If one earbud sounds louder than the other, or you hear better in one ear, your iPhone 11 lets you shift the audio balance between the left and right channels. The setting lives in Accessibility and applies to headphones, earbuds, and the phone’s stereo speakers. This guide shows how to adjust it, when to use Mono Audio instead, and how to fix balance problems that aren’t caused by settings.
Quick Answer
Open Settings > Accessibility > Audio & Visual, scroll to Balance, and drag the slider toward L or R. The center position is equal volume in both ears.
Adjust the Audio Balance
- Open the Settings app.
- Tap Accessibility.
- Under Hearing, tap Audio & Visual.
- Scroll down to Balance.
- Drag the slider toward L to make the left side louder, or toward R for the right side. The number above the slider shows how far you’ve moved it.
- Play music or a video to test, and adjust until it sounds even.
To reset it, drag the slider back to the middle; it snaps to 0.00 when centered.
Turn On Mono Audio
On the same screen, turn on Mono Audio. It combines the left and right channels so both ears hear everything, which helps if you have hearing loss in one ear or use a single earbud. You can use Mono Audio and Balance together.
Other Helpful Hearing Settings
- Headphone Accommodations (same screen): tunes the sound for your hearing using a quick custom audio setup. Works with supported Apple and Beats headphones.
- Headphone Safety (Settings > Sounds & Haptics > Headphone Safety): Reduce Loud Audio limits volume above a level you choose.
- Background Sounds: plays calming noise such as rain or ocean, with its own volume control.
If One Side Still Sounds Quieter
If balance is centered but one side is still quiet, the cause is usually hardware:
- Clean your earbuds: earwax on the mesh is the most common cause. Use a dry, soft-bristled brush.
- Test other headphones: if the problem follows the headphones, they’re the issue.
- Clean the speakers: for the phone’s own speakers, gently brush the bottom speaker grille and the earpiece.
- Check AirPods separately: for AirPods, reset them (hold the case button until the light flashes amber, then white) and re-pair.
- Restart the iPhone and update iOS in Settings > General > Software Update.
- Test in another app: some audio or video is mixed unevenly on purpose.
Frequently Asked Questions
Does the balance setting affect phone calls?
Yes. Balance applies to all audio output, including calls through headphones.
Does it work with Bluetooth headphones?
Yes. The balance setting applies to wired and Bluetooth headphones as well as the built-in speakers.
Why does the slider jump back to the middle?
It snaps to center when you’re close to 0 so it’s easy to reset. Move it a bit farther for small adjustments.
Summary
- Go to Settings > Accessibility > Audio & Visual.
- Drag the Balance slider toward L or R.
- Turn on Mono Audio if you listen with one ear.
- Clean or test your headphones if one side stays quiet.
Kermit Matthews is a freelance writer based in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania with more than a decade of experience writing technology guides. He has a Bachelor’s and Master’s degree in Computer Science and has spent much of his professional career in IT management.
He specializes in writing content about iPhones, Android devices, Microsoft Office, and many other popular applications and devices.