An iPhone comes with four microphones to provide the best possible audio experience. But if you aren’t getting the sound you expected, you may want to fiddle with your iPhone microphone settings. There are some important adjustments you can make to improve the audio quality.
There are only a couple manual adjustments you can make to iPhone mic settings. You can adjust the volume with the same button used to adjust the speaker volume. You can also adjust the volume in the Settings app, under Sounds. Noise cancellation can be enabled/disabled in the Accessibility menu.
Mic settings can make a big difference in the quality of your phone audio, so it’s worth taking the time to get them just right. iPhone only offers a few options when it comes to adjusting your mic, so let’s go over each option and how they can best be used to your advantage.
Can You Adjust Mic Settings on iPhone?
You can adjust the volume and sensitivity of the iPhone microphone. However, these settings are adjusted along with the speaker volume. That means a single volume control adjusts both the speaker and microphone at the same time.
You can also enable or disable the noise-canceling features in the iPhone’s accessibility settings. This feature helps reduce ambient noise when recording or taking phone calls.
Other than that, there aren’t any other specific mic settings that you can adjust on the iPhone. This lack of options is probably because iPhone has four microphones — if each mic is given its own settings, it could create a confusing and complicated user interface.
Even though you can’t adjust the mic settings, rest assured that your iPhone is already equipped with the best possible microphone system, and it’s probably doing a great job of picking up your voice.
How Do You Check the Microphone Settings on Your iPhone?
As we mentioned, microphone volume and sensitivity are adjusted using the iPhone’s main volume buttons. So, your iPhone’s mic settings are also under the Sounds tab in the Settings app.
Just open the Settings app and then select ‘Sounds.’ From there, you should see a slider labeled ‘Ringer and alerts.’ This is the volume slider that adjusts both the microphone and speaker.
You can also check the iPhone’s noise-cancellation settings in the Accessibility tab. Noise cancellation is the feature that removes much of the ambient noise from your recordings and phone calls.
If you’re having trouble hearing someone on the other end of a call, or if your recordings are coming out fuzzy, you should check the noise cancellation setting.
You can find the noise-cancellation setting in the Accessibility setting:
- Open the Settings app.
- Find and tap on the ‘Accessibility‘ option.
- Scroll down and tap on the ‘Audio/Visual‘ menu.
- From here, you can toggle the ‘Noise Cancellation‘ feature on or off. (It’s turned on by default.)
How Can You Test Your iPhone Microphone and Speaker?
Testing is the first step in troubleshooting any audio-related issue on your iPhone. The best part is that each microphone is used for different tasks on the iPhone.
Therefore, you can test individual mics and pinpoint which mic is causing the problem. Here’s how to test your iPhone microphone:
Test Bottom Mics
The bottom two microphones are used for phone calls and voice memos. To test the bottom mics:
- Open the voice memo app and record something by tapping the red record button. Once you’re done recording, play back the audio to see if it sounds clear.
- Call a friend or family member and ask if they hear any static, crackling, or fuzzy sounds. Look for the same issues on your end of the call.
Test Top Front Mic
The top front microphone is used for video recording, FaceTime, and Siri. To test the top camera mic:
- Open the Camera app and switch to video mode by tapping on the video icon in the bottom left corner. Record a video while talking or turn on a TV show or a movie with dialogue. Play back the video to see if the audio is clear.
- Make a FaceTime call and ask the person on the other end if they can hear you clearly.
- Ask Siri to perform a task for you. Try testing in a quiet environment if she can’t understand what you’re saying.
Test Top Rear Mic
The top rear microphone is used while video recording through the rear camera. To test it:
- Record a video through the rear camera and pay attention to the audio. Try recording in a quiet environment for best results.
Test iPhone Speakers
- Play a song or video with sound. Try increasing or decreasing the volume to see if that affects the sound quality.
- You can also use Siri to test your iPhone’s microphone. Just ask Siri to say something, and then listen to see if her voice is coming through clearly.
How Do You Adjust Microphone Volume on iPhone?
There are a few different ways to adjust your microphone volume on iPhone:
- Use the Volume Buttons: The easiest way to adjust your iPhone’s microphone volume is to use the physical volume buttons on the side of your device. Simply press the buttons up or down to increase or decrease the volume.
- Use Siri: You can also ask Siri to adjust the volume for you. Just say something like, “Siri, turn up the microphone.”
- Adjust in Settings: Go to iPhone Settings > Sounds > Ringer and Alerts and move the slider to the right or left to adjust the volume.
- Use a Headset: If you’ve got a headset with a built-in microphone like the Vont Bluetooth Headset with Microphone (on Amazon), you can plug it into your iPhone and adjust the volume through inline controls or the iPhone’s volume buttons. This is a great way to ensure that your voice comes through loud and clear.
- Adjust Volume While on a Call: When you press the volume buttons while on a call, it’ll specifically affect the call audio and not ringer volume.
- Use In-App controls: If you’re recording or making calls through a specific app, like Skype or another VoIP app, you can usually adjust the microphone volume from within the app.
These are some ways to adjust your iPhone’s microphone volume through different settings. However, if you’re still having trouble with your microphone, there are a few other things you can try:
Clean the microphone jack
Sometimes, dust or debris can accumulate in the microphone jack and cause problems with the microphone. This isn’t really a common issue, but it’s worth checking if you’re having trouble.
To clean the jack, use a small toothpick or something similar to carefully remove any dirt or debris. Now take a soft, lint-free cloth and wipe down the area to remove any residue.
Remove Your iPhone Case
If you have a big screen protector or case, it could be blocking the microphone and causing problems. Try removing them and see if that makes a difference.
Try a Hard Reset
A hard reset is pretty much the nuclear option when it comes to troubleshooting iPhone problems. It’s a last-ditch effort that can sometimes fix tricky software issues.
To hard reset your iPhone:
- For iPhone 6 or later, hold down the Sleep/Wake and Home buttons simultaneously until you see the Apple logo appear.
- For iPhone 8 or later, hold and release the volume up button followed by volume down button, then press and hold the Sleep/Wake button until you see the Apple logo.