Sony WH-1000XM4 Not Loud Enough? (5 Best Ways to Fix!)

Sony WH-1000XM4 not loud enough and you’re wondering why? Well, continue reading!
There are many reasons why the Sony WH-1000XM4 wouldn’t be loud enough, especially if the volume is decreased from one of the sources.
So, this guide will walk you through the solutions and help you increase the volume, adjust the necessary settings, and quickly overcome issues.
If the Sony WH-1000XM4 is not loud enough, boost the volume from all sources including the source device, headphones, and media.
If this doesn’t help, adjust the Sony Connect app and perform a factory reset on your headphones.
Let’s next go over all the steps in-depth!
Sony WH-1000XM4 Not Loud Enough – Here’s How to Fix!
Tip: Follow the steps consecutively!
1. Boost the Volume of All Sources

If your Sony WH-1000XM4 is not loud enough, the first step is to check and increase the volume from all sources including the headphones, source, and media.
That’s crucial, since even if your Sony headphones’ volume is increased, the volume of your device or media may still be quiet.
1.1 Increase Your Headphones’ Volume
The first step is to increase the volume of your Sony WH-1000XM4 headphones.
To do so, you need to repeatedly swipe up the right side of your headphones.
Alternatively, you can swipe up, drag, and hold until the desired volume level is reached, and release to lock in the volume level.
1.2 Increase the Source Device Volume

The next step is to make sure that your source device’s volume is not too low.
So, if you’re Sony WH-1000XM headphones are connected to a smartphone, it’s enough to press the Volume (+) button multiple times, which will boost the output volume of your output source device instantly.
1.3 Increase the Media Source’s Volume
The final volume source that you should check and increase is the media’s volume. This is the volume from inside the app that you’re using.
For example, if you’re streaming music through YouTube, there is a volume slider under the video.
The same goes for other popular apps such as Apple Music and Spotify, so you only need to locate and adjust the volume controller slider.
Quick Tip: Have you tried streaming music from different apps to check whether the volume of your Sony WH-1000XM4 will still be low?
2. Adjust the Sony Equalizer Settings

The equalizer settings in the Sony Connect app can greatly impact the volume quality of your headphones, especially when not configured properly.
So, the next step is to open the Sony Connect app on your smartphone, navigate to the “Sound” and locate the Equalizer settings.
Then, you can simply select one of the ready presets:
- Vocal
- Relaxed
- Mellow
- Excited
- Bright
- Speech
- Bass Boosted
- Treble Boosted
If you want to use a custom preset, make sure not to decrease any of the frequencies below the -1, maximum -2 dB.
If you want to amplify your volume additionally, simply boost the frequencies up to +5 dB, but know that over-increasing this can produce audio output distortion and buzzing.
Tip: We recommend checking the volume of your Sony WH-1000XM4 with a ready EQ preset!
3. Clean Your Headphone’s Ear Cups

If your Sony WH-1000XM4 is not loud enough, and you cannot increase the volume any further, the problem could be with the speakers inside the ear cups.
When blocked or obstructed, your Sony WH-1000XM4 speakers will sound muffled, or one side will be quieter than the other side.
So, cleaning might be the only solution!
Here’s how to securely clean your WH-1000XM4 ear cups:
- Power off the Sony headphones entirely.
- Firmly grip the outer edge of the ear cup.
- Then, twist counterclockwise to unlock it.
- Next, eject the ear cup from the housing.
- Using only dry tools, clean the speaker.
- Also, clean your ear cup and the housing.
- When ready, put everything back together.
- Repeat for the other headphone’s ear cup.
That’s it. Is there an improvement in the volume level? If not, continue reading…
4. Adjust Sony Connect App Settings

The low volume of your WH-1000XM4 could be coming from the Sony Connect app settings like Adaptive Sound Control and Ambient Sound Control.
Well, these settings include automatic sound adjustments based on the system and environment, causing muffled/quiet audio output.
4.1 Disable the Adaptive Sound Control
Simply open the Sony Connect app, select your WH-1000XM4 headphones and from the main dashboard, toggle off “Adaptive Sound Control”.
4.2 Disable the Ambient Sound Control
The Ambient Sound Control feature is located right underneath the Adaptive Sound Control, so the only thing here is making sure that the Noise Cancelling is not in use.
So tap on the small cogwheel icon and, if needed, disable the noise-canceling.
Note: You should also check for the noise cancellation option on your source device, and if enabled, try disabling the feature from there as well (common for iOS and Android phones).
5. Reset Your Headphones to Defaults

If nothing helps, perhaps the low volume and quiet playback are coming from the headphone’s system, which can’t be solved via regular troubleshooting.
The next step is to perform a factory reset, which will disconnect your WH-1000XM4 from the Bluetooth and erase all in-app settings.
Here’s how to factory reset the Sony WH-1000XM4 in easy steps:
- Disconnect your Sony headphones from the USB-C cable.
- Then locate the Power and CUSTOM headphones buttons.
- Press and hold both buttons simultaneously for 7 seconds.
- You can release when the indicator flashes in blue 4 times.
When your Sony WH-1000XM4 headphones are reset to factory defaults, pair them with your Bluetooth device and test whether the volume is still low.
If yes, try connecting the headphones to a different Bluetooth device and play different songs/media from different apps and sources.
Sony WH-1000XM4 Not Loud Enough iPhone?
If your Sony WH-1000XM4 is not loud enough when connected to your iPhone, there are a few settings that you may need to inspect.
They involve the “Headphones Safety” feature, as well as the “Noise Cancellation”, which are known to decrease the volume levels to prevent any harm.
However, in many cases, those features are unnecessary, but enabled by default, hence, if your Sony WH-1000XM4 is very quiet, go ahead and disable them.
How to Disable iPhone’s “Reduce Loud Sounds”?

- From the main screen go to “Settings.”
- Go down and select “Sounds & Haptics.”
- Then, press on the “Headphone Safety.”
- Toggle off the “Reduce Loud Sounds.”
That’s it, but don’t forget to also disable the noise cancellation!
How to Disable the iPhone’s “Noise Cancellation”?
- From the main screen, navigate to “Settings.”
- Scroll down the menu and tap “Accessibility.”
- Then, navigate to the “Audio/Visual” section.
- Lastly, toggle off “Phone Noise Cancellation.”

When you’re ready, check if your Sony WH-1000XM4 is still quiet.
If yes, you could be facing a hardware problem or something that can’t be fixed by settings adjustment.
Last Steps? – If nothing helps, try to claim your headphones warranty by contacting the local merchant or Sony Customer Service.
Wrapping Up
Hence, if your Sony WH-1000XM4 not loud enough, you need to increase the volume from all sources, adjust the equalizer settings, and configure the Sony Connect app audio options.
Also, you may need to factory reset your headphones to defaults.
We hope this guide was helpful so follow us for more Sony WH-1000XM4 guides and solutions!

Finn Wheatley, a Master’s graduate in Computer Science from UCL, London, honed his skills at small data science consultancies. There, he helped large corporations enhance their data capabilities by deploying cutting-edge machine learning analytics and resolving technical hurdles.