After the recent iOS 18.6.1 update on my iPhone 13 Mini, the volume level on Voice Memo recordings is low for the first two seconds and then it goes to normal volume. It isn't a playback level issue, it's in the recorded file, which can be seen in waveform view. Did some privacy or accessibility setting get toggled on or off in the update? I've looked but cannot find anything.
iPhone 13 mini, iOS 18
Doug Freeman wrote:
After the recent iOS 18.6.1 update on my iPhone 13 Mini, the volume level on Voice Memo recordings is low for the first two seconds and then it goes to normal volume...
It's not always the iOS update's fault! Many things can cause phone problems. If you tell people you think it's an iOS update, it might make it harder to fix or find a solution for the real issue.
Remember, the right question often leads to the solution!
Was/Is your device Jailbroken? If that's the situation, please be informed that attributing the issues to iOS updates may not be accurate.
iOS updates aim to enhance user experience, boost security, and fix bugs rather than disrupt core features. The majority of the issues after updates might stem from underlying, unmentioned factors. Updates won't typically alter personal data but may refine settings or features. Backup before major updates for safety. Review Apple's update details and backup advice for a smooth process.
Kindly consider checking your settings and addressing any device issues before attributing the issue to external factors. This could be a pure coincidence that the iOS update affected the iPhone functions.
Before initiating a standard iOS update, it's advisable to create a backup. Have you completed this step? If yes, proceed with the restoration from the backup.
See what each update does: About iOS 18 Updates, About iOS 17 Updates, About iOS 16 Updates, About iOS 15 Updates, About iOS 14 Updates, About iOS 13 Updates, About iOS 12 Updates, and so on...
If Voice Memos on an iPhone begins recording only after a couple of seconds, it usually points to one of two causes: either an external microphone is being used, or the built-in mic is temporarily occupied by another app. To fix this, try closing all other apps and use the built-in mic. If you’re using an external mic, check its manual, as the delay may be a design limitation.
A simple workaround is to start recording a few seconds early—especially during live speeches or interviews—and trim the silence afterward.
To elaborate on the behavior, it isn't that it begins recording a couple seconds after hitting the record button, but rather the recording begins immediately and the record level ramps up in volume from very low to the normal recording level over a period of actually more like five seconds. You can actually faintly hear the tail end of the "now recording" ding at the beginning of the recording (which I've also never noticed before). Essentially the ramp up acts like a fade-in. (It's almost like the "Reduce Loud Audio" headphone volume protection feature operating in reverse.)
Also, importantly, the ramp up in record level doesn't begin happening until sound is being produced for the mic to record. You can't just hit record, wait a couple seconds, and then start speaking, playing an instrument, or whatever and it will be at the normal recording level. Yes, I suppose a workaround would be to hit record and speak "testing one, two, three" and repeat that three or four times, until you're at the normal record level, and later trim that bit out of the final edit. But come on, that's an unrealistic fix and outside the convenience we otherwise love about the device.
This iPhone has never been jailbroken. Nor have I ever backed up any iPhone prior to an iOS update—never even heard of that before (although I should probably consider it going forward). And I'm not necessarily attributing the change in Voice Memo behavior to, or blaming it on, the recent iOS update, but merely noting the coincidence—Voice Memos worked correctly prior to the overnight automatic update and the next day this problem appeared. There are no other apps open that are using the built-in mic, nor any external mics connected to the phone (by cable or bluetooth).
It really seems like some other sound or mic related app setting got toggled in the update, but I've tried everything I can think of and just haven't landed on it yet.
Thank you!
Doug Freeman wrote: "...Voice Memos worked correctly prior to the overnight automatic update and the next day this problem appeared..."
Doug ~ Your iPhone 13 mini could be almost 4 years old and the long process of applying an iOS update to an iPhone with a weak, aging battery can be the proverbial "straw that broke the camel's back." (Battery-related issues often first appear in computational-heavy tasks such as voice processing.) So...
Does your iPhone 13 mini still have its original battery?
And what's the Maximum Capacity % here?...
Settings > Battery > Battery Health & Charging
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I bought the iPhone 13 mini new just before they discontinued it so it's only about two years old. The batter is original and Battery Maximum Capacity shows 84%.
Also apparently the phone was automatically backed up to iCloud prior to the update so the Voice Memos data files are in the cloud. I guess I could offload the app and reinstall it?
Thanks!
Doug Freeman wrote: "...I guess I could offload the app and reinstall it?..."
Yes:
Settings > General > iPhone Storage > Voice Memos
...says: Offload App
This will free up storage used by the app, but keep its documents and data. Reinstalling the app will place back your data if the app is still available for download.
(The battery looks OK — being above Apple's 80% suggested level for replacement.)
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I offloaded the Voice Memos app, restarted my iPhone, downloaded VM from App Store, restarted iPhone again, and the first voice memo I recorded was perfect—recorded at full, normal volume from the beginning. Recorded another one, however, and the problem recurred and remained. Then I offloaded and reloaded the app again, and the problem recurred from the first recording. Notably, the issue does not happen when recording tracks in GarageBand.
Thank you.
iOS 18.6.1 Voice Memo recording volume issue
