iPhone 13 notification sound too low

They were and they are aware of that issue!

I’ve reported it via feedback app at least 30 times since December 2020 when iPhone 12 came out.

The feedback app status said: “more than 10 people reported this issue”

Other people, including me, contacted Apple tech support several times and they are giving priority to other things, that’s the only explanation.

New emoji’s, new wallpapers, fixed this fixed that except the most important things a phone should have.

I have reported this issue more than 20 times via feedback app since 2020 when iPhone 12 came out.

I don’t want to call them on purpose, because they always do the same thing.

They want to check your device , they want you to perform all sort of tests, analysis, restarts and reset keeping you on the phone for hours.

For this specific issue I have tested iPhones on every chance I could.

6s, 7, 8, 10, 11, 12 13 in malls, Apple store in front of them, from friends, just doing a simple test: in “sound&haptics, volume all the way up and assigned the same sound to ringtone and text tone.

I choose “Sonar” because is very loud.

Ringtone “Sonar” and Text Tone “Sonar”.

All those iPhones behaved in the same way: Alerts volume was and is too low, I miss a lot of notifications, all iPhones have this issue and it’s unacceptable for a 1000$ device. Period.

I presume almost all Apple engineers have an iPhone, for personal use or for work. How is it possible they didn’t notice this problem even on their own phone?

The issue has been reported several times by several customers, the engineers are aware of the issue and they should perform all those analysis on their own iPhones and fix it.

Apple really doesn’t check the community board. Best to call Apple support to report the issue. This way Apple can log a ticket to fix the issue. That’s what the Apple support rep told me

You have to call Apple and report the issue. Reporting in the forums is not effective to resolving the issue. As we all can see….unfortunately

It’s not an iPhone model problem. It’s a iOS problem. Your iPhone 8 plus has this issue too. Try this test with your 8 plus

Set the volume all the way up.

Then set a very loud ringtone like “Sonar” in classics and then set the same Sonar sound for the text tone and you will hear the volume difference.

Just to clarify, no bugs.

Running ios 15, on iPhone 8. Absolutely no sound issues.

All ringtone and notifications, videos etc, loud and clear.

I have now purchased refurbished iPhone XS, running ios 15.

The sound is even louder than the iPhone 8.

Been to local Apple Store again today, and the iPhone 8 and XS completely obliterates current 13 models, whose sound is most definitely weaker.

The Apple Store assistants were stunned!

Let’s see what happens next year with the iPhone 14 models.

Tried as you suggested, no sound issues whichever notification sound is chosen, all coming through loud and clear. Just met up with a friend who has just got a 13 mini.

The look on his face when we compared said it all.

My son’s 13 pro can’t match my 8 or XS either. There’s no doubt for some reason, the notification sounds and sound in general for some reason, are weaker on current models.

The test must be done with one sound and must be the same for ringtone and text tone. I choose “Sonar” just because is loud by itself. This is the only way to check the difference in volume level.

The comparison between iPhone models is not a good way to verify the test.

It must be done with one device and with the same sound for both ringtone and text tone

i chatted with apple “ support “ Im receiving a new iphone 13 and sending back my old iPhone 13 . Hopefully this will fix my bundle of problems. So far my experience with the iPhone 13 has been nothing but a joke . Notifications are unreliable, whatever map I’m using freezes during transit very disappointed, my home app disconnects me and is unresponsive for how ever long it feels like . The support “ techs “ offer nothing but basic troubleshooting . iPhone 13 is buggin time to tune it up or recall ! Updates are always for features I don’t even use much . Fix the basics man !

After ios 15.1 update my problem continues specifically with the gmail app. I don't have volume issues with what's app or Apple notifications.

With gmail installed by default i have no sound after ios 15, i have to go to the gmail app, my gmail account section, settings and select a tone, of course it doesn't matter which i choose all sound low.

Perhaps a Gmail (Google) issue? who knows...

I was thinking about giving the phone a clean ios 15.1 install but i don't think it will be worth.

Apple sent in my new iPhone 13 in exchange for my 2 week old iPhone 13 due all the issues being brought up on this discussion. All seems ok so far . My maps still freeze up and messenger doesn’t let me know when I’m receiving incoming messages sometimes. Not as bad as when I had my first 13 . I’m thinking the messenger app is buggin and maps app have some type of bug also causing it to act up . Overall I’m satisfied so far .

Some already tried what you sad with no results. Even customizing tone by increasing the volume via GarageBand.

Once it goes in the alerts sounds, the volume decreases dramatically.

I can’t explain why, I’m not an expert.

I think the sounds source or folder is the same.

For example, the sound “Sonar” is just one and when you use it for a ringtone, is loud and clear but when you set it for a text tone, the volume drops.

I no longer having a 13, so experimenting with  ‘Test’ on a 13 is not possible.

As stated previously, the XS I use has very good sound, (so no adjustments needed), both on ringtone and notification.

I have ‘attention aware’ feature on, which mutes the ringtone when it sees I’m about to pick up and answer a call, and doesn’t continue ringing at full volume. A useful feature.

I was with my son yesterday, (European time), an iPhone 13 pro user, we both had a WhatsApp notification come through and mine on the XS was louder. He agrees his Pro is not as loud as his last phone, an XR, but with young hearing, he copes.

Maybe Apple doesn’t see the speaker sound as important these days, as everyone sticks those things in their ears to listen to music, though it’s important we still need to clearly hear ringtone etc.

I sympathise with 13 owners, let’s hope the 14’s an improvement, or a software update can help in the meantime. 

I just bought a 13, coming from a 7+ and the 7+ SCREAMED alerts and such. The 13 is difficult to hear since I am hard o' hearing myself.

I think it is a hardware issue, because my 7+ was running iOS 15 and was still loud as ****.

Of course, I traded my 7+ in for the 13 and can't go back...****

It’s interesting that I’ve tested at least fifteen iPhones form 6S to 13 and they all have that issue.

My iPhone 8 was fine and after updating to iOS 14 it started to have that issue.

Bought iPhone 12 mini with that issue.

One whole year testing iPhones here and there and all of them with that issue.

I just give up. As soon as I can I will sell my iPhone and switch to Android