How can I use my Android phone as an audio device?
With smartphone usage continuing to rise, Android phones have become one of the most popular devices for listening to audio. According to a 2022 survey, 33.3% of audio consumption now occurs on mobile devices, surpassing traditional radio receivers for the first time. With the ability to play music, podcasts, audiobooks and more, Android phones offer users a versatile and convenient audio experience. This article provides an overview of the many ways Android phones can be utilized as audio playback devices, troubleshooting tips, and how to get the most out of an Android device for listening to audio.
The key features that enable Android phones to be used as audio devices include music apps, streaming services, Bluetooth connectivity, accessibility settings, and voice assistant integration. Whether using the built-in speaker, headphones or connecting wirelessly to external speakers, Android phones make listening to audio on-the-go easy and enjoyable.
Play Music
The easiest way to use your Android phone to play music is through the built-in Music app. This app allows you to listen to music you have downloaded to your device or streamed through services like Spotify or YouTube Music (1).
To play downloaded music, simply open the Music app, select a song, album, playlist or artist and tap the play button. You can then use the playback controls in the app to pause, skip tracks, adjust volume and more. Any music files stored locally on your device in formats like MP3 will be accessible through this app.
For streaming music, you can connect the Music app to services like Spotify, YouTube Music, Pandora and others. After connecting your account, you can access your playlists, stations, recommendations and more. This allows you to play millions of songs, albums and podcasts without downloading any files to your phone’s storage (2).
Popular streaming music apps like Spotify and YouTube Music also have their own standalone apps that you can use directly. These apps provide access to streaming music libraries and work offline through downloads.
So in summary, use the built-in Music app to play downloads or connect it to a streaming service. Or use dedicated streaming music apps for the best experience.
Listen to Podcasts
One of the most popular uses for smartphones is listening to podcasts. Thankfully, Android offers a variety of podcast apps to choose from.
According to an Android Police article from January 2024, some of the top podcast apps for Android include Podcast Addict, Pocket Casts, and PodBean. These apps allow you to browse, subscribe, and listen to millions of podcasts on your Android device.
PCMag also recommends some of the best podcast apps in their 2024 roundup, such as Player FM and Amazon Music, which provide robust podcast discovery and management features.
No matter your podcast listening preferences, there is likely a podcast app on Android that will suit your needs. With powerful search and subscription management tools, you can easily keep up with all your favorite podcasts right from your Android smartphone.
Use as a Speaker
One of the most common ways to use an Android phone as an audio device is to connect it to external speakers. This allows you to play music, podcasts, audiobooks, and more through a dedicated speaker for better sound quality.
To connect your Android phone to a speaker via Bluetooth, first ensure your phone’s Bluetooth is turned on. Then, turn on the Bluetooth speaker and put it into pairing mode – check the speaker’s manual for specific instructions. Your Android device should detect the speaker under available Bluetooth devices. Select the speaker to connect to it.
Once paired, all audio from your phone will now play through the connected Bluetooth speaker. You can adjust the speaker and phone volumes separately. Some Bluetooth speakers have playback controls like play/pause, next/previous track that can remotely control music playback on your phone.
Alternatively, you can use a wired connection if your speaker has an auxiliary input. This requires a 3.5mm audio cable to connect your phone’s headphone jack to the speaker’s aux input. Select the phone as the audio source on the speaker, then you can play audio from your Android device through the speaker.
Record Audio
One of the most useful ways to utilize your Android phone as an audio device is to record high-quality audio. There are many excellent voice recorder apps available on the Play Store that allow you to record audio on your phone.
Some of the top options include Voice Recorder, which provides high-quality recordings and an intuitive interface, and Voice Recorder Pro, which offers advanced customization and audio editing tools. These apps allow you to record in formats like MP3 and WAV at different quality settings.
Look for a recorder app that provides features like trimming recordings, adding tags, cloud storage integration, and sharing options. Some apps can even transcribe your recordings into text. With a good voice recorder app, you can capture audio for music, podcasts, interviews, meetings, and more using just your Android device.
Make Phone Calls
One of the most basic ways to use your Android phone as an audio device is to make phone calls over Wi-Fi or your cellular network. The built-in Phone app allows you to make calls without needing a separate app or service.
