Can you change the volume of individual apps on Android?

Android provides users with the ability to control the volume levels of individual apps. This allows you to customize the volume for each app installed on your device. For example, you may want to turn up the volume for a music streaming app, while muting the volume for certain games or notifications. With Android’s per-app volume control, you don’t have to adjust the entire system volume just to make one app louder or quieter. This feature gives you more granular control over sound on your Android device.

Why Control Volume by App?

Being able to control the volume of individual apps on Android can be very useful in certain situations. Some apps tend to play audio louder than others, so having all app volumes tied to the system volume can mean constantly adjusting the volume up and down as you switch between apps. For example, a media app like Spotify may play music at a reasonable volume, but then a game app blasts loud sound effects that blow out your eardrums.

Having independent volume controls means you can set the volume appropriately for each app based on your preferences and what type of audio it outputs. You can turn down extremely loud apps without affecting your system volume. This prevents you from missing notifications or alerts from other apps while gaming or listening to music.

Per-app volume also lets you listen to multiple audio streams simultaneously. You could have a podcast playing in the background while browsing social media videos, listening to music, or playing a game. With system-wide volume, these would all clash together. Independent levels allow you to create the perfect balance.

Enable App Volumes in Settings

To enable individual app volume controls, you first need to open the Settings app on your Android device. Scroll down to the “Sound & vibration” section and tap on it.

Next, select “Volume” from the list of options. On this screen you should see volume sliders for Ringtone, Media, Notifications, and Alarm volumes.

Tap the three dot menu icon in the top right corner of the screen, then choose “Media volume limiter.” Toggle this option on to enable per-app volume controls.

You may also want to toggle on “Apply limit to cast media” so volume limits apply when you cast media to external devices. With this setting enabled, you can control the maximum volume of each app both on your device and when casting.[1]

Once you’ve enabled these options, you’ll be able to customize the volume level of individual apps on your Android device.

Adjust Volume Levels

Once you have enabled app volumes in your device settings, you can easily adjust the volume level for each individual app. Simply open the app you want to change the volume for and use your device’s volume buttons to raise or lower the volume to your desired level.

For example, if you want to turn down the volume for a noisy game, launch the game app itself and then press the volume down button on your phone a few times. This will lower the volume just for that game, without affecting the system volume or volumes of other apps.

You’ll see the volume indicator on screen change as you press the buttons, showing you the app-specific volume going up or down. Find the right level for each app based on your preference. The change will be remembered for the next time you launch the app.

As noted in the Android Stack Exchange article, “Set different volume for multiple apps running at the same time,” “app can change volume levels only if you open the app which you configured. there is no possibility in android to change volume levels for background apps.”

Mute Specific Apps

You can completely mute specific apps in Android by bringing their individual volume levels down to zero. This allows you to silence notifications or audio from apps you don’t want to hear, while keeping other apps at their normal volume.

To mute an individual app’s volume:

1. Go to Settings > Apps & Notifications
2. Select the app you want to mute
3. Tap App Info
4. Scroll down and tap Advanced > App Details
5. Slide the volume slider all the way to the left to mute the app

This will make the selected app completely silent. You can adjust the volume back up at any time if you want to undo the mute. The mute settings are remembered even after closing the app or restarting your phone.

One user on Reddit found this useful for muting chat apps like WhatsApp while keeping other sounds on: “I muted WhatsApp so I won’t get notification sounds while listening to music” (Source)

Max Out Volume Levels

Some apps may have volume levels that are too low for your preference. Fortunately, you can raise the volume to max for specific apps on Android. This ensures you can hear audio from quiet apps at full volume through your device’s speakers or headphones.

To max out the volume for an app:

1. Open the Sound Assistant app and select the “App Volume” tab.
2. Find the app you want to max out and tap the volume slider.
3. Drag the slider all the way to the right to set it to max volume.

The app’s volume will now play at the maximum level set by your device. This overrides the default low volume set by the app itself. Keep in mind that maxing out the volume could lead to distortion or clipping if the app audio was mixed at lower levels.

If the max volume level is still too quiet, you may need to increase the overall media volume under your Android device’s main Settings > Sound.

Reset App Volumes

The app volume levels you customize are device-specific and will persist even after app updates. However, there may be times when you want to return an app’s volume to the system default level. For example, you increased the volume for a game app but find it’s now too loud and want to reset it.

To reset an app’s customized volume level back to the system default, go to Settings > Apps & notifications > App info. Tap the app you want to reset, tap App details, and then tap Permissions. Turn off the “Change volume levels” permission. This will remove the custom volume level for that app and make it follow the system volume again.

You can also reset all app volume customizations at once. Go to Settings > Apps & notifications > App info. Tap the menu button in the top right corner and select “Reset app preferences.” Confirm that you want to reset all preferences for all apps. This will delete any custom volume levels you configured and restore system volume control.

Resetting app volumes can be useful for clearing up customizations over time and starting fresh. Just be aware that any customizations will need to be re-done if you want them again in the future.

Persistence After Updates

One common question about per-app volume levels is whether they persist after major Android updates or factory resets. Fortunately, app volume levels are saved and restored even after major system updates like Android 12 to Android 13 upgrades. The volume settings for each app are stored independently and carried over seamlessly through OS updates. This ensures a consistent audio experience across updates.

According to users on Reddit [1] and forums [2], custom per-app volumes persist after upgrading from Android 11 to 12 on devices like the Galaxy S10 and Moto G60. The volumes are stored in each app’s settings data.

Factory resets may clear app data and settings depending on the device manufacturer. However, on Pixel and many Samsung devices, a factory reset does not affect custom per-app volume levels either. They remain intact after wiping the device.

Limitations

While per-app volume control is useful, there are some limitations to be aware of:

Some system apps can’t have their volume adjusted independently. Apps like the phone dialer, alarms, and notifications will always play at the system volume level set in your phone’s settings. This prevents important sounds from being silenced accidentally.

Additionally, adjusting volume levels is usually done on a per-app basis. So if you have multiple media apps open at once, like Spotify and YouTube, their volumes are coupled together and can’t be controlled separately.

There are also inconsistencies between Android skins and manufacturers. For example, Samsung’s version of per-app volumes functions differently than stock Android. So your experience may vary depending on your device.

While not perfect, per-app volume control still provides more options for managing audio on your Android phone. Just be aware that system apps and simultaneous media playback limits it in certain cases.

Conclusion

Being able to control the volume of individual apps on Android has several benefits. It allows you to mute distracting apps so you can focus on the task at hand. You can boost the volume of apps like music players or podcasts for better listening. And turning down loud apps prevents them from dominating your audio. Overall, independent app volume gives you more control over your audio experience on an Android device.

Setting custom volumes for different apps lets you customize audio to suit your needs and preferences. Whether you want to mute games or max out a music app, Android’s per-app volumes make that possible. Just enable the feature in your device settings and you’re ready to manage volumes however you like.