To turn the volume up on an iPhone, press the upper of the two volume buttons on the left side of the phone. Each press raises the sound one step; hold the button to raise it faster. You can also open Control Center and drag the volume slider up, or tell Siri “Turn up the volume.”
The buttons change whatever is playing right now, such as music, a video or a call. When nothing is playing, they change the ringer only if Change with Buttons is turned on. To set the ringtone and alert volume directly, go to Settings > Sounds & Haptics and drag the Ringtone and Alerts slider to the right. These steps work on every current iPhone, including the iPhone 14.
Your iPhone keeps several separate volume levels, which is why pressing the buttons sometimes seems to do nothing to your ringer. What the buttons adjust depends on what’s happening when you press them:
| When you press the volume buttons | What gets louder |
|---|---|
| Music, a video, a podcast or a game is playing | Media volume for the speaker, headphones or Bluetooth device in use |
| You’re on a phone or FaceTime call | Call volume only |
| Siri is talking or Maps is giving directions | Siri or navigation voice volume |
| Nothing is playing and Change with Buttons is on | Ringtone and alert volume |
| Nothing is playing and Change with Buttons is off | Media volume; the ringer stays where you set it in Settings |
A volume indicator appears on screen while you press the button, and its icon tells you which level you’re changing.
- Find the two volume buttons on the left edge of your iPhone. On an iPhone 14 and earlier, the Ring/Silent switch sits just above them. On an iPhone 15 Pro and later models, the Action button is in that spot instead.
- Press the upper button once for a small step, or hold it to go to maximum quickly.
- Watch the volume indicator near the top of the screen. When it’s full, you’re at the highest level for that sound.
If you hear nothing at all, check that Silent Mode isn’t on. Ringtones and alerts stay quiet in Silent Mode no matter how high the ringer is set. See how to take an iPhone out of silent mode if a switch or Action button setting muted it.
How to turn up the volume in Control Center
Use this when a button is broken or you want to see exactly where the level sits.
- Open Control Center. On an iPhone with Face ID, swipe down from the top-right corner of the screen. On an iPhone with a Home button, swipe up from the bottom edge.
- Find the tall slider with the speaker icon.
- Drag the slider up with your finger.
This slider controls the sound that’s playing, the same as the buttons do. To stop Control Center from sliding back to a low level, raise the ringer in Settings as described below.
How to raise the ringtone and alert volume
If calls and texts are too quiet, raise the ringer in Settings. This is also where you choose whether the buttons can change it.
- Open Settings.
- Tap Sounds & Haptics.
- Drag the Ringtone and Alerts slider to the right. Your iPhone plays a sample sound at the new level.
- Turn on Change with Buttons if you want the side buttons to raise the ringer whenever nothing is playing. Leave it off if you’d rather the buttons never change your ringer by accident.
On iOS 27, the Sounds & Haptics screen adds separate settings for alarms and timers and for alerts and system sounds. Each has a Match Ringtone Volume switch; turn it off to get a separate slider, so a quiet ringer no longer means a quiet alarm. Our guide to changing the alarm volume covers that part in more detail.
How to show a volume slider on the Lock Screen
Starting with iOS 18.2, you can keep a volume slider on the Lock Screen whenever audio is playing, so you don’t need to unlock the phone or reach for the buttons.
- Open Settings > Accessibility.
- Under Hearing, tap Audio & Visual.
- Turn on Always Show Volume Control.
The slider shows up in the Now Playing controls on the Lock Screen the next time music or a podcast plays.
How to turn up the volume with Siri
Say “Siri” or “Hey Siri” (or press and hold the side button), then say “Turn up the volume.” You can also ask for a specific level, such as “Set the volume to 80 percent.” This is handy when your hands are busy or the buttons are hard to press through a thick case.
How to make a phone call louder
Call volume can only be changed while you’re on a call. Press the upper volume button during the call, and the level you choose is kept for your next calls. If the other person still sounds faint, tap Speaker on the call screen, or take off a case or screen protector that may be covering the earpiece at the top of the screen.
Volume is all the way up but still too quiet?
If the slider is full and the sound is still weak, one of these settings or problems is usually the cause.
Headphone Safety is lowering headphone audio
With Reduce Loud Audio turned on, your iPhone automatically lowers headphone volume above a decibel level you’ve set. It doesn’t affect the built-in speaker.
- Open Settings > Sounds & Haptics.
- Tap Headphone Safety.
- Turn off Reduce Loud Audio, or drag its slider to a higher decibel level.
Note: Apple says headphone notifications can’t be turned off in some countries and regions because of local safety rules. Apple’s headphone notifications page explains how these alerts and the 7-day exposure limit work.
Sound is going to a Bluetooth device
If your iPhone is still connected to earbuds, a car or a speaker, the audio plays there instead of the iPhone’s speaker. Open Control Center, tap the AirPlay icon in the music controls, and choose iPhone. When you do want Bluetooth, here’s how to pair earbuds with your iPhone properly.
One side sounds quieter than the other
Go to Settings > Accessibility > Audio & Visual and check the Balance slider. It should sit in the middle between L and R.
The speaker is blocked or dirty
Remove the case, screen protector or any film that covers the speaker openings. Apple suggests cleaning the openings gently with a small, clean, dry, soft-bristled brush. Then go to Settings > Sounds & Haptics and drag the Ringtone and Alerts slider back and forth a few times. If you hear no sound, or it’s distorted, make a speakerphone call to test it and follow Apple’s speaker troubleshooting steps. If the speaker still fails, it likely needs service.
For more fixes, including restarts and software updates, see our guide on fixing iPhone volume problems.
Frequently asked questions
Why does my iPhone volume go down by itself?
The most common cause is Reduce Loud Audio lowering headphone volume after it passes your decibel limit. Headphone notifications can also lower the volume after you reach the 7-day listening limit.
Can I make my iPhone louder than the maximum volume?
No setting pushes the speaker past 100%. Music can sound louder with the Late Night EQ in Settings > Apps > Music > EQ, which raises quiet passages, but it only affects the Music app.
Do the volume buttons work when the iPhone is locked?
Yes. The buttons raise the media volume on the Lock Screen while audio plays, and they raise the ringer when nothing is playing if Change with Buttons is on.
Matthew Roberts is the founder and editor of ARS Digitech. He started the site to answer the iPhone questions his friends and family kept asking him, and it has grown into a library of iPhone and iOS how-to guides. Matthew writes and maintains every tutorial on the site, checking steps and menu names against Apple’s official support documentation and updating guides when an iOS release moves a setting.