The two ways to control iPad volume

You can adjust your iPad's volume in two ways: using the physical buttons on the side of the device, or using the Settings app. The physical buttons are the fastest method for everyday use. The Settings app gives you more control — you can set different volumes for music, videos, and system sounds, and lock those settings so others cannot change them.

Which method you choose depends on what you are trying to do. If you just want to turn the sound up or down right now, use the buttons. If you want to prevent someone else from changing the volume, or if your buttons are not working, use Settings.

Key Takeaways

  • The volume buttons on the side of your iPad adjust sound when ready, and work whether the device is locked or unlocked.
  • In Settings, you can separate the volume for media (music and videos) from the volume for alerts and notifications, and adjust each one independently.
  • The Mute switch above the volume buttons silences alerts and notifications but does not affect music or video playback.
  • You can lock volume settings using Screen Time so that a passcode is required to change them.
  • If the volume buttons are not responding, restart your iPad or check Settings to see if the mute switch is turned on.

Using the physical volume buttons

The volume buttons sit on the right edge of your iPad, near the top. Press the upper button to increase volume, and the lower button to decrease it. You can do this whether your iPad is locked or unlocked, and the change happens when ready. A volume slider appears on the screen for a few seconds to show you the current level.

Just above the volume buttons, you will see a small switch. This is the mute switch. When it is flipped toward the back of the iPad, all alerts, notifications, and system sounds are silenced — but music and videos will still play at whatever volume you set. This is useful in meetings or quiet spaces where you want to hear your music but not notification sounds.

Adjusting volume in the Settings app

Open the Settings app (the gray icon with gears) on your home screen. Scroll down and tap Sounds and Haptics. You will see several volume sliders.

The first slider controls the volume of alerts, notifications, and system sounds — the dings and rings your iPad makes. The second slider controls the volume of media, which is music, videos, podcasts, and games. You can set these two independently. For example, you might want notifications to be quiet but music to be loud.

Drag each slider left to decrease volume or right to increase it. The changes take effect when ready. If you want to test the volume, tap any sound option below the sliders (such as Ringtone) and it will play at the level you just set.

Using the mute switch and Do Not Disturb

The mute switch on the edge of your iPad controls whether alerts and notifications make sound. When the switch is flipped so you can see the orange line, your iPad is in silent mode — notifications will not make noise, but music and videos will still play.

If you want to silence everything including music, use Do Not Disturb instead. Go to Settings, tap Focus, then tap Do Not Disturb. Turn it on, and your iPad will not make any sound or light up for notifications. You can still play music or videos manually — Do Not Disturb only blocks incoming alerts.

Locking volume settings with Screen Time

If you share your iPad with others and want to prevent them from changing the volume, you can lock the volume settings using Screen Time. Go to Settings, tap Screen Time, then tap Content & Privacy Restrictions. Turn on the toggle for Content & Privacy Restrictions.

Scroll down and tap Volume Limit. You will see a slider that sets the maximum volume anyone can reach. Set it to whatever level you want, then tap Lock Volume Limit. From now on, anyone trying to increase the volume past that point will see a message saying the volume limit is locked, and they will need your Screen Time passcode to change it.

This is different from just using the mute switch — the mute switch only silences alerts, but the volume limit prevents the volume from going above a certain level for all sounds, including music and videos.

Troubleshooting when volume buttons do not work

If pressing the volume buttons does not change the sound, first check whether the mute switch is turned on. Look at the switch above the volume buttons — if you can see an orange line, the mute switch is on and alerts will not make sound. Flip it back to turn mute off.

If the mute switch is off but the buttons still do not work, restart your iPad. Press and hold the top button and either volume button together until you see the power-off slider. Drag it to turn off the iPad, wait a few seconds, then press the top button again to turn it back on. After the restart, try the volume buttons again.

If the buttons still do not respond after a restart, the physical buttons may be damaged. You can still adjust volume using Settings instead — open Settings, go to Sounds and Haptics, and use the sliders there. If you need the buttons repaired, contact Apple Support or visit an Apple Store.

Frequently Asked Questions

Why does my iPad have no sound even though the volume is turned up?

Check the mute switch above the volume buttons. If you can see an orange line on the switch, your iPad is in silent mode and alerts will not make sound. Flip the switch back to turn mute off. If the switch is already off, go to Settings, tap Sounds and Haptics, and make sure the alert volume slider is not all the way to the left.

Can I set different volumes for different apps?

No, iPad does not let you set per-app volumes. You can only separate media volume (music and videos) from alert volume (notifications and system sounds). If you want an app to be quieter, you can lower the media volume slider in Settings, or mute the app within the app itself if it has a mute button.

What is the difference between the mute switch and Do Not Disturb?

The mute switch silences alerts and notifications but lets music and videos play normally. Do Not Disturb blocks incoming notifications entirely — they will not make sound or light up your screen — but you can still manually play music or videos. Use the mute switch for quick silence; use Do Not Disturb when you want to avoid interruptions.

If I lock the volume limit, can I still use headphones?

Yes. The volume limit applies to the iPad's speaker and to headphones equally. If you set a volume limit and then plug in headphones, the limit still applies — the volume will not go above the level you set, even through headphones.

How do I turn off the volume slider that appears when I press the buttons?

You cannot turn off the volume slider — it appears automatically whenever you press the volume buttons. It disappears on its own after a few seconds. This is normal behavior and cannot be changed in Settings.