Spotify Volume Too Low On iPhone? 5 Known Issues

Spotify users are spoilt for choice with the extensive catalog of content that Spotify provides.

But some avid users have raised concerns that in their daily usage of the platform on iPhone, there seem to be volume variances where the volume seems to be just too low.

In this article, we will delve into the issues that cause the volume to seem low and how to fix them so you can get back to an enjoyable listening experience on your favorite platform.

Before we get started, Spotify users on the free plan may experience these issues as well, but unfortunately, most of the solutions can only be unlocked on the Premium subscription.

Spotify app on iPhone SE screen close to a laptop. Spotify is one of the most popular music service app on the world.

Normalization is Turned On

If you’ve ever used headphones to listen to music on a smartphone, you’ve probably noticed a dramatic increase in volume once the song transitions. 

This change in volume between songs can be frustrating, especially when you can’t hear songs clearly at all.

Different musicians record their music at various levels depending on the genre. Ballads, as an illustration, are milder than heavy metal or hip hop. 

As a result, unless the songs are of the same style, you’ll probably notice a volume shift when Spotify switches between songs.

Check out our article on which is the loudest streaming service where we elaborate further on this.

Spotify provides a feature called “Volume Normalization” for premium customers that compresses the sound and maintains the volume at a constant level.

This lessens the abrupt change and prevents you from being required to adjust your volume regularly.  The Spotify app typically comes with this option activated, although this isn’t always the case.

This feature is quite nifty, especially when you’re reading or concentrating on a task and need your volume regulated.

Here’s how to deactivate Normalization:

  • Launch the Spotify app on your iOS device.
  • Tap on the ‘Home’ icon.
  • Click on the gear icon to open ‘Settings’ at the top right corner of the screen.
  • From the drop-down menu, tap on ‘Playback’
  • Scroll to ‘Enable Audio Normalization’ and toggle it off.

Audio Quality Settings need to be adjusted

If you are finding that Spotify is too quiet when you play on your iPhone, you need to look at the audio quality settings.

Many Spotify users are still awaiting the arrival of Spotify HiFi, which is said to provide CD quality like Apple Music’s Lossless and Tidal’s HiFi.

But while Spotify is yet to get the ball rolling with HiFi, they have not left their users high and dry.

Spotify allows its users to change the general quality of the music they are streaming or have downloaded.

The five tiers of audio quality are:

  • Automatic, which is set to the strength of your network connection
  • Low, which is about 24 kbps.
  • Normal, which is about 96kbps
  • High, which is about 160 kbps
  • Very High, which is about 320 kbps.

It is worth noting that the higher the quality, the greater the bandwidth or data will be consumed.

These tiers may seem similar when playing directly from your device, but once paired with an audio output amplifier like Airpods, headphones, or high-quality speakers, the sound is more crisp and definitive, making Spotify louder.

Following the steps below to adjust your Audio Quality Settings will not take long but will improve your entire listening experience:

  • Launch the Spotify App on your iOS device.
  • Select the gear icon to open ‘Settings’ at the top right corner of the screen.
  • Scroll down to ‘Audio Quality’ from the drop-down menu.
  • Under ‘Wi-Fi Streaming and Cellular Streaming’, you can select which tier of audio quality you want; free plan users will only access up to the ‘High’ option.

The Base Volume is not adjusted correctly

Picking up the volume using your device’s side buttons is simple to maneuver, but Spotify takes it up a notch by giving its users the ability to raise the base volume dependent on the environment where they are.

You can select Quiet, Normal, or Loud to suit your volume needs.

  • When you’re relaxed at home, enjoying a chilled listening session, Quiet would be the ideal choice as it makes songs slightly quieter and more refined.
  • Spotify sets the default base volume to Normal, which plays at a medium base with less refined sound.
  • When you’re at the gym or any other noisy environment, Loud is the perfect fit.

The only issue with choosing the ‘Loud’ option is that you lose audio quality.

However, it is not ‘in-your-face’ apparent, the music just simply sounds louder than when set to ‘Normal’.

Here’s how to crank up the Base Volume:

  • Open the Spotify app on your device.
  • Select the gear icon to open ‘Settings’ in the top right corner of your screen.
  • Tap on ‘Playback’ in the drop-down menu.
  • Under ‘Volume Level’, you can select one of the three options.

The in-app Equalizer settings may need some tweaking

The Equalizer enhances your music, where you can customize it to suit the sound you’re looking for.

There are numerous preset settings that you can select or you can manually set it up yourself by sliding the white dots to adjust the sound.

If you want to hear the differences in sound, change the settings while playing a song in the background.

When you adjust the treble, the higher sound frequencies are affected, increased treble makes the music sound crisp and brighter, while decreased treble makes it sound somber and mellow.

Lower sound frequencies are affected when adjusting the bass; increased bass makes the music sound deeper, while decreased bass makes it sound flat. 

Here’s how to access the Equalizer:

  • Launch the Spotify app on your device.
  • Open ‘Settings’ by tapping on the gear icon in the top right corner of your screen.
  • Select ‘Playback’ in the menu.
  • Scroll to ‘Equalizer’

Now you can adjust the frequencies.

There is External Interference from other Apps

There are external interferences that come from other apps which affect Spotify’s volume, and often make the volume too low.

When you’re signed into Spotify desktop on your computer and mobile, an inexplicably strange phenomenon occurs where the desktop app can control the volume on the mobile app.

When this happens to you, it is recommended that you turn off Background App Refresh on your iPhone.

You can do this by following the steps below:

  • Open ‘Settings’ on your iOS device.
  • And then tap on ‘General’
  • Scroll to ‘Background App Refresh’ and toggle it off.

Alternatively, you can just sign out of Spotify from the desktop app to curb the interaction.

There are also other apps that consume data heavily, like Facebook or Apple Music, which take over the audio output and result in Spotify’s volume decreasing or turning off completely.

Disable the in-app sound on Facebook by doing the following:

  • On your device, launch the Facebook app.
  • From the bottom right, tap on the three horizontal lines.
  • Select ‘Settings and Privacy’ now.
  • Select ‘Settings’
  • Scroll down and select ‘Sounds’
  • Finally, disable ‘In-App Sound’

You can stop Facebook from running in the background by following these steps:

  • If you have an iPhone 8 or older, double-tap the home button.
  • Swipe up from the bottom of the screen and hold if you’re using an iPhone X or later.
  • Your device will now display a list of apps that are currently running in the background.
  • Finally, swipe up the Facebook card to exit the app.

Please also check out our article about reasons why Spotify keeps playing – but with no sound.

Common Pros and Cons of Spotify’s Volume Intensity 

Pros:

Spotify normalizes sound for its users by balancing loud and soft songs to create a more consistent listening experience.

Spotify allows Premium users to adjust the sound settings according to their personal preferences.

Cons:

  • Audio Normalization could be turned on, causing the volume to be lackluster.
  • Audio Quality Settings may need to be adjusted.
  • The Base Volume levels are not configured correctly.
  • The Spotify in-app Equalizer Settings may need some tweaking.
  • External Interference from other apps.

Final Thoughts

Spotify has impressive features intended to protect its users’ hearing and provide a seamless and enjoyable experience. However, when these features don’t function as intended, users are left disappointed. 

The troubleshooting tips above should help solve your volume issue, especially for Premium users.

It is also important to remember that the number one starting point for any troubleshooting problem is to ensure your Spotify app is up-to-date.

Sources

How To Get The Best Sound Quality In Spotify

How To Make Spotify Louder

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