One earbud has lower volume (quieter sound): 3 fixes
Your earbud sounds quieter. We often hear this from customers. Sometimes only the left or right earbud is quieter. Sometimes both are. But don't worry: you can almost always fix it. That's why we've put together this guide for you. Find out how to fix low volume in your wired or wireless earbuds.
In this article
Annoying, isn't it? When your earbuds no longer get loud enough. But you can fix it. Start with the quick overview of what you can do. Then we'll explain it in detail. Don't panic: with our guide, there's a good chance you'll soon be enjoying your favorite music again. At a normal volume.
The simple answer:
Usually, your earbuds need a thorough cleaning. Especially if the volume has gradually dropped over time. Your earbuds aren't broken. They're dirty. The earbud opening is clogged. That blocks the sound, making it quieter.
Sometimes there's a problem with the Bluetooth connection. In that case, you need to do a factory reset (restore the factory settings). How? That depends on your earbuds. Usually, you put them in the charging case and hold down the buttons or touch controls until the indicator light responds. Some charging cases have a button you need to hold down with both earbuds inside.
Occasionally, you need to adjust your device's audio balance. Sometimes the right or left earbud suddenly sounds louder. This can be down to a setting on your laptop or phone. In that case, the problem isn't with your earbuds, but with the device sending audio to them.
Quieter earbuds: different causes
Low earbud volume can happen in several ways. And each one has a different solution. Here are the possibilities:
- One earbud sounds quieter
- Both earbuds sound quieter
- Your earbuds have been getting quieter over time
- Your earbuds suddenly sound quieter
You probably recognize some of these issues. We'll explain how to fix each one.
How to fix one quieter earbud
Is just 1 earbud quieter? The left one, for example? That needs a different solution than when both earbuds sound quieter. Here's how to fix one quiet earbud:
- Clean it: dirt in the earbud opening blocks the sound (90% of cases)
- Check your phone or laptop's audio balance in the sound settings (10% of cases)
How to fix earbuds that are both quieter
Is the volume lower in both earbuds? Try one of these fixes:
- Clean them: dirt in the earbud opening blocks the sound (80% of cases)
- Restore your earbuds to their factory settings. In other words, do a factory reset. (20% of cases)
How to fix earbuds getting gradually quieter
Has the volume in one or both earbuds gradually dropped? A little quieter every week? That almost always points to the same problem:
- Clean them (100% of cases). The cause is dirt in the earbud opening.
How to fix a suddenly quieter earbud
Has the sound suddenly become much quieter from one use to the next? That often means:
- Your earbuds need a reset. In other words, restore the factory settings (100% of cases)
Step-by-step guide to fixing low volume
Here's a handy infographic we made for you. It walks you through the steps to fix low volume:
Left or right earbud sounds quieter
Is only your right or left earbud quieter? There are 2 possible reasons why one side isn't as loud. In 90% of cases, it's the first:
Dirt
If 1 earbud sounds quieter, there's almost always the same reason: dirt is blocking sound from leaving the earbud opening. You can test this by using tweezers to lift the mesh slightly while music is playing at high volume. Remove the silicone ear tip first.
Below is an earbud that was returned to us. Yuck! That's why it's so important to keep your earbuds clean.
If you lift the mesh layer slightly with tweezers and the sound suddenly gets louder, it means the mesh is dirty and blocking the sound. This has been the case every time we've received this complaint and tested the earbuds here.
The best solution is to remove the mesh completely from both earbuds. The earbud isn't faulty: it's producing sound correctly, but the sound can't get through.
Cleaning
In short, your earbuds often just need cleaning. Once they're clean, the sound can get through again. Then you can enjoy your music just as before. You'll notice that the volume is much higher.
Here's an example of a dirty earbud (sorry you have to see this):
You can use tweezers to clean the mesh bit by bit. Grip and pull. Make sure you don't push dirt into the earbud. Once that happens, there's only 1 last-resort solution left. But speaking from experience, cleaning an earbud isn't easy.
Often, the only solution is to remove the mesh completely. That's also what we do with returns: remove the mesh to fix the earbud, then send it back so you can enjoy your favorite music again.
This is an example of a return we received after 9 months. We had to remove the mesh completely and, sure enough, the sound came through loud and clear again:
People often worry about the mesh being gone. And yes, you'll need to be a little more careful from then on. But it's not the earbud's fault that the sound it produces can't reach your ear. That comes down to how you care for it. In short: keep your earbuds clean, and clean them if they get dirty.
On some earbuds, you can remove the mesh from the opening. The sound can then get through properly again. But that's not possible with every pair. This is often the case with semi-in-ear earbuds. These don't have a silicone ear tip, that little soft piece on the end. Instead, they have an all-hard housing. Here's an example:
In that case, you simply need to clean the opening of the semi-in-ear earbud.
Others also viewed:
- Browse all our articles on wireless earbuds
- These are the best earbuds under €50
- These are the earbuds with the best microphone
- Also check out the 3 best earbuds for running
- Also check out our hands-on review of the OneMelon Drops.
