If you love feeling the deep thump of a kick drum or the powerful rumble in your favorite electronic track, you might have noticed your AirPods sometimes leave you wanting more. While Apple’s iconic earbuds deliver a clean and balanced sound, their default tuning often prioritizes clarity over earth-shaking bass. But what if you could change that? The good news is that you’re not stuck with the out-of-the-box sound profile. There are several effective ways to enhance the low-end response and get a richer, more powerful audio experience directly from your AirPods.
This guide is designed to walk you through every available method, from simple software tweaks on your iPhone to physical tips that can make a world of difference. Whether you’re a casual listener or an aspiring audiophile, learning How to Increase Bass on AirPods? [A Complete Guide] will help you tailor your music to your personal taste. You don’t need to be a tech expert to follow these steps; they are all straightforward and can significantly improve how you hear your music, podcasts, and movies.
How to Increase Bass on AirPods? [A Complete Guide]
Let’s start with the most powerful and direct method available right on your iPhone. Apple provides a built-in equalizer that can dramatically alter the sound signature of your AirPods. This should be your first stop on the journey to better bass.
To access the EQ, open the Settings app on your iPhone, then tap Music. From there, select EQ. You’ll see a long list of presets like “Rock,” “Pop,” and “Jazz.” For boosting bass, the most effective presets are typically Bass Booster and Late Night. The Bass Booster does exactly what its name implies, while Late Night compresses the audio to make quieter sounds louder, which often emphasizes lower frequencies. Don’t be afraid to experiment with other presets like “Electronic” or “Hip-Hop” to see which one best suits your music library. This single change can make a massive difference without any extra cost or apps.
Getting the Perfect Seal for Maximum Bass
This might be the most overlooked aspect of getting good bass from any in-ear headphone, including AirPods. Bass is produced by moving air, and if the earbud isn’t creating a tight seal in your ear canal, that precious air—and the bass along with it—simply escapes. A poor seal results in thin, weak sound.
First, ensure you’re using the correct size ear tip if you have AirPods Pro. Apple includes multiple sizes for a reason. You can use the Ear Tip Fit Test to check: go to Settings > Bluetooth, tap the “i” next to your AirPods Pro, and select “Ear Tip Fit Test.” This will play a sound and tell you if you have a good seal. If you have standard AirPods with a one-size-fits-all design, the fit is more fixed. If you find they are loose, you might consider purchasing third-party accessories like silicone ear hooks or different covers designed to improve fit and, consequently, bass response.
Fine-Tuning the Sound with Your Phone’s Volume
It may sound simple, but sometimes the solution is right under your thumb. Bass frequencies often require more power to reproduce than higher frequencies. If you’re listening at a very low volume, the bass might be the first thing to disappear. Gradually increasing your volume to a comfortable but robust level can help the low-end frequencies become more present and impactful.
Be mindful of your hearing health, of course. A good rule of thumb is to listen at a level where you can still hear ambient noise around you. If your environment is noisy, instead of cranking the volume to dangerous levels, consider using the Active Noise Cancellation (ANC) or Transparency modes on your AirPods Pro or AirPods Max. By blocking out external sound with ANC, you can listen at a lower, safer volume and still hear all the bass details clearly because they aren’t being masked by background noise.
Using Third-Party Apps for Advanced Control
If the built-in iPhone EQ doesn’t give you enough control, you can explore the world of third-party music apps. Many popular streaming services like Spotify have their own built-in equalizers. Within the Spotify app, you can go to Settings > Playback > Equalizer and enable it. From there, you can either choose a preset like “Bass Booster” or manually drag the frequency sliders to create your own custom sound profile, pulling up the lower frequencies to your heart’s content.
For even more advanced audio tuning, dedicated apps like Boom (available on the App Store) can provide system-wide sound enhancement. These apps often offer more precise EQ controls and specialized “3D sound” or “bass” amplifiers that can add a significant punch to your AirPods’ output. They can work across all audio from your phone, not just within a single music app.
Keeping Your AirPods in Pristine Condition
This is a simple but crucial tip. Over time, earwax, dust, and debris can accumulate on the meshes of your AirPods. This buildup can physically block the speakers, leading to muffled sound and a severe reduction in bass. A clean AirPod is a happy, bass-ready AirPod.
To clean them safely, gently wipe the exterior with a soft, dry, lint-free cloth. For the speaker meshes, use a dry cotton swab. You can slightly dampen the cloth or swab with water, but avoid getting any moisture in the openings. Never use sharp objects or compressed air, as these can cause permanent damage. Regularly checking and cleaning your AirPods ensures that nothing is obstructing the sound they were designed to produce.
A Note on Audio Quality and Source Files
The quality of the audio file you’re listening to plays a big role. If you’re streaming music at a low quality setting to save data, you are likely compressing the file, which can strip away the very bass frequencies you’re trying to enhance. Check the audio quality settings in your streaming app.
For example, in Spotify, you can set the streaming quality to “Very High.” In Apple Music, you can enable “Lossless” or “High-Resolution Lossless” in the settings (note: AirPods use Bluetooth, which has its own compression, but starting with a higher-quality source file still generally results in better sound). Ensuring you’re listening to high-quality audio sources gives the EQ and your AirPods more data to work with, resulting in a fuller, richer bass sound.
Enhancing the bass on your AirPods is a very achievable goal. By starting with the built-in EQ settings on your iPhone and ensuring you have a perfect physical seal in your ears, you’ve already covered the most impactful bases. From there, exploring third-party app controls, maintaining clean earbuds, and using high-quality audio sources will fine-tune your experience. With these simple adjustments, you can transform your AirPods into a more powerful and personalized listening device that delivers the low-end punch you’ve been looking for.