To enable Wi-Fi calling on your Android device, open the Phone app, tap More and then Settings, select Calls, and turn on Wi-Fi calling. This will route calls over Wi-Fi networks when available instead of using your cellular minutes [1]. You may need to contact your carrier to activate this feature.
With Wi-Fi calling enabled, you can make calls seamlessly whenever connected to a Wi-Fi network, which can provide better call quality in areas with poor cellular reception. The Phone app will automatically use the best network available.
Of course, you can always make standard cellular network calls with the Phone app as well. Simply open the app, enter a phone number, and tap the call icon to connect. The Phone app allows calling over both Wi-Fi and cellular data without needing to install any extra apps.
Use Voice Assistants like Google Assistant or Alexa
One of the most useful ways to utilize your Android phone as an audio device is through a voice assistant app. Popular options like Google Assistant and Amazon Alexa allow you to control your phone completely hands-free using just your voice.
After enabling Google Assistant, you can launch it at any time by saying “Okay Google” or “Hey Google.” Ask Google Assistant to play music, podcasts, audiobooks, make calls, set alarms, record voice memos, get directions, check the weather, and control your smart home devices. Google Assistant can understand natural language so you can speak conversationally.
Similarly, Alexa is Amazon’s virtual assistant that can be accessed on Android phones. Use Alexa to play music, news, podcasts, control compatible smart home devices, make calls, set reminders, create lists, hear the news, check the weather, and more. Alexa also understands natural speech.
Voice assistants like Google Assistant and Alexa allow you to fully control your Android phone through voice commands. This hands-free experience is convenient and makes your Android device act as a versatile audio assistant.
Accessibility Features
Android has a variety of built-in accessibility services that can help people with disabilities fully utilize their devices. One of the most important is TalkBack, a screen reader that provides spoken feedback so blind and low vision users can navigate their phones without seeing the screen (https://www.android.com/accessibility/). TalkBack uses gestures to allow navigation, and speaks aloud what you type and tap. Android also includes tools like Switch Access for motor impairments, and Live Transcribe for hearing loss.
Another key accessibility feature is the Accessibility Menu, which is a quick shortcut giving access to installed accessibility services. The Accessibility Menu can be accessed by pressing both volume keys for 3 seconds on most Android devices. From here, users can toggle services like TalkBack or Live Transcribe. The Accessibility Menu makes it easy to quickly enable or disable accessibility features as needed.
There are also extensive accessibility settings within Android to customize speech, display, interaction controls, and more. Android strives to provide built-in tools to make devices usable for all people, regardless of ability. With its screen readers, captioning, and other services, Android enables independence and accessibility right out of the box (https://support.google.com/accessibility/android/answer/6006564?hl=en).
Troubleshooting
If you experience issues with audio on your Android device, there are some troubleshooting steps you can take to try and resolve them:
First, check for any software issues that may be causing problems. Try rebooting your device or installing any available software updates, as this can fix bugs that affect audio output (see this source).
You can also try disabling headphone output in your device’s settings menu. This forces audio to route through the speakers instead of the headphone jack.
Running your device in safe mode is another troubleshooting step to try. Safe mode loads only the essential apps and services, which can help isolate any problematic third-party apps causing audio issues.
Check the physical speaker grills and ports and clean out any debris that may be blocking sound. Use a soft brush or compressed air to remove dust or lint buildup.
As a last resort, back up your data and perform a factory reset. This will wipe your device and restore it to original factory settings, which can eliminate any stubborn software bugs.
If you still can’t resolve the problem, you may need to have your device inspected by a repair technician to check for hardware issues with the speakers.
Conclusion
In summary, Android phones offer a variety of ways to use them as audio devices. You can play music from streaming services or local files, listen to podcasts, use your phone as a speaker or microphone, make phone calls, and utilize voice assistant features. Android’s software allows high-resolution audio playback, accessibility features like screen readers, and audio customization through EQs and other settings. With the right apps and settings enabled, you can get excellent audio quality from an Android device for music, videos, games, and more. Just be sure to troubleshoot any audio issues like glitches or disconnects. Overall, the versatility of Android phones makes them great for audio on the go.