How do I adjust the volume on my iPhone headset?

The volume on iPhone headsets can be adjusted in several different ways depending on your preferred method and the type of headset you’re using. Whether you have wired EarPods, wireless AirPods, or a Bluetooth headset, there are options to turn the volume up or down right from your iPhone.

In this guide, we’ll cover the main methods to adjust headset volume if you’re using the headphones that come with iPhones, AirPods, or most third-party wired or wireless headsets. We’ll go over using the physical volume buttons on your iPhone, adjusting settings in Control Center, asking Siri to change the volume hands-free, and setting volume limits if needed.

Locate the Volume Buttons

To adjust the volume on iPhone headset, the first thing you need to do is locate the volume control buttons on the headset cord. Look for an inline remote on the cord with the volume up and down buttons. The volume up button has a “+” symbol and volume down button has a “-” symbol.
There are two variations of these volume buttons on iPhone headsets:

› Three button inline remote – UP, DOWN, PLAY/PAUSE

› Two button inline remote – UP, DOWN

The volume up and down buttons are typically near the mid-point of the cord on either the two or three-button remote. The “PLAY/PAUSE” button is also used to answer phone calls without having to reach for your iPhone.

Once you’ve located the volume controls, you can simply press the “+” or “-” buttons to adjust the volume level as needed.

Adjust Volume via Buttons

The easiest way to adjust the volume on your iPhone headset is by using the physical volume buttons on the side of your iPhone. Simply press the volume up button to increase the volume, or press the volume down button to decrease the volume.

These buttons allow you to gradually adjust the volume higher or lower in the Headphone Audio level within Settings. Pressing once will only slightly increase or decrease volume, so you can precisely tune it.

If your headset also has inline volume buttons, you can use these as well. Press the + button to raise volume, or the – button to lower it. The iPhone volume buttons will change the overall system volume, while inline headset buttons just control volume for music/calls going to the headset.

Open Control Center

To open the iPhone Control Center, place your finger at the very bottom of the screen and swipe up. You’ll see a panel slide up from the bottom which contains various quick settings and controls.

The Control Center provides convenient access to frequently used features without having to open apps or go into Settings. From the Control Center you can quickly toggle things like Wi-Fi, Bluetooth, Airplane mode, Do Not Disturb, screen brightness, media playback controls, flashlight, calculator, and camera.

Swiping up from the bottom edge of any screen is the fastest way to open Control Center on an iPhone. Whether you’re viewing the home screen, within an app, or even when the phone is locked, you can always access Control Center with an upward swipe from the bottom of the display (1).

Use Slider in Control Center

The easiest way to adjust the volume on iPhone headphones is to use the volume slider in Control Center:

• Swipe down from the top right corner of the screen to open Control Center on iPhones with a Home button or swipe down from the top right area on iPhones without a Home button.
• In Control Center, locate the volume slider in the upper right corner. It looks like a speaker icon with a vertical slider next to it.
• Drag the slider left or right to lower or raise the volume. Watch the volume indicator icon next to the slider to monitor your volume level.

The volume slider provides granular control over audio output volume. You can set the slider to the exact level you prefer for your iPhone headphones.

If the volume slider is unresponsive or doesn’t seem to adjust volume properly, try these troubleshooting tips:

• Close Control Center and reopen it
• Check that your headphones are properly connected
• Restart your iPhone

Ask Siri to Change Volume

You can use the “Hey Siri” voice command to change the volume hands-free without having to physically press any buttons. To adjust the volume using Siri:

1. Say “Hey Siri” out loud to activate Siri.
2. Say a command like “Turn the volume up” or “Lower the volume” to adjust louder or softer.
3. Siri will respond by changing the system volume.
4. You can continue to give Siri volume commands until you reach the desired loudness.

Using Siri to change volume can be helpful while driving, exercising, or anytime your hands are full and you need to make quick audio adjustments.

Volume Limits

You can set a maximum volume limit for the headphones connected to your iPhone to prevent damage to your hearing from loud volumes. Here’s how to adjust the headphone volume limit on your iPhone in Settings:

Go to the Settings app and tap Sounds & Haptics. Scroll down and tap Headphone Safety. You can set the maximum output level for your connected headphones. The default limit is 80 decibels. You can set a lower maximum like 75 or even 60 decibels if you prefer. You can also toggle Headphone Notifications on to be alerted when your headphone volume reaches unsafe levels.

According to one source, the maximum output of AirPods and other earphones can exceed 100 decibels which is louder than recommended. Setting lower volume limits in iPhone Settings aims to prevent potential hearing loss.

Mono Audio

If you want to wear just a single earbud or headphone, you can enable mono audio on your iPhone to play the same audio in both channels. This is helpful in a variety of scenarios such as hearing challenges, only one working earbud, or exercising with a single earbud.

According to Apple (https://support.apple.com/guide/iphone/adjust-audio-settings-iphb80ab7516/ios), to enable mono audio:

1. Open the Settings app.
2. Tap Accessibility.
3. Tap Audio & Visual.
4. Enable Mono Audio with the toggle button.

Once mono audio is turned on, any audio played on your iPhone will play in both your left and right audio channels. You will hear the same audio even with only a single earbud or headphone connected.

Keep in mind that while mono audio allows for single earbud use, you lose the stereo effect that comes with dual channel audio. Sound may not feel as wide or spacious with mono audio. However, this is a small sacrifice to be able to comfortably use a single earbud.

Balance Audio Channels

If you notice that the audio volume seems louder in one earbud versus the other, you can balance the left and right audio channels on your iPhone headset:

1. Go to Settings > Accessibility > Audio/Visual.

2. Under “Balance”, adjust the slider towards the side you want to increase the volume for. For example, if the audio seems louder in your left earbud, slide it slightly right to balance it.

3. You can also toggle “Mono Audio” on if you want the same audio channel to play in both ears instead of separated left/right audio.

Balancing the audio channels can help provide a more unified listening experience if the default separation of channels creates an imbalance between ears.

Troubleshooting

If you’re having issues with adjusting the volume on your iPhone headset, try the following troubleshooting solutions:

• No sound: First, check that your headset is properly connected. Unplug and reinsert the headset connector firmly into your iPhone’s headphone jack. Also ensure that your headset is compatible with your iPhone’s model. Older headsets may not work with newer iPhone models.
• Volume too low or high: Check that the volume limits are not restricting the maximum volume level. Go to Settings > Sounds and remove any set volume limits. Disable any mono audio or audio channel balancing that’s enabled.
• Volume buttons not adjusting level: Restart your iPhone by powering it off completely, waiting 30 seconds, then powering it on again. This often resets any volume issues caused by software bugs. Also check that no accessibility options or hardware issues are impacting the volume buttons.

If you’ve tried these troubleshooting tips and still can’t adjust your headset volume properly, you may need to have your iPhone serviced or purchase a new headset. Contact Apple Support or visit an Apple Store for further assistance.