Having issues with the volume of your smartphone or tablet notifications? Don’t worry – adjusting your device’s notification volume is easy. In this guide, we’ll walk through the steps for both iOS and Android to help you get your notification volume just right.
Quick Answer: Adjust Notification Volume on iPhone
Here are the quick steps to change the notification volume on an iPhone or iPad:
- Open the Settings app
- Tap Sounds & Haptics
- Under Ringer and Alerts, drag the slider for Change with Buttons to adjust the overall system volume
- Drag the Alert Volume slider specifically for notification volume
- You can also toggle off Change with Buttons to use the iPhone’s volume buttons to control notification volume when pressed
Adjusting Notification Volume for Individual Apps on iPhone
Beyond the overall notification volume, you can also customize the notification volume levels for individual apps on your iPhone or iPad. Here’s how:
- Go to Settings > Notifications
- Select the app you want to adjust
- Drag the slider next to Sounds to set that app’s notification volume
- Toggle off Sounds to mute notifications from that app
This allows you to fine-tune notification volumes for different apps. For example, you may want a loud volume for messaging apps but a quieter volume for email notifications.
Quick Answer: Change Notification Volume on Android
Here is how to quickly change the notification volume on Android devices:
- Open the Settings app
- Tap Sound & vibration
- Drag the volume sliders under Notification volume and Media volume
- You can also press the physical volume buttons on your Android device while on the home screen to quickly adjust notification volume
This will control the master notification volume for your Android smartphone or tablet. Keep reading for how to customize it further.
Customize Notification Volume for Apps on Android
Android also provides options to control notification volume on a per-app basis. Follow these steps:
- Go to Settings > Apps & notifications > Notifications
- Select the app you want to adjust
- Tap Importance > Urgent, High, Medium, Low, or None to set notification priority
- Tap Advanced > Sound and select a notification sound or toggle off to mute
This allows you to customize notifications from certain apps to be louder, use special sounds, or mute them entirely. For example, you may set your text messaging app to Urgent so those notifications are always loud.
Troubleshooting Low Notification Volume
If your device’s notification volume seems too low even at the maximum setting, here are some things to check:
- Make sure your device is not in a battery saving mode, which can limit notification volume
- Check that your device’s ringer/media volume is turned up
- Clean out the device’s speaker and audio ports which may be blocked by debris
- Toggle Do Not Disturb to off to ensure notifications aren’t muted
- Restart your smartphone or tablet to clear any software glitches
- Check for issues with any cases or screen protectors that may block the speaker
- Update to the latest OS software in case a bug is causing problems
Trying out these troubleshooting tips should help restore full notification volume potential on your device.
Making Notification Volume Louder than the Maximum
If even the maximum volume setting isn’t loud enough for your liking, there are a few options to amplify it further:
- Use a sound amplifying app that can boost the system volume beyond the default limit
- Connect your phone or tablet to an external speaker to blast the notification sounds
- Consider a hearing aid device if you need amplification due to hearing impairment
- Set custom notification tones as some may be louder than the default sounds
- Assign VIP notification tones to key contacts so their alerts stand out
Just be careful when significantly increasing notification volume, as it could damage your hearing when used at extremely high levels.
Why You May Want to Lower Notification Volume
While many people desire louder notification sounds, there are good reasons you may want to lower your notification volume instead:
- Reduce distraction and interruptions from constant notifications
- Limit disturbances to those around you in public/work places
- Have a less stressful, anxiety-inducing experience with fewer intrusive alerts
- Improve focus and productivity by eliminating notification noise
- Enjoy media, calls, and conversations without notification interruption
- Conserve battery life by reducing power draw from loud notification sounds
Use the volume limiting methods outlined above to find the right lower notification volume for your needs.
Best Practices for Notification Volume
Here are some best practices for managing your device’s notification volume:
- Customize per-app volumes so important apps are louder
- Lower volume at night or when concentrating to limit distractions
- Increase volume temporarily when expecting an important alert
- Use ascending volume tones to gently notify without blasting
- Set your device to vibrate-only mode in very quiet/public places
- Turn on hearing aid compatibility if you need amplified volumes
- Toggle Do Not Disturb when needed for uninterrupted stretches
Following these tips will help you take control of your notification volume for the best experience.
Other Ways to Customize Notification Sounds
Beyond just volume, you can customize other aspects of notifications:
- Set custom notification tones for contacts to identify callers
- Use your own sounds or songs for notification ringtones
- Choose vibrate, flashing lights, or badges for silent notifications
- Control which apps can interrupt with sounds versus mute
- Schedule Do Not Disturb during certain times of day or night
- Limit repeat notifications from persistent apps
Take advantage of all these customization options to really tailor your notification experience.
Conclusion
Adjusting notification volume on your smartphone or tablet is simple once you know where to look in your settings. With basic volume controls and per-app customization, you can set up the perfect volume levels.
Common issues like low maximum volume can be addressed with troubleshooting tips. And for those who need to limit distractions, lowering the volume can help. Use the best practices suggested to find your ideal notification volume.
With our step-by-step guide, you now have all the tools to fix your notification volume. So whether you need to turn it up or turn it down, enjoy your newfound notification volume control!
| Operating System | Notification Volume Settings |
|---|---|
| iPhone/iPadOS | Settings > Sounds & Haptics > Ringer and Alerts |
| Android | Settings > Sound & vibration |