Have you ever been engrossed in your favorite tracks on your AirPods only for a phone call to interrupt at full blast? The excessively loud ringtone forces you to question the safety of your hearing. It was impossible to modify the tone volume for your wireless earbuds independently from your iPhone until recently.

First step: Update your iPhone

To utilize this convenient feature, ensure your iPhone is updated to iOS 16.4. This version introduces a method for controlling the volume of alert tones on your AirPods while offering additional enhancements. The updated AirPods functionality becomes available after the update.

After installing iOS 16.4, connect your AirPods to your iPhone by simply putting them on. Open the Settings on your iPhone, where you’ll find the AirPods settings page nestled between your name and Airplane Mode.

Click your AirPods’ name and choose Accessibility. Scroll down and shift the Tone Volume slider to the left, lessening the volume of sound effects for your AirPods.

The impact of adjusting the tone volume

Although this setting effectively addresses certain audio aspects, it comes with limitations. When you put on your AirPods, a sound signals their connection to your iPhone; modifying the tone volume decreases the intensity of this audio cue. The volume of ringtones for phone calls and app-based calls, like those from WhatsApp, is also reduced.

However, this setting does not currently affect message alert sounds or the key click sound effect that plays while typing on your iPhone.

While these limitations can be disheartening, Apple might tackle these issues in future updates. For now, use your iPhone’s silent mode to mute text alert sounds and key click noises. You’ll continue to hear the connection audio cue and phone call ringtones.