5 simple ways to make your iPhone sound louder

Updated

2021-03-03T22:46:06Z

smartphone iphone speaker

Your iPhone can become louder when you alter a few settings, or reposition the device.
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  • You can make your iPhone louder with a few simple tricks, like changing the EQ setting for Apple Music.
  • You can also change your Spotify volume or disable the "Reduce Loud Sounds" option in Settings.
  • Placing your iPhone in a bowl or cup will help make it louder, but the best option is to connect it to a Bluetooth speaker.
  • Visit Insider's Tech Reference library for more stories .

Most iPhone models are capable of fairly loud volume — perhaps not enough to enjoy music through the speakers on a noisy subway, but certainly good enough for most everyday situations.

But if you find your iPhone isn't loud enough to suit you, here are a few ways you can try to make your iPhone speakers sound louder.

Adjust the EQ Settings on your iPhone

Under "Playback," select EQ > Late Night.
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The EQ setting called "Late Night" normalizes the sound on your Apple Music app by making quieter sounds closer in volume to the loudest sections. This will make your iPhone louder when playing Apple Music.

1. In the Settings app, scroll down until you see the "Music" app listed, and tap it.

2. In the "Playback" section, tap "EQ."

3. On the EQ page, tap "Late Night."

Increase your volume level in Spotify

Tap "Loud" and a checkmark will appear beside it.
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Similar to the Apple Music app, you can adjust the default volume setting in Spotify. Here's how:

1. In the Spotify app, tap the small gear-shaped Settings icon in the upper-right corner.

2. On the Settings page, tap "Playback," which should appear toward the top of the menu.

3. Scroll down to the "Volume level" section. If "Quiet" or "Normal" is currently selected, tap the "Loud" option — a checkmark should appear beside "Loud" when it's selected.

Turn off the Reduce Loud Sounds option on your iPhone

Swipe the "Reduce Loud Sounds" button to the left to turn it off.
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1. In the Settings app, tap "Sounds & Haptics" or "Sounds."

2. In the "Headphone Audio" section, tap "Headphone Safety."

3. Make sure the toggle switch for "Reduce Loud Sounds" is not turned on. If it is, turn it off by swiping the button to the left.

Position your iPhone to make it sound louder

Not all solutions are high-tech — some are common sense. Here are a couple of things that'll make your iPhone louder:

  • Position it upside down. The speaker is on the bottom, so if you tend to prop it up against a computer or phone stand so you can read the screen while you work, the speaker is firing down into the table. Turn it upside down, and the speaker will fire up, sounding slightly louder.
  • Put it in a bowl. If you rest your iPhone in a bowl, the curved base of the bowl will cause sound waves to bounce up, creating a better soundstage.

Dave Johnson

Freelance Writer

Dave Johnson is a technology journalist who writes about consumer tech and how the industry is transforming the speculative world of science fiction into modern-day real life. Dave grew up in New Jersey before entering the Air Force to operate satellites, teach space operations, and do space launch planning. He then spent eight years as a content lead on the Windows team at Microsoft. As a photographer, Dave has photographed wolves in their natural environment; he's also a scuba instructor and co-host of several podcasts. Dave is the author of more than two dozen books and has contributed to many sites and publications including CNET, Forbes, PC World, How To Geek, and Insider.

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More: Tech How To iPhone Apple iOS

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