To make music or a video louder on your iPhone, start playback and press the volume-up button, or raise the volume slider in Control Center. If the sound still seems limited, check which device is playing it and review the relevant speaker or headphone limit. These steps cover iPhone 12 and other iPhones; some settings depend on the installed iOS version.
Raise the level gradually to a comfortable volume. Media, calls, and ringtones use different controls, so increasing one does not necessarily increase the others.
Increase the Volume You Are Actually Using
- Music or video: Start the song or video, then press the upper volume button on the left side of the iPhone. Adjusting it during playback changes media volume.
- Control Center: On iPhone 12 and other Face ID models, swipe down from the top-right corner, then drag the volume slider upward. On an iPhone with a Home button, swipe up from the bottom instead.
- Phone call: Press volume up while the call is connected. This adjusts the sound you hear during that call.
- Ringer or alerts: Open Settings > Sounds & Haptics and raise the relevant volume slider. iOS 26 uses Ringtone and Alerts; iOS 27 can have separate alert and alarm sliders when Match Ringtone Volume is off.
For media that should play through the phone, check the playback destination in Control Center’s audio controls. Tap the AirPlay/playback destination button and choose your iPhone if the audio is going to AirPods, a car stereo, or another speaker.
Settings That Can Limit Volume
- Speaker volume limit: Open Settings > Sounds & Haptics > Volume Limit when available. If Limit Maximum Volume is on, raise its limit to the level you want or turn it off. On iOS 27, this option is grouped under Built-In Speaker.
- Reduce Loud Sounds: Apple lists this under Built-In Speaker in iOS 27. It softens loud speaker sounds; it is separate from the headphone setting and is not listed in the iOS 26 volume guide.
- Reduce Loud Audio: Check Settings > Sounds & Haptics > Headphone Safety. It caps loud headphone audio at the selected level. Review the limit rather than treating a hearing safeguard as a speaker-volume control.
- Screen Time limits: if a parent set Speaker Volume Limit to Don’t Allow in Settings > Screen Time > Content & Privacy Restrictions, the limit is locked.
- Music EQ: Settings > Apps > Music > EQ changes the way music sounds. It does not increase the physical maximum output of the speaker or control other apps.
The speaker and headphone limits are listed in Apple’s Adjust the volume on iPhone. Menu labels vary by version. Skip options that are absent; an older iPhone may not support every setting shown in the current guide.
If the phone used to sound normal and became quiet unexpectedly, use our sudden-low-volume troubleshooting guide to compare media, calls, alerts, and headphones.
Other Things to Check
- Try a second song or video. A quiet recording can sound low even when the phone’s volume is high.
- Check the speaker and receiver openings. If necessary, use a small, clean, dry, soft-bristled brush; do not push a sharp object into an opening.
- Remove a case that covers the speakers.
- Restart the iPhone.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I go louder than the maximum?
Not with the built-in speaker. A Bluetooth speaker is the simplest way to get more volume.
Why are calls quiet?
Press the volume up button during the call. Call volume is separate from media volume.
Why doesn’t the ringer get louder?
Check the ringer slider in Settings > Sounds & Haptics and make sure Silent mode is off. See how to silence or unsilence calls on iPhone.
Matthew Burleigh has been writing tech tutorials since 2008. His writing has appeared on dozens of different websites and been read hundreds of millions of times.
After receiving his Bachelor’s and Master’s degrees in Computer Science he spent several years working in IT management for small businesses. However, he now works full time writing content online and creating websites.
His main writing topics include iPhones, Microsoft Office, Google Apps, Android, and Photoshop, but he has also written about many other tech topics as well.