How do I add more volume levels to my Android phone?

By default, Android adjusts volume using 15 steps from silent to full volume. While this works for many people, some users find the volume jumps between steps too large, making it difficult to fine tune volume levels. Fortunately, Android allows adjusting volume with more granular control beyond the default 15 steps. This article explains how to enable more volume levels on Android to precisely control volume.

Being able to finely tune volume can improve the listening experience when using headphones or speakers. With more volume steps available, you can better adjust volume to your preferred loudness. This helps prevent volume from being too quiet or blasting too loudly. More granular settings allow volume to change in smaller increments for a smooth adjustment.

While Android sets 15 volume steps by default, the operating system includes an API developers can use to enable additional steps. By modifying settings, you can unlock finer grained volume control on many Android phones. This article walks through the steps to configure extra volume levels and precisely control volume on your Android device.

Check Android Version

Certain versions of Android allow more granular control over volume levels. To enable more volume steps, you first need to check which Android version your phone is running.

To find your Android version, go to Settings > About Phone. Look for Android Version or Android OS Version. This will show the version number such as Android 9, Android 10, Android 11 etc.

Android 10 and below have a limit of 15 volume steps. Android 11 increased this to 20 steps. The latest versions, Android 12 and 13, allow up to 25 volume steps.

So if your phone is on Android 11 or higher, you can enable more granular volume control. Older versions are limited to just 15 steps.

Knowing your Android version is the first step to increasing volume levels. If your phone meets the requirement, you can move on to adjusting the volume steps as outlined in the next sections.

Enable More Volume Levels

One of the easiest ways to add more volume levels on your Android phone is by enabling the option to increase the number of volume steps in your Settings app. Here’s how to do it:

Open the Settings app on your phone and go to the Sound or Audio settings page. On Samsung phones, this may be under ‘Sounds and vibration.’ On other Android phones, look for options like ‘Volume’ or ‘Audio.’

In these sound settings, find an option labeled ‘Volume steps,’ ‘Volume control levels,’ or something similar. This will allow you to toggle on the ability to have more granular control over your phone’s volume levels.

Turn this option on to enable more incremental steps for your phone’s volume slider. The default is usually around 15 steps, but with this setting enabled, you can increase it to over 100 steps on some phones.

Now when you adjust the volume, you’ll notice many more finite increments allowing you precise control over your phone’s audio output volume.

For reference, see: Increase the number of steps of an Android volume control

Set Number of Steps

Once the developer options are enabled, you can choose the number of volume steps on your Android device (Reddit). The default is usually around 15 steps, but this can be increased to over 100 steps for more granular volume control.

Increasing the number of steps allows you to fine-tune the volume level precisely. This is useful if you find the default 15 steps too coarse and want more precision. However, having too many steps can also make it tedious to adjust volume. There is a tradeoff between precision and ease of use.

Most users find that 25-50 steps provide a good balance. This gives enough granularity for most use cases, without having an excessive number of steps. Test different values to find the optimal number of steps for your preferences and usage.

Test Volume Levels

After enabling more volume levels, the next step is to go to your device’s volume controls to verify that additional granularity has been added. The volume controls can be accessed by pressing the volume rocker on the side of your Android phone.

Whereas the default Android volume normally has just 15 steps, with the new settings you should now see additional increments in between those levels. For example, on a Samsung Galaxy device that has had the volume steps increased to 30, you may see volume levels of 12%, 19%, 26%, etc. instead of just the default 15%, 30%, 45% levels.

Testing across different volume levels will let you find the perfect sound level for your preferences. Users report that the increased precision is especially useful for fine-tuning volume while using headphones and getting audio set just right 1.

Set Volume for Specific Apps

One handy trick on Android is the ability to set the volume level independently for specific apps. This allows you to customize the volume for apps that may be louder or quieter than you prefer.

For example, you may want to turn up the volume for a soft-spoken podcast app. Or turn down the volume for a boisterous game. Setting per-app volume gives you that level of control.

To set the volume for a specific app on Android:

  1. Open the Settings app and go to Apps & Notifications.
  2. Select the app you want to adjust volume for.
  3. Look for Advanced > App Settings > App Volume and adjust the slider as desired.
  4. You can set the volume from silent to full volume for each individual app.
  5. Repeat this process for any other apps you want to customize volume levels for.

With per-app volume, you can fine-tune the audio experience in all your apps. No more blasting or straining to hear – just set it and forget it!

Use Volume Keys

One convenient way to adjust volume on Android is by using the physical volume keys on your device. With more granular volume steps enabled, the volume keys will now adjust volume at smaller intervals, allowing for more precision.

Whereas previously the volume keys may have only adjusted volume in chunks of 4-5 steps, they can now move just 1-2 steps at a time. This gives you finer control when lowering or raising the media volume to your desired level.

Just press the volume up or down key lightly to move just a single step, or hold it to rapidly progress through multiple steps. The volume keys now offer an easy way to precisely calibrate your media volume.[1]

Set Volume Limit

You can set a maximum volume limit on Android devices to protect your hearing or prevent children from playing audio too loudly. According to The Verge, setting a volume limit caps the maximum volume level that can be set.

To set a volume limit on your Android device:

  1. Open the Settings app.
  2. Go to Sound & vibration > Volume.
  3. Tap the 3 dot menu icon in the top right corner.
  4. Select Media volume limit.
  5. Toggle on Use volume limit.
  6. Drag the volume limit slider to your desired maximum volume level.

Now when you try to raise the volume above the set limit, it will stop increasing. This prevents harmfully loud playback volumes. You can adjust the limit level at any time if needed. Setting volume limits can promote hearing health and allow greater supervision of children’s media consumption.

Troubleshooting Android Volume Level Issues

If you run into problems after adjusting the number of volume steps on your Android device, there are some troubleshooting tips to help resolve the issues:

To revert your volume settings back to default, go to Settings > Sound and vibration > Volume and tap the 3 dots in the top right corner. Select “Reset to default” to undo any changes you’ve made.

If your volume is suddenly too loud or too quiet, double check that the number of volume steps is still correctly set. Open Settings > Sound and vibration > Volume and confirm the slider max is what you intended.

Try cleaning out the headphone jack with compressed air if volume is inconsistent when using headphones. Debris in the jack can cause connection problems.

Check that media volume sync is enabled if you want ringer and media volumes to be the same. Go to Settings > Sound and vibration and turn on “Use Volume for media” to sync them.

If volume is still problematic, consider resetting your entire device to factory default settings as a last resort.

For additional help, search online Android forums or contact your device manufacturer’s support team.

Conclusion

Customizing the number of volume levels on your Android device can provide more precise control over audio output. With more volume steps available, you can fine-tune the volume to your exact preferences and needs.

Some of the key benefits of having more granular volume control on Android include:

  • Setting volume levels in smaller increments, rather than the default 15 steps
  • Avoiding volume levels that are too loud or too soft
  • Customizing volume for different situations, like media vs calls
  • Tuning volume levels for specific apps or content types
  • Precisely adjusting volume when using headphones

To learn more about customizing volume controls on Android, check out the following resources:

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