Notifications in iOS 17 are too quiet, and there's nothing you can do about it

AppleInsiderAppleInsider
Posted:
in iOS edited September 2023

Apple's new notification sound is too quiet in iOS 17 and other than some settings in specific apps, there's no way to fix it.

iOS 17
iOS 17



Apple rolled out iOS 17 on Monday, complete with a long list of features and updates. One quiet change was the notification sound, named Rebound, which is a replacement for the well-known Tri-tone alert.

The problem is that it's a literal quiet change. People are complaining that it is not loud enough to be really useful as a notification sound.

In posts to X, formerly known as Twitter, users complain that the default notification tone in iOS 17 is too quiet "even at full volume."

Part of the issue is there's no way to alter the sound. There's no option within the various settings of iOS 17 to adjust just the notification sound to make it louder.

Users who prefer the sound of the Tri-tone alert are also unable to get that back either, as you cannot change the default sound in iOS 17.

At this stage, there's nothing that users can do except complain to Apple about it. It is unclear if Apple will include extra settings in an iOS 17 update that enables notification sounds to be altered, but if there's enough noise about the problem, it could become a reality in the future.

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Comments

  • Reply 1 of 23
    aybaraaybara Posts: 46member
    I complained in the RC beta, as well as the loss of using custom tones in anything but a ringtone. Let’s hope they fix it in an update. It almost seems the RC was rushed as in the beta just before the RC release, I don’t recall the notification change and my custom tones worked fine. 
    williamlondonAlex1NFileMakerFellerwatto_cobra
  • Reply 2 of 23
    gavzagavza Posts: 20member
    I hate it when people have sound on notifications, with their phones literally making noise every 2 or 3 minutes with some social media telling them there’s a new posting they should look at.
    Graeme000napoleon_phoneapartravnorodomdanoxwilliamlondonsflagelmike1chasmjahbladeStrangeDays
  • Reply 3 of 23
    Graeme000Graeme000 Posts: 42member
    Ooo this is a welcome change! No more constant dings of other people receiving messages or getting updates.
    napoleon_phoneapartravnorodomdanoxwilliamlondonsflagelchasmjahbladegavzaStrangeDayskkqd1337
  • Reply 4 of 23
    danoxdanox Posts: 3,475member
    Upgraded to iOS 17 on my for year old 11 Pro iPhone and my four year old 12.9 Pro iPad, and the initial reaction both feel like a new device. I can only imagine what it’s gonna feel like to use the new 15 Pro iPhone on iOS 17….
    edited September 2023 coolfactorchasmjahbladeAlex1NFileMakerFellerwatto_cobra
  • Reply 5 of 23
    coolfactorcoolfactor Posts: 2,343member
    gavza said:
    I hate it when people have sound on notifications, with their phones literally making noise every 2 or 3 minutes with some social media telling them there’s a new posting they should look at.

    Personally, I keep my phone in Silent mode all the time. The only time a notification sound chimes is for VIP contacts where I've allowed them to bypass Do Not Disturb mode. Then it plays the notification sound, as well as vibrates.

    I wasn't aware that iOS 17 had a new notification sound. Just unmuted phone. Quick, someone trigger a notification for me!
    sflagelStrangeDaysAlex1NFileMakerFellerAnilu_777watto_cobra
  • Reply 6 of 23
    coolfactorcoolfactor Posts: 2,343member
    danox said:
    Upgraded to iOS 17 on my for year old 11 Pro iPhone and my four year old 12.9 Pro iPad, and the initial reaction both feel like a new device. I can only imagine what it’s gonna feel like to use the new 15 Pro iPhone on iOS 17….

    The surface-level changes are minimal, but I do appreciate what I've seen so far. I particularly like the new vertical (+) drawer in Messages. Smooth, slick and easier to access photos.

    Alex1Ntophatnosockswatto_cobra
  • Reply 7 of 23
    coolfactorcoolfactor Posts: 2,343member

    Just heard Rebound ... sounds like a "pop-pinggggg", right? Like a bubble popping, followed by a ding. It almost sounds stereo or 3D. I wonder how it sounds on Apple Vision Pro?
    edited September 2023 watto_cobra
  • Reply 8 of 23
    pjorlandopjorlando Posts: 30member
    Use a different sound… nonissue! 
    watto_cobra
  • Reply 9 of 23
    bc2009bc2009 Posts: 43member
    I've got a better headline for you that should be making news..... watchOS 10 is abysmal and nobody should upgrade before Apple fixes it.

    You guys are running articles about the volume level of iOS 17 notifications meanwhile no mention that watchOS 10 gimps your Apple Watch and takes away useful features and gives you the worthless "Dumb Stack" and a Snoopy watch face.

