Whether it's the brand new iPhone Xs or the small classic iPhone SE: Controlling the volume has traditionally been extremely easy on Apple smartphones. Use the volume buttons to gradually regulate the ringtone volume. If the iPhone is currently playing a media file such as a film or a piece of music, however, adjust the playback volume. This works both when using the iPhone's own speakers and when using headphones or external speakers via Bluetooth and cables. So far, so easy - but what if the iPhone is simply too quiet? The good news: In the rarest of cases, the iPhone is defective. The volume can often be adjusted with the right settings or a few simple steps. We'll tell youhow to get a too quiet iPhone loud again.
iPhone Music Too Quiet: Here You Can Do It
Whether you play your local music files via iTunes or use the Apple Music streaming service: The iOS 12 music app should be the standard for most music fans when it comes to listening to music on the iPhone. Especially in combination with headphones, the iPhone can simply play the music too quietly. If your favorite songs sound too quiet despite the supposedly maximum volume, you should check the settings of the music app . You can find this in the system settings of the iPhone. Open it and scroll down to the “ Music ” section. Here you open the sub-item “ Maximum volume” ”. If the slider is not at its highest setting, slide it all the way to the right. You can also switch off the “ Max. Volume (EU) ” option . This removes the artificial limitation of the maximum headphone volume. The EU directive is designed as ear protection against loud music, but in practice it can become a real blowout. If your iPhone headphones are too quiet, you should deactivate the option.
These settings prevent the music on the iPhone from being too quiet. Aside from these options, Apple Music's equalizer could also help fix music that is too soft. Open the “ EQ ” item in the settings of the music app . Here Apple lists a number of different presets to tailor the sound to the respective music. If this is too quiet, you can try the “ Loudness ” option, for example . Just test the different EQ settings with music that seems too quiet to you..
Are you using a different music app than Apple's? No problem! As a rule, both streaming services and players for locally stored media have appropriate options for correcting quieter media. Just take a look at the corresponding app settings and see if there is a corresponding function.
Many media apps (such as Spotify) offer their own settings to improve the sound. Please note that the source material can also be responsible for the volume being too low. A poorly encoded MP3 file can be just as quiet as a live concert that was not optimally recorded. If in doubt, it can therefore help to check the relevant material on another device - such as an iPad, Mac or PC. If the quality doesn't improve, your iPhone is innocent of the low volume..
Clean iPhone speakers
Do you play music directly through the iPhone speaker or do you use the hands-free function when making calls? If so, if the sound is too quiet, it can be worth cleaning the iPhone's speakers. In everyday life, dirt particles can collect in the small openings, which gradually degrade the sound.
The solution: clean the speaker openings! You can use a soft, dry cloth or cotton swab to do this, for example . Blowing hard (but dry ...) into the openings can also remove dirt and improve the sound. If you can see the dirt with the naked eye, you should still refrain from removing it with a sharp object. You risk damaging the iPhone.
Clean the speaker openings of the iPhone as carefully as possible to avoid damage. The newer iPhone models with IP67 or even IP68 protection class can also be cleaned a little more radically: Simply hold them briefly under clear, running water to clean the speaker openings. However, you should definitely avoid using soap or other cleaning agents, as these can be a problem despite the device being protected.
Even ill-fitting iPhone Cases or not completely clean mounted screen protector can worsen the iPhone sound. In order to rule out that the volume is too low, you should remove the cover and display film on a trial basis.
iPhone too quiet when making calls? You can do that
Not only when it comes to media playback, an iPhone that is too quiet can be a big problem. If you only understand fragments of a phone call or if the person you are talking to is speaking in a whisper, then research into the cause is called for. Make sure to clean the auricle as shown above and set the volume to maximum during the call . If that doesn't help, the iPhone doesn't necessarily have to be to blame for the bad sound! Is the network reception If you or your interlocutor is bad at the moment, this can also manifest itself in too low a conversation volume. If the conversations are only sometimes too quiet or with certain contacts, it may well be due to the network. In addition, ask whether the other person is using the hands-free mode - a typical cause of poor sound.
If you make a call using a headset , this can of course also be a reason for too quiet a conversation partner. Check whether the connection via cable or Bluetooth is not disturbed, for example by playing music. With Bluetooth headsets in particular, it can be worthwhile to try disconnecting and re-establishing the connection. You do this in the system settings under “Bluetooth”.
If all the steps shown do not lead to the desired success, you can perhaps solve the volume problems by resetting the iPhone . We'll show you how to do this here: https://www.heise.de/tipps-tricks/iPhone-Hard-Reset-so-klappt-s-4028507.html. If all else fails, there is still the way to the Apple Store or a service partner. In the worst case, it can actually be that an iPhone that is too quiet is caused by a hardware failure. In this case, only a repair can help.
