How to Increase Bass on Headphones | Sound Fixes That Work

To increase bass on headphones, use an equalizer or bass-boost setting, improve the ear seal, and check your device’s audio accessibility options.

Thin, weak bass usually isn’t a hardware failure — it’s a settings problem. Most headphones can produce significantly deeper lows with a few minutes of adjustment. The right approach depends on whether you’re listening on a phone, a computer, or through a companion app, but the three core fixes below cover nearly every situation.

Start With an Equalizer, But Keep It Modest

An EQ is the most direct way to increase bass on headphones of any kind. Raising the low-frequency bands — typically 60 Hz to 250 Hz — adds punch, but restraint matters. Overboosting causes distortion, clipping, and muddy sound that ruins the mix. A gentle curve that lifts the lowest bands by 3 to 6 dB usually delivers noticeable weight without turning the music into a rumble.

Many headphones also include a built-in bass boost in their companion app. Sony’s Clear Bass control, for instance, is designed to add low-end punch without distorting the music, per the company’s support documentation. Sony recommends starting the equalizer at the middle position and adjusting from there rather than jumping straight to maximum.

Check the Fit and Seal First

A poor seal is the most common reason headphones sound bass-light. Earbuds and over-ear models leak low frequencies when they don’t sit flush, and no EQ can fully compensate for that physical gap. Try a larger ear tip, adjust the headband, or reposition the cups before touching any settings. With active noise-cancelling headphones, a proper seal also lets the ANC work as intended, which sharpens the low end.

If you’re in the market for a pair that delivers bass out of the box, our roundup of the best wired headphones for deep bass covers models built around low-end performance.

Use Device-Specific Bass Adjustments

Phones and computers often hide powerful audio tools in their accessibility menus. Apple’s Headphone Accommodations, available on iPhone and iPad with iOS or iPadOS 14 and later, is a standout example. It lives at Settings > Accessibility > Audio & Visual > Headphone Accommodations. Turning it on and choosing the “Bass Boost” option adds low-end emphasis to any connected headphone, including wired models via a dongle.

Apple’s Custom Audio Setup walks you through tuning the sound profile to your hearing, but two caveats apply: connect the headphones before starting, and if you use Music EQ, turn it off first so the two don’t fight each other. Apple also notes that audio balance should stay centered — an off-center setting thins the sound rather than adding bass.

For Sony headphones, the Sony | Sound Connect app handles the job. Open the app, go to My Device > Settings > Sound > Equalizer, and raise the Clear Bass slider. Some Sony models also let you set this from the headphones themselves without the app.

What Not to Do When Boosting Bass

Cranking the low end to maximum is tempting, but it produces distortion, muddy vocals, and listener fatigue. Software can’t fix a headphone whose physical design simply lacks low-end response — if the drivers can’t move enough air, no setting will manufacture bass that isn’t there.

For deeper listening, Apple’s Custom Audio Setup runs a quick hearing test and builds a profile around your ears. It’s worth trying, but do it in a quiet room, as Apple recommends, so the calibration isn’t skewed by background noise.