Some users have reported an issue in which iPhone headphone volume erratically jumps up or down while the iPod app, Pandora or other apps are in use. The problem occurs most frequently with third-party headphones (including those from Skullcandy, V-Moda and others) that include a microphone.
It appears that this problem occurs when the mic inadvertently receives audio input from ambient noise.
Fixes
Block the mic. Blocking the microphone on third-party headphones, by adhering tape or via other means, (albeit kludgey) appears to resolve this issue.
Update to iOS 4.0.1. Some users have reported that this issue is eliminated or occurs less frequently after the update to iOS 4.0.1.
July 23, 2010 at 6:32 PM
i have etymotic hf2 headphones and iOS 4.0.1
the volume still jumps down when there is a lot of noise.
the problem occurs when i ride my motorcycle on a highway. the wind noise is very high.
February 28, 2012 at 3:23 AM
Potential fix for volume:
My volume can randomly decide to operate at a much lower level. Once it happens it can effect just about any app that generates sound. I have found that performing a hard reset and clearing all running apps resolves the problem and brings back the full volume range. I listen to a lot of music and experience this several times a week. I can confirm it immediatley with my car which has a numeric volume level and indicates a significant volume jump before and after the hard reset.
July 31, 2010 at 9:50 AM
The latest OS does NOT solve this issue. Never had this problem on my 3G.
August 4, 2010 at 2:39 PM
I also have this problem with iPhone4, iOS 4.0.1, and Skullcandy headphones. Neither the new OS nor blocking the mic works. Sometimes the button functions OK on its own (play/pause), but usually it just makes the volume shoot up to max and deafens me.
August 20, 2010 at 7:02 AM
I have the same problem as Luke. Have put on the volume limiter so I wont become deaf for real.
I have iPhone 4 and IOS v 4.0.2
Headset: Sennheiser iPhone headset, no volume level on the chord, only a mic
August 23, 2010 at 3:54 PM
Im having the same problem. I have tried 2 different sets of in ear headphones with the mic. It doesnt seem to be a problem when i use the regular earbud type headphones but they dont stay in my ears while riding
September 12, 2010 at 2:20 AM
first i have an skull candy fmj too. and whrn i use in my iphone 4 i note the sudenly changes of volumes too, (ok this is not new i know) but i notice some strange behaivor about this.
inot only i have the volume problems also i have this more issue, when i use my skull candy to make a call or answer one, the other callers cant ear me , and in the other phone they toldme they listen a clicking sonud that make impossible to earme.
ok.. then i try this… i connect my skull candy to my iphone and i try to record some voice note and i discover that when i do this is impossoble to record any in a very good form, but… when i use the original apple headphones i cantalk and record very well.
first i think was my headphones and i tested in another iphone 4 the other iphone work perfet with but headphones (apple and skull candy) the other iphone was a canadian iphone tjis means is another series of manufacter.
the first thing of this problem is that insome iphones 4 happen and in other not, thats is weird but not finosh yet, seat and put attention to this.
i put my skull candy in my iphine 4 (the one with the problem not the canadian) and i turn up the volume to the max and play a song and of course the problems still but if you pause and listen very carefull you canear a series of clicking noises with an especiffic patern, this is the patern three click and a silence, and repeat, like
1,2,3, ,1,2,3, ,1,2,3, ,
ok i try to make and musical rythm explanation of the patern, and i notice that this is exactly the patern and the clicking noise that the oter caller ear when i try to use this headphones to make ana call.
ok
if i use the apple headphones of course no problems appear, and this is my conclussion
this clicks is a signal that the iphone send via headphones to make possible to control functions like volu,e and pause whitout the needing to put more wires in headphnes cable and make a compatible headphones jack
on standard telephone headset the jack was 4 conector right, left, ground and microphone, the way to control the pause and answear button is putting the ground and mic cable in short and any standar telephone understand this like a push button, and use to answear and put play and pause
apple control volume also, but obousli you need 2 more cables to do that and this is the way that use the clicking boises that i ear, is a code for send in less cables more control sognals.
ok thats sound strange i know, but if you oppen the apple control and mic that came with the original headphones you notice that there ara a set of little transistors and a little chip, and i wonder what that, the only answear is for decode special control signals
one thing that made me think that is this simple test, i connect my skull cand and again the pause buttonwork wird putting volume jumo and so on, but…. if i yell very loud to the microphone in the skullcandy the voume chang too and some ptimes they put in pause.
some guy report that driving in theri bike with the sound their iphone make rar thing and i recreate that escenario.
