Best Spotify Equalizer Settings (and Where to Find the EQ)
Find the EQ in a few taps, learn what each slider does, and start from settings that actually suit your headphones or car.
Spotify has a built-in equalizer on iPhone, Android and desktop, and a few small moves on it will change the sound more than any jump in bitrate. The trick is knowing where it lives and not overdoing it. Below are the steps to find it, what each slider does, and starting settings for earbuds, cars, bass and vocals.
Where to Find the Spotify Equalizer
These steps come from Spotify's equalizer help page.
iPhone and iPad:
- Tap your profile picture at the top.
- Tap Settings and privacy, then Playback.
- Turn on Equalizer, then pick a preset or drag the dots.
Android:
- Tap your profile picture, then Settings and privacy.
- Tap Playback and find Equalizer under Listening controls.
- Pick a preset or drag the dots. If your phone has its own built-in equalizer, Spotify notes that changes you make here also affect the sound of other apps.
Desktop app (Windows and Mac):
- Click your profile picture and choose Settings.
- Under Playback, turn on Equalizer.
- Pick a preset or drag the dots.
Spotify's help page only covers the mobile and desktop apps, so don't expect an equalizer in the web player. And if you're casting to a speaker with Spotify Connect, audio settings are locked: Spotify says you "can't change audio settings when using Spotify Connect to play on another device."
What Each Spotify EQ Band Does
Spotify's equalizer has six sliders, set at 60 Hz, 150 Hz, 400 Hz, 1 kHz, 2.4 kHz and 15 kHz. Each one boosts or cuts a slice of the sound:
| Band | What you hear there | Too much sounds like |
|---|---|---|
| 60 Hz | Sub bass, kick drum thump, bass guitar weight | Boomy, rattling speakers |
| 150 Hz | Upper bass and warmth | Muddy, thick |
| 400 Hz | Low mids, the "body" of guitars and piano | Boxy, like a cardboard room |
| 1 kHz | Core of vocals and most instruments | Nasal, honky |
| 2.4 kHz | Presence and clarity, consonants in voices | Harsh, tiring |
| 15 kHz | Air and sparkle, cymbal shimmer | Hissy, sharp "s" sounds |
Best Spotify Equalizer Settings to Start With
There's no single best setting, because headphones, speakers and ears all differ. These are starting points in rough steps of a few decibels. Spotify's sliders don't show exact numbers everywhere, so treat them as positions relative to the middle line, then adjust by ear.
| Goal | 60 Hz | 150 Hz | 400 Hz | 1 kHz | 2.4 kHz | 15 kHz | Why |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Cheap earbuds or thin sound | +3 | +2 | 0 | 0 | +1 | +2 | Fills out the low end and adds a bit of air |
| More bass, less mud | +4 | +2 | -2 | 0 | 0 | +1 | Bass up, boxy low mids down |
| In the car | +2 | 0 | -2 | 0 | +2 | +2 | Cuts boom, keeps vocals clear over road noise |
| Vocals and podcasts | -2 | 0 | 0 | +2 | +3 | 0 | Pushes voices forward |
| Harsh or bright headphones | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | -3 | -2 | Tames sibilance and fatigue |
| Good headphones or speakers | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | Leave it flat, or turn the EQ off |
If a built-in preset like Bass Booster or Vocal Booster gets you close, start there and nudge one or two sliders. Presets tend to be heavy-handed, and a lighter version of the same shape usually sounds better.
Cut Before You Boost
The most common EQ mistake is pushing every slider up. Boosting adds level, and on loud, modern masters that extra level can make the sound distort or flatten out. Cutting the bands you don't like usually works better than boosting the ones you do. Want more bass? Try lowering 400 Hz a little before you raise 60 Hz. Vocals too sharp? Pull 2.4 kHz down instead of turning everything else up. Then raise the volume to make up the difference.
Volume Normalization and the Loudness Setting
Next to the equalizer, Spotify has volume normalization, which "balances soft and loud songs" so you aren't reaching for the volume between tracks. It comes with a volume level choice:
- Loud is meant for noisy places, but Spotify notes "you'll hear less dynamic levels."
- Normal is the default and a good choice for most listening.
- Quiet suits calm rooms and late-night listening.
If music sounds squashed or lifeless, check that the level isn't set to Loud before you touch the EQ. You can turn normalization off entirely under Playback on mobile, or under Audio quality in the desktop app, if you prefer to hear albums exactly as they were mastered.
Fix the Quality Setting First
An equalizer can't add detail that isn't in the stream. If your quality setting is on Automatic or Normal, you may be hearing 96 kbps audio on a weak connection, and no EQ curve will fix that. Set streaming and downloads to Very high (about 320 kbps), or Lossless if you're on Premium with wired headphones. Our Spotify bitrate guide lists every setting, and the Spotify Lossless guide explains when the top tier is worth it.
What the Spotify Equalizer Can't Do
- It only works inside Spotify. Songs you've converted to MP3 play flat in other apps. Use your phone's, car's or music player's own EQ for those.
- It doesn't follow you to Connect speakers. When you cast with Spotify Connect, use the speaker's own app or tone controls instead.
- It can't undo Bluetooth. Wireless earbuds re-compress the signal, and many apply their own EQ on top. If you use a headphone companion app, set one EQ and leave the other flat so they don't fight.
Taking your music off Spotify? Paste a Spotify link and save it as an MP3 you can play anywhere, with any EQ you like.
Open the Spotify to MP3 converter →Frequently Asked Questions
Where is the equalizer in Spotify?
Tap your profile picture, go to Settings and privacy, then Playback, and turn on Equalizer. On desktop, open Settings and find Equalizer under Playback.
What are the best Spotify equalizer settings?
It depends on your headphones and taste. A good starting point is a small boost at 60 Hz and 15 kHz with a slight cut at 400 Hz for fuller, cleaner sound. On good headphones, leaving the EQ flat or off is often best.
What is the best Spotify equalizer setting for bass?
Raise 60 Hz by a few steps and 150 Hz slightly, and lower 400 Hz a little so the bass doesn't turn muddy. Avoid maxing out the sliders, which can cause distortion.
Why can't I change the equalizer in Spotify?
You can't change audio settings while playing on another device through Spotify Connect. The web player doesn't have an equalizer.
Does the Spotify equalizer affect downloaded songs?
It applies to anything you play inside Spotify, including your offline downloads. It doesn't affect MP3 files you play in other apps; use that app's or device's equalizer instead.