How do I turn down my AirPod volume?

Apple AirPods are small wireless earbuds that are increasingly popular devices. Popular market research shows that over 110 million units were sold of these devices as of 2020 link. They are powered by Apple technology and connect easily to Apple devices to play audio without wires or cables. Being able to adjust the volume is essential for user comfort, particularly as environments and activities change over the course of a day. Proper volume control prevents potential hearing damage from excessively loud sounds while still allowing crisp and clear audio at safer levels. This article provides key techniques to adjust your AirPod volume for the best listening experience.

Check Device Volume First

Before trying to adjust the volume on your AirPods specifically, first check that your overall device volume is turned up enough. Open the Settings app on your iPhone and tap on “Sounds & Haptics.” Here you can adjust the volume sliders for “Ringer and Alerts” and “Media” to make sure they are set to your desired loudness.

You can turn the volume all the way up to maximum if needed. Just beware that louder volumes can potentially damage your hearing over time, so avoid blasting music and try not to keep volumes too high for extended periods.

If adjusting your iPhone’s main volume levels still doesn’t make your AirPods loud enough, you will need to change the AirPods volume specifically.

Use Siri

One way to turn down the volume on your AirPods is by using Siri voice commands. Just say “Hey Siri” to activate Siri, then say something like “Turn down the volume” or “Lower the volume” to reduce the volume incrementally. You can also say specific volume levels like “Set volume to 50%” to adjust the volume more precisely.

According to 9to5mac.com, Siri enables hands-free volume control on AirPods which can be convenient in situations where you don’t have access to your iOS device. However, Siri requires an internet connection to work, so voice controls may not be available if your iPhone is in offline mode.

Adjust from Control Center

One of the easiest ways to adjust the volume on your AirPods is directly from Control Center on your iOS device. To access Control Center, swipe down from the top-right corner of your iPhone or iPad screen (or swipe up from the bottom on newer iPhone models).

In Control Center, you should see the volume slider with an AirPods icon next to it if your AirPods are connected. Simply drag the slider left or right to turn the volume up or down to your desired level. The AirPods icon will visually show the volume level as you adjust it. Control Center makes it quick and convenient to fine-tune the volume on your AirPods without having to open the Settings app.

Source: https://support.apple.com/en-us/HT212203

Use Volume Buttons

You can adjust the volume on AirPods by pressing the volume up or down buttons on your paired iPhone. The volume buttons are located on the left side of iPhone models. When AirPods are connected, pressing these hardware buttons will adjust the volume in your AirPods, not the overall device ringer volume.

To turn the volume up, press the upper volume button. To turn the volume down, press the lower volume button. Each press will incrementally increase or decrease the volume in your AirPods.

This method provides a quick way to control the volume if you don’t want to swipe on the AirPod stems or use Siri. As long as your iPhone is near your AirPods and paired, the volume buttons give you manual control.

One tip is to first set your iPhone’s ringer and alerts volume to your typical preferred level. Then use the volume buttons going forward primarily for on-the-fly AirPod volume adjustments.

Adjust Volume in App

One way to turn down your AirPods volume is to simply adjust the volume directly in the app you are listening to audio with. Many apps that play audio or video will have their own in-app volume slider that you can use to control the audio volume specifically for that app.

For example, in the Music app you can drag the volume slider to turn the volume up or down for songs played through your AirPods. Video apps like YouTube also have a volume slider you can adjust. This lets you customize the volume level on a per-app basis.

Turning down the in-app volume in one app will not affect the volume in other apps. So if you turn down the volume in YouTube, your Music app volume will remain unchanged. This gives you granular control over app volumes.

The maximum volume level will still be limited by the overall device volume set in Settings or with the hardware volume buttons. But adjusting the in-app slider is a quick way to turn audio up or down for that specific app.

Check Accessibility Settings

The iPhone has accessibility settings that allow you to adjust the maximum volume limit. Here’s how to change the volume limit through Accessibility:

Open the Settings app and go to Accessibility.
Scroll down and tap Audio/Visual.
Under Headphone Accommodations, toggle on Custom Audio Setup.

Drag the Volume Limit slider to adjust the maximum volume.

Lowering the volume limit in Accessibility can prevent excessively loud audio from damaging hearing. It essentially caps how high the volume can go even if turned all the way up. This setting applies to headphones as well as the built-in iPhone speaker.

The Accessibility volume limit creates a firm upper bound that cannot be overridden by hardware volume buttons or software sliders. However, the setting does not affect call volume or volume level announcements. It’s useful for preventing unintentionally loud music, videos, games, etc.

Update AirPods Firmware

Keeping your AirPods firmware up to date can help resolve any volume control issues and enable new features. Apple releases periodic firmware updates for AirPods that contain bug fixes, performance improvements, and new capabilities.

To update your AirPods firmware, place them in their case, connect the case to power, and pair the AirPods to your iOS device via Bluetooth. Then simply keep the AirPods near your iPhone or iPad—the firmware will automatically update after a short time if a new version is available. You can check your AirPods firmware version in Settings > General > About > AirPods.

According to Apple’s support page, the latest firmware update for AirPods Pro and AirPods Max contains improvements to Active Noise Cancellation and Transparency mode. It also enables Spatial Audio for FaceTime calls and adds volume control for the Find My app [1]. Updating to the newest firmware ensures you have all the latest tweaks and enhancements.

Some users have reported volume control issues after installing certain firmware versions, like version 5B58 for AirPods Pro 2022 models [2]. Keeping the firmware current could potentially fix these types of problems when new releases become available.

Use Third-Party Apps

There are several third-party apps that can give you more granular control over your AirPods volume beyond what is available in the default iOS settings.

One option is an app called AirBuddy (https://apps.apple.com/us/app/airbuddy-2/id1491025898). AirBuddy gives you an interface to control the volume of each AirPod independently, as well as options for noise cancellation and adaptive EQ. With AirBuddy, you can fine tune the volume of each AirPod to suit your preferences.

Another popular app is AirPods Ring Controller (https://apps.apple.com/us/app/airpods-ring-controller/id1549137744). This app adds a virtual volume control ring around your AirPods icon, so you can use your finger to slide and adjust the volume more precisely.

While the default iOS volume controls may be limited, third-party apps provide extra customization for your AirPods volume to help you get the exact sound you want.

Get AirPods Serviced

If you’ve tried all of the tips above and are still having issues adjusting the volume on your AirPods, there may be an underlying hardware problem that requires professional service.

Some common hardware issues that can affect AirPods volume include:

Faulty volume sensors
Damage to speakers

Connectivity problems with the H1 chip

If you suspect a hardware issue, schedule an appointment to have your AirPods inspected by an Apple technician. They can run diagnostic tests and determine if a repair or replacement is needed.

It’s a good idea to backup your AirPods and sync them to your iCloud account before visiting the Genius Bar. That way, your settings and customizations can be easily transferred to a replacement pair if needed.

Keep in mind that getting your AirPods serviced may require paying an out-of-warranty fee if the one-year limited warranty has expired. AppleCare+ for Headphones also extends coverage for up to two years from the original purchase date.

With professional service and repairs, you can get your AirPods working properly again so you can enjoy listening without volume issues.