How to change headphone settings on iPhone (wired and AirPods)
Headphone settings are spread across Accessibility, Sounds & Haptics and your AirPods menu. Here is where each one lives.
The fix
Tune the sound: Headphone Accommodations
- 1
Open Settings › Accessibility › Audio & Visual.
- 2
Tap Headphone Accommodations and turn it on.
- 3
Choose a preset.
Balanced Tone, Vocal Range (clearer voices for calls and podcasts) or Brightness (more treble for music).
- 4
Choose how much to boost soft sounds, and whether to apply it to calls, media or both.
The fix
Fix left and right balance
- 1
Open Settings › Accessibility › Audio & Visual.
- 2
Drag the Balance slider to the center, or toward the side you want louder.
- 3
Turn on Mono Audio if you only use one earbud, so you hear both channels in it.
The fix
Set volume limits
- 1
Open Settings › Sounds & Haptics › Headphone Safety.
- 2
Turn Reduce Loud Audio on or off, and choose the decibel limit.
Frequently asked questions
Why is one side of my headphones louder?
The audio balance may be off. Go to Settings › Accessibility › Audio & Visual and move the Balance slider back to the middle. Also clean the quieter earbud.
Why does my iPhone lower the headphone volume by itself?
Reduce Loud Audio is turned on to protect your hearing. Change the level or turn it off in Settings › Sounds & Haptics › Headphone Safety.
Related guides
Convert photos to PDF on iPhone
Convert one or several photos to a PDF on iPhone for free with the Files app or the Print menu, combine pages in order, and save or share the PDF.
Change Auto-Lock on iPhone
Change how long your iPhone screen stays on before it locks, choose Never, and fix Auto-Lock when it is greyed out or stuck at 30 seconds by Low Power Mode.