You want to enjoy high-quality audio privately with your Bluetooth headphones but you can’t since their volume is low. So, what causes this and how do you increase the sound?
Bluetooth headphones can have a low volume if the battery is low, if the Absolute Volume is disabled, if the media application doesn’t allow max volume, if an internal hardware part is faulty, or if the headphones are dirty.
To fix low-volume headphones, check the volume settings, try other media players, try another source device, charge the headphones, try noise-canceling headphones, use sound amplifiers, clear the Bluetooth list, or contact support.
Why Do Headphones Have Low Sound?
The main reasons headphones have low sounds are low battery, if the absolute volume is enabled, if you are using a low media player, if you have low equalizer settings, damaged hardware components, or because of dust and dirt.
When the battery level of the headphones is low, the available power to drive the audio components may decrease, resulting in a lower sound volume.
1. Absolute Volume Is Disabled
Absolute Volume is a feature that allows controlling the volume of the phone and the headphones directly from the phone. When Absolute Volume is enabled, adjusting the volume on your phone will directly control the volume level on the headphones, without any additional steps or adjustments required.
However, if your headphones are incompatible with Absolute Volume, it’s better to turn it off.
2. Bad Media Player or Application
Some music players and applications are designed to have a low volume. To know if the media player is bad, use a different media player or application and check if the volume is higher.
3. Low Equalizer Settings
Adjusting the equalizer settings doesn’t directly affect the volume level of the audio output. But, certain equalizer settings may give the perception of volume changes due to the altered balance of frequencies. It’s recommended to reset the equalizer settings.
4. Faulty Internal Hardware
The volume of the headphones will be lower if an internal hardware part is faulty. Internal hardware parts will get damaged or faulty if you expose the headphones to high temperatures, or if you physically damage them.
5. Dust and Dirt
Dust and dirt will block sound waves and produce a lower volume on your headphones. It’s recommended to clean the headphones regularly, especially if you use them outdoors.
Note: The average Bluetooth headphone has a sound limit of 115 decibels. The range for most headphones is between 75 decibels and 135 decibels. You can check your device’s pack or user’s manual to read the sound limit.
Pro Tip: It’s advised not to listen to sound above 85 decibels for more than 8 hours.
How To Increase The Sound Of Bluetooth Headphones?
To increase the sound of Bluetooth headphones, do the following things.
1. Check Sound and Volume Settings
If the Absolute Volume is disabled in your devices, you must increase the volume on both devices (phone and headphones) separately. Increase the volume to the max on your headphones using the Volume Up (+) button, and increase the volume to the max in your source device (e.g. phone, TV, Laptop).
2. Try Other Media Players
Some media players or applications have low-volume settings on purpose. For instance, Spotify allows users to pick sound quality from “Automatic” to “High.” Each of these settings gives you a different audio setting and volume output. Choose the highest audio quality if you use Spotify.
3. Try Another Source Device
To know if the headphones or the source device are faulty, change the source device. For instance, if the headphones have a low volume while using a phone, connect the headphones to a TV or Laptop and check the volume level. If the volume increases once you change the device, then the old source device was faulty.
4. Charge The Headphones
A low battery can affect the sound volume of the headphones. During a low battery, the available power to drive the audio components may decrease, which results in a lower volume.
Check the battery indicator lights to know if the battery is low, usually, a blinking red color means the battery is low. Charge your headphones fully using an original charger for a few hours.
5. Try Noise-Cancelling Headphones
Low-quality or headphones that don’t have a noise-canceling feature, may have a lower sound output, especially in noisy or busy areas.
6. Use Sound Amplifiers
Audio amplifier apps are applications designed to increase and modify the audio output of the source devices (e.g. Smartphones, TV, Laptop). These apps provide additional audio controls, effects, and customization options to improve the volume output.
Tip: You should know that most sound-amplifying apps require a paid subscription to enjoy their full features.
7. Clear the Bluetooth List
A software bug or glitch can prevent the headphones from reaching their maximum volume output. To fix or remove software bugs, reset the speaker, upgrade the firmware version, or clear the known devices from the Bluetooth list.
To clean or remove known devices from the Bluetooth list, do the following things.
- Go to “Settings” on your smart device and select “Bluetooth Settings.”
- From Bluetooth, check the list of “Connected or Paired Devices.” Find your headphones from this list and click on them.
- Select “Forget Device”
- Restart your headphone and put them in “Pairing Mode”
- Pair your devices again and play audio content to see if you can now enjoy the optimum sound output.
8. Clean The Headphones
Dirt, dust, or ear wax will block the sound waves of the headphones and prevent a high volume output. Clean the headphones regularly, especially if you use them outdoors.
To clean headphones, do the following things.
- Use water and cotton swabs (Q-tips).
- Damp the cotton swabs with a small amount of water.
- Use the swabs to slowly clean the headphones.
- If water doesn’t work, use rubbing alcohol.
10. Contact Support
Headphones may have a low volume if an internal hardware part is faulty. If you have an active warranty, contact the support of the manufacturer of your headphones and follow their instructions. If you don’t have a warranty, send the headphones to a local electronic repair shop.