diff --git a/mobile/plugins/native-call/ios/Sources/NativeCallPlugin/NativeCallPlugin.swift b/mobile/plugins/native-call/ios/Sources/NativeCallPlugin/NativeCallPlugin.swift
index 6d88f64..6961d8a 100644
--- a/mobile/plugins/native-call/ios/Sources/NativeCallPlugin/NativeCallPlugin.swift
+++ b/mobile/plugins/native-call/ios/Sources/NativeCallPlugin/NativeCallPlugin.swift
@@ -93,6 +93,16 @@ public class NativeCallPlugin: CAPPlugin, CAPBridgedPlugin, PKPushRegistryDelega
         Task { await r?.disconnect() }
     }
 
+    // Route call audio to the LOUDSPEAKER when we'd otherwise be on the quiet earpiece. Guarded so a connected
+    // wired/Bluetooth headset (any non-receiver route) still wins. Re-asserted on mute toggles because enabling
+    // the mic can flip the route back to the earpiece.
+    private func preferSpeaker() {
+        let s = AVAudioSession.sharedInstance()
+        if s.currentRoute.outputs.contains(where: { $0.portType == .builtInReceiver }) {
+            try? s.overrideOutputAudioPort(.speaker)
+        }
+    }
+
     // MARK: - JS-callable methods
 
     @objc func getToken(_ call: CAPPluginCall) { call.resolve(["token": voipToken]) }
@@ -285,7 +295,10 @@ public class NativeCallPlugin: CAPPlugin, CAPBridgedPlugin, PKPushRegistryDelega
 
     public func provider(_ provider: CXProvider, perform action: CXSetMutedCallAction) {
         let r = room
-        Task { try? await r?.localParticipant.setMicrophone(enabled: !action.isMuted) }
+        Task { [weak self] in
+            try? await r?.localParticipant.setMicrophone(enabled: !action.isMuted)
+            self?.preferSpeaker() // toggling the mic can flip the route back to the earpiece — re-assert speaker
+        }
         notifyListeners("setMuted", data: ["callUUID": action.callUUID.uuidString, "muted": action.isMuted])
         action.fulfill()
     }
@@ -295,9 +308,14 @@ public class NativeCallPlugin: CAPPlugin, CAPBridgedPlugin, PKPushRegistryDelega
     // dead mic / no-audio and late speaker routing. Don't call setActive(true): CallKit already activated it.
     public func provider(_ provider: CXProvider, didActivate audioSession: AVAudioSession) {
         do {
-            try audioSession.setCategory(.playAndRecord, mode: .voiceChat, options: [.mixWithOthers])
+            // Route to the LOUDSPEAKER by default (earpiece was the .voiceChat default). .videoChat +
+            // .defaultToSpeaker prefers the speaker while still letting wired/Bluetooth headsets win.
+            try audioSession.setCategory(.playAndRecord, mode: .videoChat,
+                                        options: [.defaultToSpeaker, .allowBluetooth, .allowBluetoothA2DP])
             try AudioManager.shared.setEngineAvailability(.default)
-            notifyListeners("audioActivated", data: ["ok": true])
+            preferSpeaker() // belt-and-braces: if we still landed on the earpiece, force the speaker
+            let route = audioSession.currentRoute.outputs.first?.portType.rawValue ?? "none"
+            notifyListeners("audioActivated", data: ["ok": true, "route": route])
         } catch {
             notifyListeners("audioActivated", data: ["ok": false, "error": String(describing: error)])
         }
diff --git a/server/public/home.html b/server/public/home.html
index b432275..2afd7a9 100644
--- a/server/public/home.html
+++ b/server/public/home.html
@@ -3815,7 +3815,7 @@ async function setupNativeCall(){
   // Enforce the muted-by-default rule against the plugin's actual mic once the room connects (belt-and-braces
   // for builds whose plugin still connects the mic live). meetMic is the source of truth for the mic button.
   NC.addListener('callConnected', ()=>{ pdbg('nc-connected'); if(meetNative){ try{ NC.setMuted({ muted:!meetMic }); }catch(_){} } });
-  NC.addListener('audioActivated', (e)=>{ pdbg('nc-audio', { ok:!!(e&&e.ok), err:(e&&e.error)||'' }); }); // CallKit audio-session activation (debug intermittent audio)
+  NC.addListener('audioActivated', (e)=>{ pdbg('nc-audio', { ok:!!(e&&e.ok), err:(e&&e.error)||'', route:(e&&e.route)||'' }); }); // CallKit audio-session activation + output route (debug audio)
   NC.addListener('callError', (e)=>{ pdbg('nc-error', { err:(e&&e.error)||'' }); });
   // Muted from the CallKit system UI → reflect it in the meeting window's mic button.
   NC.addListener('setMuted', (e)=>{ if(!e||meetState!=='call'||!meetNative) return; meetMic=!e.muted; try{ updateMicBtn(); setTileMute('__local', !meetMic); meetSend({type:'meeting-state', muted:!meetMic, camOff:!meetCam}); }catch(_){} });