October 22, 2026

The secret of the decline in sound quality in phones over time

Many users face the problem of the sound of smartphones being low and weak compared to usual, which is often apparently attributed to damage to the speaker, but the reasons may be related to other factors that can be addressed without the need to resort to maintenance centers and incurring unjustified expenses.

The accumulation of dust, dirt, and lint is at the forefront of these reasons, as a result of the daily use of the phone and placing it in pockets or bags, which leads to clogging of the speaker grille and impedes the clear sound output despite the safety of the internal components. In this case, it is recommended to gently clean the external openings using a small, soft, dry brush, while cautioning against using needles, sharp objects, or liquids as they pose a danger to the speaker grille and internal components.

Audio settings also play a major role in the quality of the listening experience, as the system separates media volume levels from ring or call volume, which may make the media volume low while other settings are high. In addition, audio equalization settings or accessibility features may affect audio distribution, which may require reviewing your audio settings, adjusting the media level, and trying multiple apps to determine if the issue is general or service-specific.

In a related context, weak sound may be due to it being automatically directed to a wireless speaker or an external device connected via Bluetooth technology instead of the built-in speaker. To solve this problem, it is recommended to temporarily disconnect Bluetooth devices and check the audio output settings during calls and videos, especially for frequent users of wireless headphones.

In addition, the problem of low sound may appear as a result of software malfunctions following a system update or installation of a new application, or due to a sudden glitch in the settings. To deal with this, it is suggested to restart the phone, update the system and applications to the latest stable versions, with the need to review the settings of the application in which the problem appears or reinstall it, noting that the coincidence of the problem with a specific update does not necessarily mean that it is the direct cause of it because there are other possible factors.