the answear to this is that… when the mic detect a loud sound there is a vry little change in voltage and imoedance and tjis changes are detected by the transistors and withe code sognal (clicking nosies) their send to the iphone volume changes in the same way that happens when you press the vpulmebuttons in the origianl headphones from apple
conclussion
the iphone 4 is a pice of crap that make all the hardware incompatible with all and the only soultion is wait that apple autorize other brands to use their techonology and the user pay the final price.
is very unfair apple do this, and obously the apple “genius” ara a bunch of idi-ts.
the strange part of this is that some iphones 4 do and another not, this is the proof that apple do not have qulity test
i’m very upset for this problem the onl soultion that i found is cut the skull candy and put in the apple headphones cable, as you kwonthis cable is a crap and brpke very quickly, and the skullcand cable are more heaby duty
i hope my explanation work in some way to any one, i dont have and ociloscope to make more test to this clicking nosie but i think that i made a some kind of dicover
if any one can tell something more about this i and a lot of user where happy
thanks
joe
September 14, 2010 at 6:39 AM
Thank god I found this forum, thought I was crazy. I still have the problem with the iphone 4 on 4.0.2 using Bose triports. I have noticed that when the volume goes softer, I can fix it by receiving a text message when then restores the audio back to it’s normal level. However I never know when it will go quieter again, it seems to be random. This just started happening for me in the last few weeks, right about the time I upgrade to 4.0.2
October 12, 2010 at 3:39 PM
Brian W.
Have a similar problem to yours. It seems that when I’m listening to music and receive a call, the volume goes down. But when I receive a text message while listening to music, the volume goes back up. I wish I could find some other way to get the volume back to normal.
January 17, 2011 at 7:19 PM
This problem happens with my 3rd generation ipod touch even though I use Apple’s headphones. It didn’t start occuring until fairly recently, I think around the time I updated to the 4.0 update. It has only happened when I was using Pandora and playing the game iAssociation. When listening to music regularly, it has never happened.
September 13, 2011 at 12:13 AM
I have the same problem with my (very expensive) Sennheiser in-ear h/phones which are “supposed” to be iPhone 4 compatible. Totally randomly the volume will jump to max for no apparent reason and deafen me. I have no doubt it can damage your ears it is so loud.
I suppose technically there is nothin “wrong” with either product. Apple in-ears are fine though crap quality by comparison and so uncomfortable. And iPhone is not “broken”.
What is the solution, just don’t use good quality aftermarket headphones?? Appears from above post that Apple has purposely manufactured this into the phone so others h/phones won’t work. Unimpressed by Apple but unsurprised by them.
Is there a fix?
October 25, 2011 at 6:12 PM
Hi,
I am having the same problem the only difference is that I’m using the stock earphones that came with my iPhone. I tried my friend’s iPhone earphones and I still get the same issue.. Music volume on my earphones is lower than usual but whenever I receive a text message while listening to music, volume suddenly increases (or goes back to normal). At first I thought that I had to replace my earphones but apparantly it’s not an earphone problem. Any ideas how to fix this?
Thanks!
January 11, 2012 at 9:17 AM
iPhone4 probably ok. Check for signals around the house, or in car. Note where you are standing when volume slider moves. In our house standing in front of the induction oven moves the volume bar immediately. At a distance
January 11, 2012 at 9:17 AM
iPhone4 probably ok. Check for signals around the house, or in car. Note where you are standing when volume slider moves. In our house standing in front of the induction oven moves the volume bar immediately. At a distance it stays stable.
January 27, 2012 at 11:45 PM
Seems to happen to me too when using marshall h/phones on m/bike – could it be signal induced? Seems to happen in certain places but there are no signal emitters that I know of. Weak cell signal or something? Any identified a fix?
March 14, 2012 at 5:33 PM
I’m using the stock apple earphones and also have this issue, and I have the latest software installed. My phone is jailbroken if that’s any help. If anyone found the reason/solution, let us know please.
March 15, 2012 at 7:13 AM
Same issue/ low volume and when a message comes it pops up, It seems that was the only way to listen my rock songs with loud volume. I tried so many things to fix it and no success until the one that really cured the problem and until now I haven’t got low volume.
Solution: Go to Settings/Sounds/Ringer alerts and just simply drag the volume higher or lower, both, either way. Done. Adios low volume!
April 9, 2012 at 5:02 PM
Brilliant! Dragging the volume slider in Settings/Sounds/Ringer put my volume back up to normal too. We’ll see if it lasts. On a 4S.
May 3, 2012 at 6:22 PM
Hold the mic button and increase your vol to the maximum then release it . There should be no more problem .
October 30, 2012 at 9:23 PM
I start having the same problem on ipod4 but after I update to 6.0 when I was using 5.0 I didnt have any problem at all…