How do I get my Waze volume to work?

Check Your Device’s Volume Settings

The first step in troubleshooting why Waze volume is not working is to check the volume settings on your device. Confirm that your phone’s main volume is turned up by using the volume buttons on the side of the phone or by adjusting the on-screen slider in the device’s Settings app.

Next, open the Waze app and check that the in-app volume slider is also turned up. The Waze volume control allows you to adjust the volume just for the Waze app separate from your device’s main system volume. Make sure the Waze volume slider is not muted or turned down low.

If both your phone volume and Waze volume are at adequate levels but you still cannot hear Waze voice prompts and alerts, the issue likely lies elsewhere. Continue troubleshooting with the steps below.

Check Waze Audio Settings

One of the most common reasons for issues with Waze volume is incorrect settings within the Waze app itself. To check your Waze audio settings:

1. Open the Waze app on your phone and tap the menu icon in the top left corner to access settings.
2. Look for the “Sound & Voice” or “Audio” section in settings.
3. Make sure the “Voice Prompts” option is enabled to allow Waze to provide audible directions and notifications ^[1].
4. Adjust the volume sliders for Voice Prompts, Sound Effects, and Media to your desired levels.

If Voice Prompts are disabled, Waze navigation cues will be muted. Enabling this and adjusting volume levels can often resolve problems with low or missing audio from Waze.

Update the Waze App

Go to your device’s app store.

• On Android devices, open the Google Play Store app.
• On iOS devices, open the App Store app.

Search for “Waze” or tap on the Updates tab to see available app updates.

If an update is available for Waze, tap “Update” to install the latest version. Keeping apps up-to-date ensures you have the latest features and fixes.

Once the update finishes installing, open Waze and check if sound is now working properly.

Restart Your Device

One troubleshooting step to try if Waze volume is not working is to completely restart your device. This clears out any temporary glitches and resets all settings to default.

Follow these steps:

1. Fully power down your device by pressing and holding the power button until you get the option to power off.
2. After your device shuts down, wait at least 30 seconds before turning it back on. This allows time for key components to discharge any residual power.
3. Turn your device back on and relaunch Waze. Check if audio and volume are now working properly.

Restarting your smartphone or navigation device resets settings and clears temporary memory issues that could be interfering with Waze. According to an article on troubleshooting technical issues, a quick reboot or restart is often an effective first troubleshooting step.

If volume problems persist after restarting, further troubleshooting may be needed. But many find a simple device restart resolves temporary glitches with apps like Waze.

Check Device Compatibility

Confirm your device model is supported by Waze. According to AutoEvolution, Waze updated its system requirements in June 2022 and now requires at least iOS 14 or Android 6.0. Some very old devices, especially those running outdated operating systems, may not be compatible with the latest version of Waze.

Check the Waze website or your device’s app store to confirm your device model and operating system meets the minimum requirements. If your device is too outdated and cannot be updated to the required OS version, you may need to upgrade to a newer device model in order to use Waze.

Switch Audio Output

If you are having issues with audio from the Waze app playing through your device’s speakers, you can try switching the audio output to an external source like Bluetooth speakers, an aux cable connection or external speakers.

To switch the audio output on Android, go to Settings -> Connected Devices -> Connection preferences -> Bluetooth audio. Here you can select your preferred Bluetooth audio device to have the Waze audio play through.[1]

You can also connect your device to external speakers using an aux cable. Plug one end into your device’s headphone jack and the other end into speakers. The audio should automatically start playing through the connected speakers instead of the device’s internal speaker.

Finally, you can connect your phone to a wireless speaker via Bluetooth to have the Waze audio play from that external speaker instead. Go to your Bluetooth settings to pair your phone with the wireless speaker. The Waze app audio should then play through the wireless speaker automatically.

Disable Battery Saver

Some devices automatically enable a Battery Saver mode when the battery level gets low. Battery Saver attempts to extend battery life by muting sounds, stopping background processes, and limiting screen brightness.

This muting of sounds can inadvertently mute navigation app audio from Waze. To test if Battery Saver is causing muted Waze audio:

1. Open your device’s Settings app
2. Navigate to the Battery or Power settings
3. Locate the Battery Saver option and toggle it off
4. Open Waze and check if audio works properly with Battery Saver disabled

If Waze audio works with Battery Saver off, you’ve confirmed that is the culprit behind the muted audio. You can leave Battery Saver disabled, but keep in mind this will cause your battery to drain faster. Alternatively, you can whitelist or exclude Waze from being muted while Battery Saver is enabled [1].

Clear App Data/Cache

Clearing app data and cache for Waze on your Android device can sometimes help resolve audio issues like muffled or no volume. According to Android Police, clearing app data “essentially resets the app to its default state.” This can fix problems with glitchy audio volumes.

To clear the Waze app’s data and cache on Android:

1. Go to Settings > Apps > Waze
2. Tap Storage & Cache > Clear Storage

This will delete all app data for Waze, including your settings and preferences. However it often resolves technical issues like audio not working properly. Waze will reload like a freshly installed app.

If volume still doesn’t work, try the other troubleshooting tips before reinstalling Waze as a last resort.

Human: Introduction

Having issues getting audio or voice navigation to work properly in Waze? Don’t worry, you’re not alone. Many Waze users have reported problems with low volume, no audio at all, or navigation guidance not coming through. The good news is there are several troubleshooting steps you can try to get Waze working again.

In this comprehensive guide, we’ll walk through the top solutions to try when Waze volume isn’t working on Android or iOS. We’ll cover quick fixes like adjusting volume levels, as well as advanced tips like reinstalling the app. Read on to learn how to troubleshoot and resolve any Waze audio issues.

Contact Waze Support

If troubleshooting on your own does not resolve the issue with Waze’s audio volume, the next step is to reach out to Waze’s customer support team for additional help.

When contacting Waze support, be sure to provide details about your device and the specific issue you are encountering. For example, note your phone model, OS version, Waze app version, description of the problem, and steps you have already tried to resolve it. The more information you can provide upfront, the better able Waze support will be to quickly identify potential solutions.

There are a couple ways to get in touch with a Waze support representative:

• In the Waze app, tap your profile icon > Help > Contact Support. This will open an email pre-populated with some basic device info.
• Visit the Waze Help Center and select Contact Us to submit a support request.
• Call Waze support using the toll-free numbers listed on their Contact Us page.

Waze aims to respond to all inquiries within 1-2 business days. Be sure to provide as much detail as possible in your initial request to help expedite resolution of your audio volume problem.

Try an Alternative Navigation App

If you are still having trouble getting audio to work properly in Waze, one option is to try using a different navigation app to see if the audio works there. Some popular alternative navigation apps to test include:

Google Maps – As one of the most widely used navigation apps, Google Maps is a good option to test. Make sure your volume settings are turned up and try getting directions with voice guidance enabled.

Apple Maps – For iPhone users, Apple Maps comes preinstalled. Try getting directions here with audio and see if you have the same problem as in Waze.

MapQuest – This free navigation app has voice-guided directions and traffic updates. Check if audio works properly here.

Testing other navigation apps will help determine if the audio issue is isolated to Waze or if it occurs across multiple apps. If the audio works fine elsewhere, then the problem likely lies with Waze. But if you have no audio in multiple apps, the issue may be with your device settings or compatibility.