Airpod volume extremely loud when answering a call with IOS 16

What’s funny is Apple AirPod pros are designed to filter out noise as to not damage your hearing. But when you get a phone call, it nearly blows out your eardrums no matter what the volume setting.

I have the same issue. It seems like many others do as well. This is extremely damaging to one’s hearing. Every time I get a phone call I yank my AirPods out like they’re on fire and my heart starts pounding wildly because it’s so insanely loud and jarring. It’s deafening. Apple only gives generic responses and doesn’t bother addressing the problem at all. I sound ridiculous but it’s ridiculous they have this awful technical issue that is genuinely affecting our health and blowing out our ear drums from an issue they refuse to resolve.

[Edited by Moderator]

This is NOT the solution. When the overall volume is set to a reasonable level, such as while listening to music, an incoming call ring is DEAFENING.

Just noticed this after a recent update.

Please fix this soon Apple or will start looking into what Android has to offer.

This is absolutely unacceptable. It makes me furious every time it happens. Why hasn't this been fixed?!?!?!?!?!?!??

Absolutely ridiculous!!! I've had this issue for almost a year with zero responses on how to fix from Apple. From the leading producer of communication devices this is ASTOUNDING that they have not fixed this. FIX IT NOW APPLE WTFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFF!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

I’m having a similar issue, but my problem is only when I make calls. While waiting for the other person to pick up the phone it rings extremely loudly. I turn the volume of the call all the way down, and it’s still unbearable. When the person answers the volume works with the buttons and is adjustable again. This is extremely aggravating for making calls with AirPods in

Volume nearly on Zero and incoming calls are dangerously loud hurting my ears. only after IOS16 update. please fix or air pod pros are worthless to wear because I do not want hearing loss or damage to my ear drums. after the call comes in the conversation volume is fine. This is a bug Apple needs to fix ASAP

Hey rich-nh,

We'd be happy to help. Sounds like your AirPods are louder than expected when you put them in your ears.

We'd suggest adjusting the volume while the AirPods are in your ears to your liking. They should then retain that volume level as you take them out and put them back in again.

For help with adjusting the volume of your AirPods, please review: Pause, skip, and adjust volume with your AirPods and AirPods Pro - Apple Support

We hope this information helps out.

Take care!

I just bought the AirPods 2 (not pro) and I have the same problem. I have an iPhone 13 Pro running iOS 16 and listen to Spotify daily while I work and a call came in and nearly blew out my ear drums. My over the ear Bose headphones never have this problem.

I confirmed my iPhone volume was way down while listening to music via my AirPods, but looked and found out my ring volume was way up.

Here's how I fixed it:

1. Go to Settings > Sounds & Haptics
2. Turn the RINGTONE AND ALERT VOLUME slider way down to almost near the bottom
3. Switch the toggle for Change with Buttons to off
4. Call yourself from another phone to test it

This has been a problem for years, not just after the latest updates. There also aren't any "tone volume" settings with the original AirPods.

I managed to at least temporarily solve it by following two tips in this thread:

1. Changing to the crickets ring tone.
2. Adjusting the ring tone volume to minimum while a call was coming in.

There doesn't seem to be a separate ring volume setting for the built-in speakers and AirPods, it's the same slider. And even if you have a very moderate level set because of phone speakers, the volume is much louder with AirPods. I used to use the old telephone ring tone which was very loud when interrupting a podcast.

I could hear the ring tone volume change in real-time while adjusting the level when a call was coming in and just set it to minimum because that is the only really comfortable level for me. I usually keep my iPhone ringer muted anyway so it's not a big deal for me, but I can imagine if you need to keep a high level for the iPhone built-in speakers this isn't a complete solution.

Hopefully the volume level doesn't reset to a high level again later.

So for the most part when I have my Apple iPhone 14 Pro and I am listening to a book or a podcast, it’s very normal, and I can hear everything just right. However, when I call someone the ringing I hear before they pick up is extremely loud to me.

I’ve just updated to iOS 16.1.1 on my iPhone 12 mini and the volume on my AirPods has gone back to front - volume up is down and Vice versa, but worse is that they are crazily loud even on the quietest setting which means I have gone back to my cheapo wired earbuds.

This always happens when I’m using car play, but until today, it has never happened with my AirPods. I almost there then across the room, my ringer was so loud. I have all updates and this didn’t happen last night when I received phone calls. It’s ridiculous!

Possible fix:

With earpods connected

-Settings

-Airpods

-Scroll to bottom

-Accessibility

-Scroll to bottom

-Tone Volume

unfortunately it does not play a test sound, but it seems likely this is the proper setting