diff --git a/static/index.html b/static/index.html
index 1753f67..4250707 100644
--- a/static/index.html
+++ b/static/index.html
@@ -217,7 +217,7 @@
 					</div>
 				</div>
 				</div>
-				<div class="settings-group">
+				<div class="settings-group desktop-only-setting">
 					<label for="speaker-select">
 						<svg viewBox="0 0 24 24" fill="currentColor">
 							<path d="M3 9v6h4l5 5V4L7 9H3zm13.5 3c0-1.77-1.02-3.29-2.5-4.03v8.05c1.48-.73 2.5-2.25 2.5-4.02zM14 3.23v2.06c2.89.86 5 3.54 5 6.71s-2.11 5.85-5 6.71v2.06c4.01-.91 7-4.49 7-8.77s-2.99-7.86-7-8.77z"/>
@@ -276,6 +276,17 @@
 						<span class="toggle-slider"></span>
 					</button>
 				</div>
+				<div class="settings-toggle mobile-only-setting">
+					<label>
+						<svg viewBox="0 0 24 24" fill="currentColor">
+							<path d="M3 9v6h4l5 5V4L7 9H3zm13.5 3c0-1.77-1.02-3.29-2.5-4.03v8.05c1.48-.73 2.5-2.25 2.5-4.02zM14 3.23v2.06c2.89.86 5 3.54 5 6.71s-2.11 5.85-5 6.71v2.06c4.01-.91 7-4.49 7-8.77s-2.99-7.86-7-8.77z"/>
+						</svg>
+						Speaker Mode <span class="settings-hint">(loud)</span>
+					</label>
+					<button id="toggle-speakermode" class="toggle-btn" data-enabled="true">
+						<span class="toggle-slider"></span>
+					</button>
+				</div>
 			</div>
 			
 			<button id="settings-apply" class="btn-primary">Apply Changes</button>
diff --git a/static/js/settings.js b/static/js/settings.js
index d0d3393..e0f1f63 100644
--- a/static/js/settings.js
+++ b/static/js/settings.js
@@ -430,10 +430,12 @@ function updateSettingsToggles() {
 	const notifToggle = $('toggle-notifications');
 	const soundToggle = $('toggle-sounds');
 	const lowBwToggle = $('toggle-lowbandwidth');
+	const speakerToggle = $('toggle-speakermode');
 
 	if (notifToggle) notifToggle.dataset.enabled = state.settings.notifications;
 	if (soundToggle) soundToggle.dataset.enabled = state.settings.sounds;
 	if (lowBwToggle) lowBwToggle.dataset.enabled = state.settings.lowBandwidth;
+	if (speakerToggle) speakerToggle.dataset.enabled = state.settings.speakerMode !== false;
 }
 
 // Toggle button click handler
@@ -482,6 +484,10 @@ document.addEventListener('DOMContentLoaded', () => {
 	$('toggle-notifications')?.addEventListener('click', () => handleToggleClick('toggle-notifications', 'notifications'));
 	$('toggle-sounds')?.addEventListener('click', () => handleToggleClick('toggle-sounds', 'sounds'));
 	$('toggle-lowbandwidth')?.addEventListener('click', () => handleToggleClick('toggle-lowbandwidth', 'lowBandwidth'));
+	$('toggle-speakermode')?.addEventListener('click', () => {
+		handleToggleClick('toggle-speakermode', 'speakerMode');
+		if (typeof rebuildAudioSinksForSpeakerMode === 'function') rebuildAudioSinksForSpeakerMode();
+	});
 
 	// Close modal when clicking outside
 	$('settings-modal')?.addEventListener('click', (e) => {
diff --git a/static/js/state.js b/static/js/state.js
index 59e9a5a..6094de6 100644
--- a/static/js/state.js
+++ b/static/js/state.js
@@ -48,7 +48,12 @@ const state = {
 	settings: {
 		notifications: true,
 		sounds: true,
-		lowBandwidth: false
+		lowBandwidth: false,
+		// Mobile audio routing. true = remote audio plays through a hidden <video>
+		// element, which iOS classifies as media playback (loudspeaker). false = plays
+		// through <audio>, which under an active mic becomes communication category
+		// (earpiece). Desktop browsers route the same regardless of element tag.
+		speakerMode: true
 	},
 	// IRC state
 	irc: {
diff --git a/static/js/webrtc.js b/static/js/webrtc.js
index 3f470fe..3aef889 100644
--- a/static/js/webrtc.js
+++ b/static/js/webrtc.js
@@ -49,10 +49,16 @@ function startAudioPlaybackPrimer() {
 		gain.connect(dest);
 		source.start();
 
-		const primer = document.createElement('audio');
+		// Tag matches the per-peer sink (see setupPeerAudio). Using <video> here too
+		// keeps the entire audio session in the same iOS category so the first peer
+		// audio element doesn't accidentally re-classify it.
+		const useVideo = state.settings?.speakerMode !== false;
+		const primer = document.createElement(useVideo ? 'video' : 'audio');
 		primer.autoplay = true;
 		primer.playsInline = true;
+		primer.muted = false;
 		primer.id = 'audio-playback-primer';
+		primer.dataset.audioMode = useVideo ? 'video' : 'audio';
 		primer.srcObject = dest.stream;
 		const container = document.getElementById('peer-audio-container') || document.body;
 		container.appendChild(primer);
@@ -609,14 +615,20 @@ async function flushPendingCandidates(peerId) {
 
