How to turn off hearing protection

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!

you need 14.4

then when you connect via settings/ bluetooth you have the option in 'info' to change device type to car stereo, headphone, hearing aid, speaker or other ...some devices need to be forgotten & connected again though first (my JBL speaker didn't need to do this, but both of my Tunai Firefly's did)

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

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

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

Here’s a temporary fix for your problem:

1 - first go to the app “health”

2 - go to the hearing section

3 - click on “noise levels” (headphones)

4 - scroll all the way down to “show all data”

5 - click on change/edit (top right corner)

6 - delete all your data (top left corner)

4 - scroll al the way down to “data sources and acces”

5 - scroll down to your device, if u have 2 or more devices repeat the next process on all devices

6 - click on change/edit (top right corner)

7 - delete all your data (top left corner)

you have to try both number 4th option

this is probably temporarily for you, because you’ll probably reach the limit again in a few days

i hope this helps for you guys!

and sorry for my bad english

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

luckysilver777 wrote:

I have had this same problem on both my iPhone and iPad. I was able to fix it on my phone, but the iPad will not let me either click on the Reduce Sound Levels (which is greyed out and stuck in ON in light green), nor can I change the Decibel level (greyed out and stuck at 85db). I never listen to headphones, always a bluetooth speaker at varying distances, so I definitely want to override it. Right now I can barely hear anything, whereas on the phone (same bluetooth speaker) I can hear fine now. iPad 6G w 14.4.1. Thank you.

Then you need to make sure that your BT speakers are properly listed as speakers. Go to Settings>Bluetooth and tap on the little "i" in a circle to the right of the speaker name. Make sure that Device Type is set to speaker, not Headphone.

I found my way here after scratching my head as to why the audio on my BT enabled amplifier setup kept dropping dramatically.

I work in the audio industry and so I fully appreciate what Apple is trying to do with this new feature. Too many people walk around with ear buds or full headphones on with the volume set at a level that over time WILL (not might) cause permanent hearing loss. So I applaud the effort.

That said, the current implementation is NOT ready for mass roll-out. I have dozens of audio devices (again, I work for a major audio brand) that are BlueTooth enabled that are NOT headphones, and many have their own volume control built in. The best way to use such a device is to have the BT source, in this case my iPhone 12, send full volume to the BT receiver, and then let the receiver device scale it with its local volume control. This new feature prevents that from being possible.

Apple needs to push out an update ASAP that allows this feature to be disabled until it can be better refined.

As for suggested improvements...

1) Provide a way to classify a BT device as "headphones" or not. You can even make the safe default that all devices are headphones, but give me a way to go into the BT devices specific settings and set the device type with a "headphone" check box or something, and then use this setting to decide if the headphone hearing protection feature should apply to the source or not. Simple enough.

2) Rather than immediately cutting the volume, provide a couple of notifications that it is going to happen. Like "You have exceeded X minutes over the safe listening level for headphones, your volume will be automatically reduced in 30 minutes" or something like that. Maybe a second warning at the 5 minute mark. This would give the user a chance to know what is happening and either update the settings or make adjustments on their own. However having used my phone as a source for several official events, I know that having the music abruptly drop out is not acceptable.

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.

Daniel just follow these instructions: step1 : update to 14.4 step2: in bluetooth settings menu put your audio device under other. Step3: enjoy the ride

you’re welcome

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!

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.

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.