Ringer and alerts volume too loud when using Airplay

Question

Level 1

14 points

Ringer and alerts volume too loud when using Airplay

I have an iPhone 11, running iOS 14.4.

When I have my phone connected to an Airplay device (specifically an Airport Express) to play music through attached speakers, the ringer and alerts volume is extremely loud. It sounds as if it is as high as it will go.

However, I have my ringer and alerts volume set below half volume. I have confirmed this in Settings>Sounds & Haptics immediately after noticing this issue, as well as in Control Center when my phone is not connected to Airplay.

When I am not connected to Airplay, my ringer and alerts volume plays at the level I have it set to.

Also, the ringer and alert volume does not match my Airplay volume setting. I usually keep my Airplay volume just above half, but as I said earlier, the ringer and alerts volume seems like it is playing at full volume.

If this happens when my phone is near me it is so loud it hurts my ears and is extremely startling.

This issue has persisted since at least late iOS 13. I have tried restarting my phone, adjusting the volume slider in Settings and adjusting the volume slider in Control Center, all to no avail. I have searched through the Settings app and have not found any other relevant settings that might resolve this issue.

iPhone 11

Posted on Jan 29, 2021 10:46 AM

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Answer 1

bailier

Community Specialist

Feb 1, 2021 12:04 PM in response to Filmnuts

Hey Filmnuts,

We see when using your iPhone with speakers connected to your Airport Express, the alert volume is unexpectedly loud.

To help us isolate this further, can you clarify the following?

Do you have another AirPlay capable device you can test if the issue persists with?
If not, do you have a different pair of speakers you can connect to the Airport Express to test with?
When the volume changes, do you see it reflected in the volume levels of either your iPhone or Airport Express?

Let us know, and we'll continue from there.

Cheers!

Reply

Answer 2

CarlAVII

Community Specialist

Feb 1, 2021 6:07 PM in response to Filmnuts

Hey Filmnuts,

Thanks for the additional information and clarity.

We'd like to ask a few more questions to isolate this further.

Under Settings > Accessibility > Face ID & Attention, are any of the options there toggled on? If so, toggle them off and then try to replicate the issue.
If Settings > Sound & Haptics > Change with Buttons is enabled, toggle it off. Does the issue persist?

Let us know and we'll continue from there.

Cheers!

Reply

Answer 3

Filmnuts Author

Level 1

14 points

Feb 1, 2021 12:53 PM in response to bailier

Thanks for responding.

It’s the volume of alerts that play from my phone’s speakers that is too loud. The volume of the music being played through external speakers over Airplay does not change. Other sounds played by my phone’s speakers play at a normal volume, even immediately after alerts that are too loud.

I tried to replicate the problem while Airplaying music to my AppleTV and wasn’t able to. However, I then tried to replicated it with my Airport Express and couldn’t either. I should have mentioned in my original post that the issue is intermittent, which is part of what makes it so frustrating. I haven’t noticed any conditions which will or won’t make the issue occur.

I don’t have any other speakers to try plugging into the Airport Express, though I’m not sure that would make a difference anyway, since my Airport Express is outputting audio to a stereo from the ‘70s, connected to equally old speakers. The stereo is too old to interact with the Airport Express in anyway beyond receiving an audio signal.

Thanks.

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