Is Your Apple Watch Speaker Acting Up? Apple Says to Try These Steps

Apple today published a new support document outlining steps to try if your Apple Watch's microphone or speaker is not working as expected.

Series 10 Volume Issues Feature
Apple says the steps can also be followed if the Apple Watch speaker's audio is "crackling, distorted, muffled, or intermittent."

The potential solutions listed include updating your Apple Watch to the latest watchOS version, restarting the Apple Watch, un-pairing and re-pairing the Apple Watch to an iPhone, checking whether Silent Mode or Do Not Disturb is turned on, cleaning the Apple Watch's microphone and speaker, and drying the Apple Watch with a microfiber cloth to ensure there is no water in the microphone and speaker areas.

Apple has published the support document just a few days after we reported about a potential Apple Watch Series 10 speaker issue, with some users experiencing quiet or muffled audio after extended use of the device. We cannot guarantee that the document was published in response to the issue, but the timing is certainly suspect.

The support document was spotted by MacRumors contributor Aaron Perris.

Apple has not commented on the speaker complaints, and it is possible that the support document is merely an interim solution while the company internally investigates the matter. If a software issue is identified, it should be fixed in a future watchOS update. If a hardware issue is identified, Apple could launch a service program offering free repairs.

If and when any further information surfaces regarding the potential Apple Watch Series 10 speaker issue, we will be sure to report it.

Related Roundup: Apple Watch 11
Buyer's Guide: Apple Watch (Neutral)

Popular Stories

Aston Martin CarPlay Ultra Screen

Apple's CarPlay Ultra to Expand to These Vehicle Brands Later This Year

Sunday February 1, 2026 10:08 am PST by
Last year, Apple launched CarPlay Ultra, the long-awaited next-generation version of its CarPlay software system for vehicles. Nearly nine months later, CarPlay Ultra is still limited to Aston Martin's latest luxury vehicles, but that should change fairly soon. In May 2025, Apple said many other vehicle brands planned to offer CarPlay Ultra, including Hyundai, Kia, and Genesis. In his Powe...
Apple Logo Black

Apple Just Made Its Second-Biggest Acquisition Ever After Beats

Thursday January 29, 2026 10:07 am PST by
Apple today confirmed to Reuters that it has acquired Q.ai, an Israeli startup that is working on artificial intelligence technology for audio. Apple paid close to $2 billion for Q.ai, according to sources cited by the Financial Times. That would make this Apple's second-biggest acquisition ever, after it paid $3 billion for the popular headphone and audio brand Beats in 2014. Q.ai has...
Apple Logo Black

Apple's Next Launch is 'Imminent'

Sunday February 1, 2026 12:31 pm PST by
The calendar has turned to February, and a new report indicates that Apple's next product launch is "imminent," in the form of new MacBook Pro models. "All signs point to an imminent launch of next-generation MacBook Pros that retain the current form factor but deliver faster chips," Bloomberg's Mark Gurman said on Sunday. "I'm told the new models — code-named J714 and J716 — are slated...
14 inch MacBook Pro Keyboard

Apple Changes How You Order a Mac

Saturday January 31, 2026 10:51 am PST by
Apple recently updated its online store with a new ordering process for Macs, including the MacBook Air, MacBook Pro, iMac, Mac mini, Mac Studio, and Mac Pro. There used to be a handful of standard configurations available for each Mac, but now you must configure a Mac entirely from scratch on a feature-by-feature basis. In other words, ordering a new Mac now works much like ordering an...
Apple MacBook Pro M4 hero

New MacBook Pros Reportedly Launching Alongside macOS 26.3

Sunday February 1, 2026 5:42 am PST by
Apple is planning to launch new MacBook Pro models with M5 Pro and M5 Max chips alongside macOS 26.3, according to Bloomberg's Mark Gurman. "Apple's faster MacBook Pros are planned for the macOS 26.3 release cycle," wrote Gurman, in his Power On newsletter today. "I'm told the new models — code-named J714 and J716 — are slated for the macOS 26.3 software cycle, which runs from...

Top Rated Comments

Lounge vibes 05 Avatar
13 months ago
None of these steps fix the problem, it’s a software bug.
Experiencing it on my ultra 1, it’s not limited to the series 10.
Score: 5 Votes (Like | Disagree)
HappyMBAowner Avatar
13 months ago
The more I use Apple Watch, the more I wonder why I spent so much money for so little. I'm even thinking of selling it. Most of the time, the watch is a disturbance.
Score: 2 Votes (Like | Disagree)
Lounge vibes 05 Avatar
13 months ago

I bought a brand new Series 10, got a phone call same day after setting it up and the speaker didn't work. Definitely not a water or dirt issue.
It’s an issue with watchOS 11.3.
Score: 1 Votes (Like | Disagree)
honglong1976 Avatar
13 months ago
I have a series 6 and 10. I noticed one day one the series 10 sounded muffled compared to the series 6.

I looked and the vents for the speaker are super tiny compared to the 6. Is this the reason?
Score: 1 Votes (Like | Disagree)
DanteHicks79 Avatar
13 months ago
+Apple releases software update, breaks speakers on Watches+

"You're listening to it wrong." - Apple
Score: 1 Votes (Like | Disagree)
svish Avatar
13 months ago
Looks like a standard support guide from Apple. Hopefully the issue reported by Series 10 owners is not widespread and Apple can correct any issue through a software update.
Score: 1 Votes (Like | Disagree)