The short answer: press the volume up button during a call or while audio is playing, tap Speaker during calls, and turn off any volume limit settings. On iPhone, check Settings > Sounds & Haptics (Apple); on Android, press a volume button and tap the sliders icon to see call, ring and media volume (Google). If that’s still not loud enough, the hearing features below can boost and shape sound for your ears.
iPhone: the basics
- During a call: press the volume buttons on the side. To use speakerphone, tap Audio on the call screen and choose Speaker (Apple).
- Ringer and alerts: go to Settings > Sounds & Haptics and drag the slider up. Turn on Change with Buttons if you want the side buttons to change the ringer too (Apple).
- Ask Siri: say “Turn up the volume” (Apple).
- Control Center: swipe down from the top-right corner and drag the volume slider (Apple).
iPhone: remove the caps
Several safety settings limit loudness. If sound is too quiet, check Reduce Loud Sounds, headphone safety and any Volume Limit and turn them off or raise them (Apple). Also make sure Silent mode is off if the phone doesn’t ring.
iPhone: hearing features that boost sound
- Headphone Accommodations: Settings > Accessibility > Audio & Visual > Headphone Accommodations. Apply it to Phone, Media or both, and use Customize Audio to tune it to your hearing (Apple). It works with AirPods (2nd generation and later), AirPods Pro, AirPods Max, EarPods and some Beats (Apple).
- Live Listen: turns the iPhone into a remote microphone that streams to your hearing aids, AirPods or supported Beats. Put the phone near the person talking. Turn it on in Settings > Accessibility > Audio & Visual > Live Listen or from Control Center (Apple).
- Live Captions show spoken words as text, and Mono Audio and balance help if one ear hears better (Apple).
Android: the basics
- Press a volume button.
- Tap Menu (the sliders icon) on the volume panel.
- Raise Call volume (how loud the other person sounds), Ring and Media (Google).
During a call, tap Speaker on the call screen for hands-free calling.
Android: hearing features
- Sound Amplifier boosts and filters sound through headphones. Find it in Settings > Accessibility > Sound Amplifier; it’s built into Pixel 3 and newer (Google).
- Samsung: Settings > Accessibility > Hearing enhancements includes Live Caption, hearing aid support, Amplify ambient sound and Adapt sound, which tunes audio to your hearing (Samsung).
Check the hardware
- Make sure the case and screen protector don’t cover the earpiece or speaker openings (Samsung).
- Clean lint out of the speaker openings gently with a soft, dry brush.
- Restart the phone (Samsung).
- If one call sounds bad but others are fine, the problem is likely the connection. Hang up and call back. On Samsung, try turning Wi-Fi Calling off (Samsung).
When it’s your hearing, not the phone
If every phone sounds quiet to you, a hearing check is worth it. Over-the-counter hearing aids are available without a prescription for adults with perceived mild to moderate hearing loss (FDA), and many pair directly with phones.
Questions people ask about phone volume
Why is my iPhone quiet even at full volume?
Check Settings > Sounds & Haptics for Reduce Loud Sounds and the headphone safety settings, and any Volume Limit. These cap how loud audio can get; turn them off or raise them if sound is too quiet (Apple).
Why can’t I hear people during calls on my Samsung phone?
Samsung suggests checking that a screen protector isn’t covering the earpiece and a case isn’t blocking openings, raising the volume during the call, making sure Mute all sounds under Hearing enhancements is off, restarting, and trying with Wi-Fi Calling off (Samsung).
Can my phone work with my hearing aids?
Yes. iPhone supports Made for iPhone (MFi) hearing devices (Apple), and Samsung has hearing aid support under Hearing enhancements (Samsung).
The volume buttons change the wrong thing. Why?
On iPhone, the buttons control media while something is playing and the ringer otherwise, but only if Change with Buttons is on in Sounds & Haptics (Apple). On Android, press a volume button, then tap the sliders icon to see every volume setting (Google).
Would over-the-counter hearing aids help?
They might, if you have perceived mild to moderate hearing loss. The FDA allows adults 18 and older to buy them without a prescription (FDA). If you have ear pain, sudden hearing changes or ringing in one ear, see a doctor first.
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