedInputId = null; SelectedDataSourceId = null; }
         if (Enum.TryParse(defaults.StringForKey("cat.voice.audio.polarPattern"), true, out AVAudioDataSourcePolarPattern pattern)) SelectedPolarPattern = pattern;
         RefreshRoutes();
     }
@@ -73,12 +77,14 @@ internal sealed class IosAudioRouter
             // Named presets never carry an Advanced capsule selection across transitions.
             // Stereo derives its data source below; mono/voice chat must clear a stale stereo one.
             SelectedDataSourceId = null; SelectedPolarPattern = AVAudioDataSourcePolarPattern.Unknown;
-            if (preset == IosAudioPreset.VoiceChat) ForceSpeaker = true;
+            // HFP needs to remain free to follow a connected headset. A speaker route can
+            // still be requested explicitly with the Speaker output control.
+            if (preset == IosAudioPreset.VoiceChat) ForceSpeaker = false;
         }
         SaveAndReconfigure();
     }
 
-    internal void SetForceSpeaker(bool value) { ForceSpeaker = value; SaveAndReconfigure(); }
+    internal void SetForceSpeaker(bool value) { ForceSpeaker = value; Preset = IosAudioPreset.Advanced; SaveAndReconfigure(); }
     internal void SetVoiceProcessing(bool value) { VoiceProcessing = value; SaveAndReconfigure(); }
     internal void SetAutomaticGainControl(bool value) { AutomaticGainControl = value; SaveAndReconfigure(); }
     internal void SetCaptureChannels(int value) { CaptureChannels = value == 2 ? 2 : 1; Preset = IosAudioPreset.Advanced; SaveAndReconfigure(); }
@@ -100,7 +106,10 @@ internal sealed class IosAudioRouter
         AVAudioSession session = AVAudioSession.SharedInstance();
         Inputs = session.AvailableInputs?.Select(value => new IosAudioPort(value.UID, value.PortName, value.PortType.ToString())).ToArray() ?? [];
         Outputs = session.CurrentRoute.Outputs.Select(value => new IosAudioPort(value.UID, value.PortName, value.PortType.ToString())).ToArray();
-        SelectedInputId ??= session.PreferredInput?.UID; Changed?.Invoke();
+        // A route reported by iOS is not an explicit user input choice. Capturing it here
+        // can pin the built-in mic after a speaker fallback and displace a Bluetooth HFP route
+        // on the next graph rebuild.
+        Changed?.Invoke();
     }
 
     internal void Apply(bool configureInput)
@@ -121,7 +130,10 @@ internal sealed class IosAudioRouter
             Console.Error.WriteLine($"VC_ROUTE preset={Preset} requestedCh={CaptureChannels} sessionCh={session.InputNumberOfChannels} " +
                 $"preferred={session.PreferredInput?.PortName ?? "default"} dataSource={session.InputDataSource?.DataSourceName ?? "default"} " +
                 $"pattern={session.InputDataSource?.SelectedPolarPattern.ToString() ?? "default"}");
-            session.OverrideOutputAudioPort(ForceSpeaker && BluetoothMode != IosBluetoothMode.BuiltInMicA2dp ? AVAudioSessionPortOverride.Speaker : AVAudioSessionPortOverride.None, out _); RefreshRoutes();
+            // The speaker port override forces both input and output to built-in hardware,
+            // even with a headset connected. DefaultToSpeaker is an explicit speaker choice
+            // only; the voice-chat preset leaves it off so HFP can follow the headset.
+            RefreshRoutes();
             ResetWatchdog(); EnsureWatchdog();
         }
         finally { applying = false; }
diff --git a/tests/VoiceCat.Tests/PublishServerScriptTests.cs b/tests/VoiceCat.Tests/PublishServerScriptTests.cs
index 71a62b8..35b2e5f 100644
--- a/tests/VoiceCat.Tests/PublishServerScriptTests.cs
+++ b/tests/VoiceCat.Tests/PublishServerScriptTests.cs
@@ -221,6 +221,20 @@ public class PublishServerScriptTests
         Assert.Contains("ReferenceEquals(engine, next) && !next.Running", engine);
     }
 
+    [Fact]
+    public async Task IosVoiceChatLeavesBluetoothHeadsetRouteToSystem()
+    {
+        string router = await File.ReadAllTextAsync(Path.Combine(
+            FindRoot(), "clients", "apple", "VoiceCat.iOS", "IosAudioRouter.cs"));
+
+        Assert.Contains("if (preset == IosAudioPreset.VoiceChat) ForceSpeaker = false", router);
+        Assert.Contains("if (Preset == IosAudioPreset.VoiceChat) ForceSpeaker = false", router);
+        Assert.Contains("if (Preset == IosAudioPreset.VoiceChat) { SelectedInputId = null; SelectedDataSourceId = null; }", router);
+        Assert.Contains("ForceSpeaker = value; Preset = IosAudioPreset.Advanced", router);
+        Assert.DoesNotContain("OverrideOutputAudioPort(", router);
+        Assert.DoesNotContain("SelectedInputId ??= session.PreferredInput", router);
+    }
+
     [Fact]
     public async Task DefaultPublishTargetsWindowsAndLinuxWhileRuntimeCanSelectOne()
     {