How to Control Both Ringer and System Volume with the iPhone’s Volume Buttons

by Harry Guinness on

By default, the volume buttons on the side change the “system volume”, which affects things like music and video playback. But the volume of your ringer volume, which controls the ringer and notifications, stays the same unless you change it from the settings.

If you want your volume buttons to control system volume and ringer volume, you can make them do so by tweaking one setting. Open your iPhone’s Settings app and tap on Sounds and Haptics.

Under Ringers and Alerts, toggle the switch that says Change With Buttons.

Now when you press the volume buttons, it will also change the volume of the ringer.

Harry Guinness writes occasionally when he’s not busy skiing, sailing, partying, lifting weights, or otherwise dodging responsibility. His main areas of interest are himself, gin, and crazy people with interesting stories to tell. When people won’t pay him to write ill-thought-out opinion pieces, he covers photography, technology, and culture. You can follow him on Twitter.