How to turn off hearing protection

Same issue here - incredibly irritating as I’m a) quite deaf and b) a professional musician currently using my phone as a recording booth...

I may have found a solution - it’s actually to turn ‘reduce loud sounds’ ON and set the decibel level to maximum (100db - which is still less than a french horn at full tilt 18 inches from my right ear. No I can’t move - it’s the one I’m playing!)

I wish Apple would stop trying to be a nanny and allow us to make our own decisions about stuff like this.

Nigel

Yeah, that was not helpful at all, unfortunately.

I have no Apple watch and keep running into this issue while using bluetooth. It's infuriating. The phone automatically assumes that all bluetooth-connected audio devices are headphones. Reduce Loud Sounds is turned off, but I can't turn off this constant nagging with the same reminders Simonas1991.

I have an iPhone 8 and sound limit is off. Seriously considering moving away from Apple products altogether if you don't provide an option to turn this off along with the notifications. Seriously. It's obnoxious and the constant reminders are what really seal the deal.

For me this is a big issue as well. I ride a motorbike and have a bluetooth headset build in to my helmet. As a motor bike rider, I use earplugs to protect me from wind and other loud outside noice. This means it is very annoying when my iPhone decides for me to turn the music down. Specially as I have turned all possibilities in my phone and Apple Watch off. So even though I have told my devices to leave me alone (as I can't check an "ears protected" option) they still give me notifications with motherly advise ánd turn down the sound. Please guys at apple, fix this!

Welllll... i would say that brands make no difference, I have skull candy and it’s like comparing apples to apples. Orange you glad I didn’t shout? What we are all shouting for is the blatant fact that this is a human rights issue. Corporation A is not nor should be responsible for my hearing protection. Right? I mean they will allow me to buy something loud line fireworks or firearms without forcing me get earplugs, so what if I am using non Apple earbuds to listen to non Apple Music. They are not the hearing police and have no business impersonating said fictional entity. Open to discussion.

all my speakers are listed as speakers. i even tried to do "OTHER" but that didn't work either, so set them back to speaker. the thing is, i can check between my phone (which doesn't have the stuck greyed out button to reduce loud sounds, but still gives me volume warnings regularly), and my ipad, which is stuck in greyed out mode for reducing loud sounds. the phone connected to the same bluetooth speaker is easily twice as loud as the ipad. so there is def some issue with the ipad being stuck. does ANYBODY know of a solution? i can't play music on my ipad, can barely hear it!! APPLE!! make your stuff work!

Hi Diana I have the same issue I have a watch series 6 and iPhone 12 pro all the settings mentioned are turned off but it still keeps doing it. If I go for a drive for 30 mins it will turn it down atleast 3 times it’s very annoying.

Hi Simonas1991,

We’re here to lend a hand with your iPhone and see what’s going on with the volume. You didn’t mention which iPhone or iOS version that you have installed so we’re going to get started with some good basic steps that may help.

Is your iPhone updated to the latest iOS version? If you have an iPhone 6s or higher, that will be iOS 14.0.1. See Update your iPhone, iPad, or iPod touch for more details.

If you have a case or screen protector, have you tried to remove it and test to see if the issue persists?

Depending on which iPhone you have, you may or may not have this feature, 'Attention Aware Features'. But do check to see, and if so, turn this feature off and then test for the issue. See About Attention Aware features on your iPhone X or iPad Pro for more information

Do you use a wired or wireless accessory with volume control buttons with your iPhone? If you do, test with the device(s) unplugged or unpaired from the iPhone.

Next, check and see if Settings > Sound & Haptics > Change with Buttons is enabled or disabled? If this setting is changed does the behavior change?

Cheers!

Hello Simonas1991,

We appreciate the screenshot; it was very helpful in understanding what you are experiencing.

Take a look at the section “Limit the headphone volume” found in the article Adjust the volume on iPhone. You will want to go to Settings > Sounds & Haptics > Reduce Loud Sounds and if this feature is enabled you will want to turn it off.

If you have your iPhone paired with an Apple Watch, make sure you don’t have Noise enabled on your watch. See Measure the noise levels with Apple Watch.

We hope this helps out.

Take care!

MichiganFan01 wrote:

Again, I appreciate the efforts that are being taken to make people aware of the consequences of their choices. But this one needs some additional refinement.

Apple isn't reading here for suggestions. I hope that you've submitted your very thoughtful feedback to Apple here:

Product Feedback - Apple

IdrisSeabright wrote:

Apple isn't reading here for suggestions. I hope that you've submitted your very thoughtful feedback to Apple here:

Product Feedback - Apple

Honestly I came here to look for a solution, and short of that, vent a little. But I have submitted it now. Thanks for the heads up!

if you have non-Apple earbuds or headphones you can set them as “speaker” and blow your brains out freely. Since 14.4 you got your rights to self harm reinstated. just follow the instructions

https://support.apple.com/en-gb/guide/iphone/iph3c50f191/14.0/ios/14.0

ok so buy non Apple bluetooth headphones and reclassify them as Speaker

The workaround since 14.4 has been documented for weeks

Turn off headphone notifications

https://support.apple.com/en-gb/guide/iphone/iph3c50f191/14.0/ios/14.0

Settings > Accessibility > Hearing Devices > Turn On Hearing Compatibility > Accessibility > Audio / Visual > Turn Off Headphone Notifications

I’m a 100% deaf person with bilateral cochlear implants.

Im having the same issue, this feature is not refined enough for it to be forced upon us, I use a bluetooth speaker (not headphones) frequently, its not strapped to my head/ears and it still cuts off the volume all the time. I use a bluetooth adapter in my car to listen to my music, and I need to turn the sound pretty high on the iPhone to get my car radio to play it at a normal volume, again, notification and volume cuts all the time, requiring me to reach out to the phone and adjust the volume manually.... while driving.... I just spent 2000$ on a brand new iPhone 12 pro max.... I should be able to decide how it manages my listening experience..... I can't keep my bluetooth speaker on blast even though its 20+ feet away or in a different room, because it registers it as headphone usage...... You guys need to fix this....