 // Build (or rebuild) the audio path for a peer:
 //
-//   stream  ->  <audio autoplay playsinline>.srcObject   (output: speakers)
-//   stream  ->  MediaStreamSource -> AnalyserNode        (speaking indicator only)
+//   stream  ->  <video|audio autoplay playsinline>.srcObject   (output: speaker/earpiece)
+//   stream  ->  MediaStreamSource -> AnalyserNode              (speaking indicator only)
 //
-// Audio output is the canonical WebRTC pattern: <audio>.srcObject = remoteStream
+// Audio output is the canonical WebRTC pattern: media-element.srcObject = remoteStream
 // directly. Mobile browsers (Android Chrome, iOS Safari) treat WebRTC remote streams
 // as real network media for autoplay and audio-session purposes, so playback starts
 // reliably as long as the page has had any prior user activation (the Connect tap).
 //
+// Tag depends on settings.speakerMode (default true). On iOS, a <video> element
+// playing a WebRTC stream gets the media audio-session category (loudspeaker), while
+// <audio> playing the same stream while a mic capture is active gets the communication
+// category (earpiece - quiet). Toggling speakerMode tears down each peer's element
+// and recreates it with the new tag.
+//
 // The previous attempt routed audio through a Web Audio GainNode + MediaStreamDestination
 // to support a 0-150% volume slider. That Web-Audio-derived stream is not classified as
 // "real" media on mobile - the audio session never activated, and audio stayed silent
@@ -648,15 +660,26 @@ function setupPeerAudio(peerId, stream) {
 			tapPeerToRecordingMixer(peerId, peer.audioSource);
 		}
 
-		// Per-peer hidden <audio> element. Created once, reused across renegotiations.
+		// Per-peer hidden sink element. Created once, reused across renegotiations.
+		// Tag depends on speakerMode: <video> routes through media category on iOS
+		// (loudspeaker), <audio> routes through communication category (earpiece).
+		// If the mode flipped at runtime, the old element is recreated with the new tag.
+		const desiredMode = state.settings?.speakerMode !== false ? 'video' : 'audio';
+		if (peer.audioElement && peer.audioElement.dataset.audioMode !== desiredMode) {
+			try { peer.audioElement.srcObject = null; } catch (e) {}
+			try { peer.audioElement.remove(); } catch (e) {}
+			peer.audioElement = null;
+		}
 		if (!peer.audioElement) {
-			const audioEl = document.createElement('audio');
-			audioEl.autoplay = true;
-			audioEl.playsInline = true;
-			audioEl.id = `peer-audio-${peerId}`;
+			const sinkEl = document.createElement(desiredMode);
+			sinkEl.autoplay = true;
+			sinkEl.playsInline = true;
+			sinkEl.muted = false;
+			sinkEl.dataset.audioMode = desiredMode;
+			sinkEl.id = `peer-audio-${peerId}`;
 			const container = document.getElementById('peer-audio-container') || document.body;
-			container.appendChild(audioEl);
-			peer.audioElement = audioEl;
+			container.appendChild(sinkEl);
+			peer.audioElement = sinkEl;
 		}
 		// Update srcObject if the stream identity changed (renegotiation can hand us a
 		// fresh MediaStream). Calling .play() again is harmless on the same stream.
@@ -703,6 +726,28 @@ function setupPeerAudio(peerId, stream) {
 	}
 }
 
+// Recreate the playback primer + every peer's audio sink so the new speakerMode
+// (audio vs video tag) takes effect. Called from the settings toggle handler.
+function rebuildAudioSinksForSpeakerMode() {
+	if (state.audioPrimer) {
+		try { state.audioPrimer.srcObject = null; } catch (e) {}
+		try { state.audioPrimer.remove(); } catch (e) {}
+		state.audioPrimer = null;
+	}
+	if (state.audioPrimerSource) {
+		try { state.audioPrimerSource.stop(); } catch (e) {}
+		state.audioPrimerSource = null;
+	}
+	startAudioPlaybackPrimer();
+
+	for (const [peerId, peer] of Object.entries(state.peers)) {
+		const stream = peer.audioElement?.srcObject || peer.stream;
+		if (stream && stream.getAudioTracks && stream.getAudioTracks().length > 0) {
+			setupPeerAudio(peerId, stream);
+		}
+	}
+}
+
 // Tear down a peer's audio path and remove its <audio> element. Safe to call multiple
 // times; safe to call on partially-constructed peers.
 function teardownPeerAudio(peerId) {
diff --git a/static/style.css b/static/style.css
index 3a70e0c..6536a9a 100644
--- a/static/style.css
+++ b/static/style.css
@@ -1472,13 +1472,31 @@ body {
 	.settings-preview {
 		max-height: 100px;
 	}
+
+	/* Mobile-only settings rows (e.g. Speaker Mode toggle) */
+	.mobile-only-setting { display: flex; }
+	/* Speaker device picker is useless on mobile - setSinkId isn't supported and
+	   enumerateDevices returns nothing meaningful. Hide it; the Speaker Mode toggle
+	   replaces it. */
+	.desktop-only-setting { display: none; }
 }
 
+/* Default visibility outside the mobile breakpoint. */
+.mobile-only-setting { display: none; }
+
 @media (max-width: 480px) {
 	.video-tile { border-radius: 8px; }
 	.video-tile .username { font-size: 0.75rem; padding: 0.5rem 0.75rem; }
 }
 
+/* Subtle hint text inside settings labels (e.g. "(loud)" next to Speaker Mode). */
+.settings-hint {
+	font-weight: 400;
+	color: var(--text-muted);
+	margin-left: 0.25rem;
+	font-size: 0.85em;
+}
+
 /* ========== FOCUS STATES ========== */
 button:focus-visible, input:focus-visible {
 	outline: 2px solid var(--acid);