    I think the tech reviewers really missed the boat on that.
    williamlondon
  • Reply 10 of 23
    safsaf Posts: 7member
    gavza said:
    I hate it when people have sound on notifications, with their phones literally making noise every 2 or 3 minutes with some social media telling them there’s a new posting they should look at.
    I hate that you hate that.
    williamlondon
  • Reply 11 of 23
    puiz666puiz666 Posts: 26unconfirmed, member
    Wait, notifications have sounds?
    pjorlandoStrangeDayskkqd1337FileMakerFellerwatto_cobra
  • Reply 12 of 23
    kdupuis77kdupuis77 Posts: 160member
    Hmm, I guess I don't get the complaint here? I'm on iOS 17 on my 14 Pro Max and just checked all my tones and nothing at all changed automatically for me for any of my notification, text and phone call tones. Although I did enjoy all the new stock tones available for sure! Literally half of my purchased ringtones are toned-down "business-friendly" ones to use instead of the majority of Apple's old ones. New tones all sounds great to me!
    Alex1Nwatto_cobra
  • Reply 13 of 23
    jhplaaljhplaal Posts: 1member
    Anybody know what clock widget is that?? Looks amazing!!
    watto_cobra
  • Reply 14 of 23
    StrangeDaysStrangeDays Posts: 13,134member
    bc2009 said:
    I've got a better headline for you that should be making news..... watchOS 10 is abysmal and nobody should upgrade before Apple fixes it.

    You guys are running articles about the volume level of iOS 17 notifications meanwhile no mention that watchOS 10 gimps your Apple Watch and takes away useful features and gives you the worthless "Dumb Stack" and a Snoopy watch face.

    I think the tech reviewers really missed the boat on that.
    say wut
    tophatnosockswilliamlondon
  • Reply 15 of 23
    JapheyJaphey Posts: 1,772member
    I like the new sound 🤷‍♂️
    Alex1Nkdupuis77watto_cobra
  • Reply 16 of 23
    dewmedewme Posts: 5,816member
    gavza said:
    I hate it when people have sound on notifications, with their phones literally making noise every 2 or 3 minutes with some social media telling them there’s a new posting they should look at.

    What's not to like about seeing Pavlov's Dog experiment playing out in real time?

    I bet they are all salivating upon hearing the sound.

    As long as they keep their mouth shut and don't start drooling, I'm okay with it.


    Alex1NFileMakerFellerzeus423baconstangwatto_cobra
  • Reply 17 of 23
    kkqd1337kkqd1337 Posts: 476member
    Call me miserable but I have haven’t used audio notifications and have had the vibration turned off for about 10 years

    I will be more than happy if everyone does the same 
    muthuk_vanalingamgilly33watto_cobra
  • Reply 18 of 23
    kkqd1337kkqd1337 Posts: 476member
    bc2009 said:
    I've got a better headline for you that should be making news..... watchOS 10 is abysmal and nobody should upgrade before Apple fixes it.

    You guys are running articles about the volume level of iOS 17 notifications meanwhile no mention that watchOS 10 gimps your Apple Watch and takes away useful features and gives you the worthless "Dumb Stack" and a Snoopy watch face.

    I think the tech reviewers really missed the boat on that.
    Does anyone apart from you actually use their Apple Watch to do anything other than tell the time?

    No. So nobody noticed. 
    musicmandws
  • Reply 19 of 23
    gilly33gilly33 Posts: 444member
    Graeme000 said:
    Ooo this is a welcome change! No more constant dings of other people receiving messages or getting updates.
    You bet. People have to complain about something. I appreciate the change. 
    williamlondonwatto_cobra
  • Reply 20 of 23
    dewmedewme Posts: 5,816member
    This is an interesting topic because it caused a slight disruption to my normal routine yesterday. When I jump into bed I always say "Alexa, goodnight" which triggers a set of commands to do things like turn off any ancillary lights that I may have left on and fully arm the security system. When the sequence is completed I get a confirmation notification, which I've come to signify that everything did exactly what it should have done. If there's an issue, like an outside door or window not being completely closed I do not get the notification.

    Last night the notification, which comes from a phone a few feet away, was imperceptible and unrecognizable. So I crawl out of bed, grab my phone, and go to my dashboard to see if something failed. Lo and behold, everything is perfectly fine. Then I remembered reading this article and realized that the new notification sound is more like a quiet "bloop" rather than the louder sound it used to make. No big deal, I've now  been retrained, and now I fully understand what this article is all about. I'll now key in on the bloop.
    watto_cobra
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