How to Enable or Disable Headphone Safety on iPhone and iPad

Your iPhone and iPad are great devices for media consumption. You can watch movies or listen to music by connecting your headphones with your iPhone or iPad. You can also turn on Background Sounds to focus on important tasks while you have plugged in your headphones.

Listening to audio at high levels for long hours can lead to hearing problems. That’s why Apple introduced the feature of Headphone Safety to prevent damage to your ear while listening to audio over headphones. This post will share how to enable or disable Headphone Safety on your iPhone and iPad.

What Is Headphone Safety

As per the WHO guidelines, adults are advised not listen to audio more than 85 decibel levels for eight hours a day. On the other hand, the International Electrotechnical Commission recommends that users will be notified of high-volume sound output levels every 20 hours. Keeping the safety of users in mind, Apple introduced the feature of Headphone Safety for iPhone and iPad users.

When enabled, Headphone Safety feature sends the notification stating ‘Volume Should Be Turned Down’ after detecting high volume levels when you use headphones on an iPhone and iPad. Listening to audio at high volume levels over long periods of time can cause hearing problems, you can enable the Headphone Safety notifications on your device to alert you if the volume goes beyond recommended levels. That.

Enable Headphone Safety on iPhone and iPad

You need to use the Health app to enable this feature on your iPhone or iPad. Apart from music and movies, you can also turn on this feature if you listen to audiobooks for long sessions. Here’s how.

On iPhone

Step 1: Open the Health app on your iPhone.

Step 2: Tap on Browse at the bottom-right corner and select Hearing.

Step 3: Scroll down and tap on Enable below Headphone Notifications.

Step 4: Once you enable both options, tap on Done at the top-right corner to confirm.

Step 5: Close the Health app and open Settings on your iPhone.

Step 6: Select Sound and Haptics and tap on Headphone Safety.

Step 7: Tap the toggle next to Reduce Loud Sounds.

This will make your iPhone automatically detect and reduce loud volume levels on your iPhone.

After you enable the feature, you can check if the audio levels are appropriate by long-pressing the Volume icon in the Control Center.

On iPad

Step 1: Open the Health app on your iPad.

Step 2: Select Hearing from the left menu.

Step 3: Scroll down and tap on Enable below Headphone Notifications on the right side.

Step 4: Once you enable both options, tap on Done at the top-right corner to confirm.

Step 5: Close the Health app and open Settings on your iPad.

Step 6: Select Sound from the left menu.

Step 7: Select Headphone Safety on the right side.

Step 8: Tap the toggle next to Reduce Loud Sounds.

How to Turn Off Headphone Safety on iPhone and iPad

When you enable the feature, your iPhone and iPad start tracking the audio levels on your device. Your device automatically reduces the volume levels based on how much time you spend listening to audio at those levels. You don’t have to press the volume buttons to do so manually. However, this feature can be annoying for some hardcore music lovers who want to enjoy every beat and feel every musical note at maximum levels.

There is also the option to turn off the volume warning on iPhone and iPad. The steps mentioned below remain the same for both platforms.

Step 1: Open the Health app on your iPhone or iPad.

Step 2: Tap on Browse at the bottom-right corner and select Hearing.

Step 3: Scroll down to the bottom and select Headphone Notifications.

Step 4: Tap the toggle next to Headphone Audio Levels to disable the feature.

Best Fixes for Headphone Safety Not Working

If the feature stops working on your iPhone or iPad, here are some troubleshooting methods to fix the issue.

1. Restart Your iPhone or iPad

Sometimes, a few settings are applied slowly and require you to restart your device. You can restart your iPhone or iPad and check if Headphone Safety starts works fine.

2. Reset All Settings

You can reset all the settings of your iPhone or iPad, which will fix the issue. You can refer to our post to follow the steps for resetting your iPhone. The steps are also applicable to iPad users.

3. Update Software Version

There might be a bug in the current software version of your iPhone or iPad that is causing this issue. You can install a new software update of iOS or iPad OS. The steps to check for an update remain the same for both platforms.

Step 1: Open Settings on your iPhone or iPad.

Step 2: Tap on General and select Software Update.

Step 3: If an update is available, download and install it.

Once installed, plug in your headphones and check if the problem is solved.

Stay Safe From Loud Sounds

Turning on Headphone Notifications can help reduce loud audio’s impact on your ears. Switching to headphones is also helpful if you face issues with your iPhone speaker, especially during calls. You can refer to our post, where we suggest the best fixes for the iPhone speaker not working during calls.