Some Hulu commercials are even louder than the actual movie, leaving some subscribers asking, “Why are Hulu ads so loud?”. In this guide, we’ll show you methods of Hulu voice normalization and how to turn down Hulu commercials. Read this guide to learn more.
Why Are Hulu Ads So Loud?
Also, there’s a law that regulates the loudness of television ads called the Commercial Advertisement Loudness Mitigation Act or CALM Act. Passed in 2010, the law makes it illegal for all commercials to exceed—or be louder than—the average volume of the channel it comes on. But what’s important is the law only applies to services like cable TV and does not cover online streaming services. With that said, Hulu can get away with loud ads since it’s not regulated by any law.
How to Make Hulu Ads Less Louder
As mentioned earlier, Hulu can legally show loud ads to their subscribers since streaming services are not yet covered by the CALM act. However, there are some workarounds that you can try to eliminate Hulu ads or make them less loud. Remember to go over each method and see which is the most effective for your streaming device.
Method #1: Subscribe to Hulu Without Ads
One quick and convenient way to eliminate loud ads on Hulu is to subscribe to their ad-free plan. Hulu without ads costs $14.99/month and comes with a 30-day free trial. However, it’s still worth noting that this plan will not be totally ad-free, but commercials will be shown before or after the movie. While this can cost you more money, you’ll see fewer ads when watching on Hulu.
Method #2: Set Up Auto Volume on Your Smart TV or Streaming Device
Some modern smart TVs have audio-related features that can help with loud ads. It automatically adjusts the volume on your TV when it gets noisier than the average volume. The Auto Volume feature on smart TVs can lower the volume of loud commercials by as much as 12 decibels. To set up the Auto Volume feature on various smart TV brands, follow these steps:
Samsung Smart TV
LG Smart TV
Vizio SmartCast TV
To set up Auto Volume leveling on different streaming devices, proceed to the steps below:
Roku TVs, Streaming Sticks, Players
Apple TV
Once the Auto Volume feature is enabled on your device, you can now try viewing Hulu with ads on your smart TV or streaming device and check if the ads are less louder.
Method #3: Use An Ad Blocker
If you’re watching ad-supported Hulu on your Windows or Mac computer, you can install an ad blocker on your computer’s default browser. Extensions such as AdBlock, uBlock Origin, and Hulu Ad Skipper are free apps for watching Hulu ad-free. However, this method will only work when watching Hulu on a browser and not on the app.
Method #4: Use An Audio Limiter
An Audio limiter (also called an audio compressor) is a device that helps reduce loud sounds from your TV. It can also help to increase the volume of faint or inaudible sounds. It’s an effective way to control the volume since it has various knobs where you can manually set audio limits. However, an audio limiter is more expensive than the other methods on this list. But, if you’re planning to buy one besides using it for ads on Hulu, it can be an excellent investment. Method #5: Switch to a cheaper, ad-supported, service Peacock Premium is only $4.99 a month. Peacock Premium has commercials, but they are not overly loud, so you may be able to put up with them (and pocket $2 a month).
Final Thoughts
Hulu is a great platform to watch various movies, TV episodes, Hulu originals, and other mainstream content. However, you may be turned off when watching Hulu on an ad-supported plan due to its loud ads. Hopefully, these methods can help you fix loud ads on Hulu.
