By Lydia | Last Updated
If you find your one earbud seems a little quieter than the other, don’t worry, Apple provides easy option for you to adjust the Audio Balance on your iPhone/iPad. Then you’re able to fine-tune the sound exactly how you like it. Just follow the below instructions.
Audio Balance can distribute sound between the left and right audio channels in stereo audio. By default, there’s the same volume output on both the left and right channels.
However, you may need to adjust iPhone/iPad sound balance in some situations, such as hearing loss in one ear, or just want to tailoring the sound to personal preferences.
Step 1: Open the Settings app from the Home screen of your iPhone or iPad device.
Step 2: Scroll down the screen until the option of Accessibility appears. Then tap on it.
Step 3: Go to the part of Hearing, and then choose the option of Audio/Visual to continue.
Step 4: Under iPhone sound Balance section, you can drag the Balance Slider to shift the audio output between the left and right channels on your device.
Move the slider to the left for lower volume on the right side, and to right for lower volume on the left side.
Step 5: Once you’ve made your adjustments, fine-tune to balance left and right headphones until it feels right.
Tips: For iOS 12 and earlier versions, you should go to Settings > General > Accessibility to access this Audio Balance option.
If you adjust L-R audio balance just to further enhance your listening experience, there are also other iPhone/iPad sound settings for music. Before start, go to Settings > Accessibility > Audio/Visual.
If you're having trouble hearing audio in one ear, you can consider enabling Mono Audio.
Once enabled, your devices will send the same audio signal to L/R channels, then you won’t miss any audio content.
Apple devices also offer Sound Accommodations for people, which allows you to adjust audio frequencies for better clarity and understanding. To access this:
Step 1: Go to Settings > Accessibility > Audio/Visual. Tap on Headphone Accommodations.
Step 2: Toggle it on and adjust the tune audio.
Step 3: You can also adjust the soft sounds by adjust the sliders and choose to apply with Phone or Media.
This feature is especially helpful for people with high-frequency hearing loss, as it boosts the frequency ranges that are harder to hear.
Tips: In addition to the balance settings, you can also set a volume limit to reduce loud Headphone sounds to protect your hearing.
Q1: When I need to adjust the Audio Balance on my iPhone or iPad?
If you notice that the sound seems louder in one ear than the other, or if you have trouble hearing clearly from one side (due to hearing loss or other reasons), adjusting the audio balance can help.
Q2: How to Reset Audio Volume Balance on iPhone?
Just reset the slider to default position, which is typically centered. Then now both channels will be equally balanced.
Q3: What is the difference between Audio Balance and Mono Audio?
Adjusting the audio balance shifts the sound between the left and right channels, which is useful if one side feels quieter than the other.
Mono audio, on the other hand, sends the same sound to both ears, which can be helpful if you have hearing loss in one ear and want to hear all sounds in both channels. You can choose to use one or both depending on your needs.
Q4: Can I make the audio balance adjustment for individual apps or audio sources?
Unfortunately, the Left/Right audio balance setting applies system-wide, meaning it affects all sound output from your iPhone or iPad.
