'Why is my iPhone so quiet?': 4 ways to make your iPhone louder, from changing its settings to sticking it in a bowl

It's possible that your phone's volume limiter might be turned on. This is a safety feature designed to ensure you don't damage your hearing by playing the iPhone too loudly. But if it's enabled and your phone just isn't loud enough, try turning it off.

1. Start the Settings app.

2. Tap "Music."

3. Find "Volume Limit" and make sure it is set to Off. If it's on, tap "Volume Limit" and slide the volume control all the way to the right. Tap "Music" at the top left of the page and make sure it is now turned off.

Not all solutions are high tech — some are common sense. Here are a couple of things that'll make your iPhone louder:

• Position it upside down. The speaker is on the bottom, so if you tend to prop it up against a computer or phone stand so you can read the screen while you work, the speaker is firing down into the table. Turn it upside down, and the speaker will fire up, sounding slightly louder.
• Put it in a bowl. If you rest your iPhone in a bowl, the curved base of the bowl will cause sound waves to bounce up, creating a better soundstage.

Still not loud enough? Consider connecting your iPhone to a Bluetooth speaker. There are a wealth of speakers available that can increase the sound quality of your iPhone substantially, and make it louder at the same time.

The Amazon Echo Dot costs less than $50 and includes the Amazon Alexa AI personal assistant, which gives you a wealth of additional features in addition to just playing music (but the lack of a battery means you can only use it at home).

Alternately, Anker makes a number of affordable, portable Bluetooth speakers. The Anker SoundCore 2 costs $40 and has the added advantage of being waterproof and including a 24-hour battery.

And if you want to double down on audio quality, a speaker like the Bose soundlink Mini II offers enhanced audio performance and a 10-hour battery for $150.

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