Notifications in iOS 17 are too quiet, and there's nothing you can do about it
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
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.
Read on AppleInsider
Comments
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!
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.
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?
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.
I will be more than happy if everyone does the same
No. So nobody noticed.
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.