How to fix iPhone sound error, iPhone sound is low

Not being able to hear music, audiobooks, or alarms on your iPhone can be a headache. There's usually a quick fix, especially if it's a simple problem with your software. Here are some simple tips for increasing the volume on your iPhone.

Note : Loud volume can damage your ears, so be careful when using the tips below.

iPhone can be in Silent mode

First, check some basic areas that are easy to overlook. For example, you might find the shutter noise when you take a photo annoying, so you put your phone in Silent mode by toggling the little switch in the upper left corner of your iPhone. Silent mode won’t affect music, but it will affect the volume of your iPhone’s alarm.

If you're using an iPhone 15 or later, it's now the Action button. To change it to silent mode, go to Settings > Action Button and tap the icon that looks like a bell with a line through it.

iPhone volume may be reduced

On the side of the phone, below the Action button or Silent switch, you'll find the Volume buttons, which adjust the sound for videos and music. This also works if you're trying to increase the ringer volume.

If the buttons don't change anything, go to Settings > Sounds & Haptics , then check to see if Change with Buttons is turned on. Alternatively, change the volume via Control Center by swiping down from the top-right corner of the screen (iPhone X and later).

There's also an option to limit the maximum volume. Go to Settings > Sounds & Haptics > Headphone Safety . There, you can turn on Reduce Loud Sounds . This will automatically be set to 85 decibels ("loud like heavy city traffic"), but you can increase it to 100 decibels ("loud like an ambulance siren"), just be careful with that. Your phone will alert you if you exceed the recommended volume level for a week.

Check if iPhone is connected to Bluetooth

It's possible that there's nothing wrong with the speakers; you're just connected to another device. You may not notice this if you're using wireless headphones like Apple's AirPods (and if you want to boost the volume on those, there are a variety of ways you can improve the sound quality on your AirPods ). This can also happen if you're using an Apple TV or connecting your phone to your car's audio system.

To check this, swipe down from the top-right corner of the interface to access Control Center and turn Bluetooth off. Otherwise, go to Settings > Bluetooth , where you can also check which devices you're connected to. Disconnect if necessary.

When playing music or videos, you can also tap the pyramid-shaped icon at the bottom of the screen; tap this to choose where the track plays.

Make sure Do Not Disturb is turned off

Do Not Disturb stops interruptions while you're busy or asleep; notifications won't appear and calls won't ring. You may have turned it on and forgotten to turn it off.

First, you should check Control Center by swiping down from the top right of the screen. Tap Focus and select Do Not Disturb to see if the feature is turned off.

You should also check to see if the feature is on a schedule, so go to Settings > Focus > Do Not Disturb . Scroll down to see if there's a schedule set up; if so, tap on it and turn it off by tapping Schedule or remove it entirely by selecting Delete Schedule .

Update and reset iPhone

The classic advice is to turn your device off and back on when something goes wrong. This is a great way to troubleshoot an iPhone. Force restarting your iPhone can clear up any minor software issues on your device. Don’t worry, you won’t lose any personal data when you restart.

You may also have an older version of iOS installed. While this shouldn't cause audio issues, it's always a good idea to keep your iPhone updated to avoid potential issues.

If the problem is an app issue—for example, the volume is fine everywhere on your iPhone except when using a specific app—check to see if there are any updates available to install via the App Store. If not, you can contact the developer and ask for advice.

Turn on Equalizer to make music on iPhone louder

Maybe your phone is fine. Some people just want their music and alarms to play as loud as possible.

Go to Settings > Apps > Music > EQ . This mode is off by default, but you can use it to accentuate certain sounds when listening to music. Try switching to Late Night . This mode compresses the Dynamic Range, inverting the sound to reduce loud noises and amplify quieter sounds.

The difference isn't huge and will depend on the tracks you're listening to. However, you'll usually hear an increase in volume, especially when listening through headphones.

Check if iPhone is in Headphone mode

This mainly affects older iPhones with headphone jacks, but newer models can still be affected by dirt in the charging port (especially if you use an adapter for wired headphones).

If your iPhone thinks headphones are plugged in, it will play music over a non-existent connection. Adjust the volume with the side buttons; the display will tell you if the volume is being routed through another speaker.

If you have AirPods, the Bluetooth solution above may fix it. If not, shine a light into the headphone jack; see if there’s any debris stuck in the port. The debris can be tiny, so you may have a problem even if you don’t see anything. This could also be the reason your iPhone speaker isn’t working .

Try inserting the headphones or charging cable, then removing them. Do this a few times and check the volume again. This may clear out any dirt inside.

Use a soft cloth to gently wipe the jack and speaker area. You can also use a dry cotton swab, cotton ball, or toothbrush to gently scrub around the edge of the jack. Do not push anything in as you may push the dirt further in.

You can apply a little rubbing alcohol to a cotton ball first. Avoid other liquids as they can cause further damage. Even a small amount of sweat can trick the phone into thinking the headset is connected.

Unfortunately, if these tips don't work—and you're not experienced enough to take your device apart—you'll need to take it to a repair shop for help. But in most cases, you shouldn't worry too much about your iPhone's volume not working issue. The problem is usually caused by a simple problem.