How do I change my microphone settings on Android?

A microphone is an essential part of many Android apps for calling, recording, and chatting. By customizing the microphone settings, you can optimize sound quality, reduce background noise, control which microphone is used, and more. Adjusting the microphone settings on Android allows you to:

• Increase or decrease microphone volume for a clear recording or call volume.
• Switch between microphones if your device has multiple mics.
• Enable noise cancellation to reduce ambient noise or echo.
• Change microphone sensitivity for loud or quiet situations.
• Choose which apps have access to the microphone.

With the right settings, you can significantly improve microphone sound quality, as well as ensure apps only access the microphone when allowed. This guide will walk through all the key microphone settings on Android and how to customize them for your needs.

Locate Your Microphone Settings

To access your microphone settings on an Android device, you’ll need to open the Settings app first. Here’s how:

1. Open your Android’s app drawer and tap the Settings icon to launch the Settings app.
2. Next, select “Sound & vibration” from the Settings menu (this may be called “Sound” on some devices).
3. Under Sound settings, tap “Microphone” to access the microphone settings.

On Samsung devices, you can find the microphone settings by opening Settings and selecting “Advanced features” > “Voice clarity” to access microphone options like noise cancellation.

The microphone settings may be located under “Apps & notifications” > “App permissions” > “Microphone” on some Android devices. Here you can see which apps have permission to use your microphone.

If you’re having trouble finding the microphone settings, try searching for “microphone” in the Settings app search bar. This will display results for any microphone-related options.

Adjust Microphone Volume

The microphone volume controls how loud your voice is picked up by your Android device’s microphone. If your microphone volume is too low, people you are speaking to may have trouble hearing you clearly. If it’s too high, it may pick up background noise and clipping. Follow these steps to adjust the microphone volume to get the right level:

Go to Settings > Sound & vibration > Volume. Here you will see volume sliders for different functions like media, alarms, and ringtone. The “Microphone” slider controls the microphone volume. Drag the slider left to turn down the volume and right to increase it. Test the volume using a voice recorder app or on a phone call to check if the level is good.

Some Android devices also have advanced microphone settings you can tweak. Go to Settings > Sound & vibration > Advanced or Additional settings. Look for an option called “Microphone gain” or something similar and adjust the slider as needed. Start in the middle and move up or down based on your volume tests.

If you need even more control, consider downloading an app like Open Camera which allows fine-grained mic gain adjustments. Overall, adjust the microphone volume gradually until your voice sounds natural without too much background noise. Test the settings and get feedback from listeners to optimize the microphone volume.

Choose a Microphone

If your Android device has multiple built-in microphones or you have connected an external microphone, you can select which one to use as the default.

To change the default microphone on Android 11 or newer:

1. Open the Settings app and tap Sound & vibration.
2. Under Input, tap Default microphone.
3. You will see a list of available microphones. Tap on the one you want to set as the default.

On Android 10 or older:

1. Go to Settings > Sound.
2. Tap Advanced and select Input.
3. Tap the microphone you want to set as the default.

The selected microphone will now be used for recording audio in apps and during calls. You can repeat these steps to change the default microphone anytime.

Some apps like Voice Recorder may have their own microphone settings, so you still need to select the desired mic in individual apps. But the system-wide default will apply when an app does not give you a microphone option.

Enable Microphone Noise Cancellation

Many Android devices have built-in noise cancellation features to help reduce background noise when using the microphone. This can improve call quality and audio recordings. Here are some tips for enabling microphone noise cancellation on Android:

On a Samsung Galaxy device, open the Settings app and go to Sounds and vibration > Advanced sound settings. Enable the option for “Voice call noise reduction”. This uses noise cancellation to suppress background noise on voice calls.

On a Pixel phone, go to Settings > Sound > Advanced and toggle on “Noise cancellation”. This enables noise cancellation for the microphone during calls and recordings using the built-in microphones.

You can also download noise cancellation/suppression apps like Noise Reduction to reduce background noise for any microphone recordings and calls on Android. Enable the noise cancellation/suppression feature in the app settings.

Some third-party wired headsets also have built-in noise cancellation technology. Enable this option in the headset app if available.

Testing the microphone with and without noise cancellation enabled allows you to hear the difference it makes in suppressing ambient background noise.

Change Microphone Sensitivity

The microphone sensitivity or gain controls how strongly your voice gets picked up by the microphone. Adjusting the gain allows you to optimize voice pickup and reduce background noise. If the sensitivity is too low, your voice may sound faint or get drowned out. If it’s too high, your voice may sound distorted or the microphone may pick up unwanted ambient sounds.

To change the microphone sensitivity on Android:
– Open your device’s Settings app and select Sound & vibration > Advanced.
– Find the option for Microphone sensitivity and adjust the slider as needed. Sliding to the right increases sensitivity while sliding left decreases it. You can test how well the microphone picks up your voice as you adjust.

– Some devices also have an option to enable Automatic gain control, which will adjust the microphone volume automatically to optimize speech pickup. Enable this if you want the microphone to self-adjust.
– Try speaking at different distances and volumes to test the microphone sensitivity and find the right setting for your environment.

Optimizing the gain can help ensure your voice sounds natural and clear during calls and recordings. It takes some trial and error to find the right sensitivity for each situation. Refer to your device’s user manual for more specific instructions. [1]

Use a Microphone for Specific Apps

You can control which apps have access to your microphone and also set default apps for microphone use. To manage microphone access for specific apps:

1. Open the Settings app and go to Apps & notifications > App permissions.

2. Select Microphone. You’ll see a list of apps that have requested microphone permission.

3. Tap an app to change its microphone access. You can set it to Allow or Deny.

4. To set a default app for microphone access, go to Apps & notifications > Default apps. Select Microphone and choose the app you want to use by default.

This allows you to customize which apps can use your microphone at any time. You can deny access for apps you don’t trust, while allowing apps you use frequently like voice assistants or video chat apps. Setting default apps streamlines giving microphone access to your most used apps.

Test Your Microphone

After making adjustments to your microphone settings on Android, it’s important to test that your microphone is working properly. Here are some ways to test your microphone:

Open the built-in Voice Recorder app and make a test recording. Speak into the microphone in your normal voice for about 10 seconds. Play back the recording to check if your voice is clear without crackling or distortion. Adjust the microphone settings and re-test as needed.1

Make a phone call on speakerphone to someone you know. Have them confirm if they can hear you clearly. This provides a real-world microphone test during an actual phone call.

Use a microphone testing app like Mic Test from the Google Play Store2. These apps provide visualizations and feedback to help diagnose issues.

Record a video using your device’s camera app and play it back. Check that the audio is clear without disruptive background noise.

Testing your microphone after making any setting changes will ensure it is working properly for calls, videos, recordings and other applications.

Troubleshoot Microphone Issues

If you are experiencing problems with your microphone like buzzing, poor sound quality, or it not working at all, there are some troubleshooting steps you can try:

First, check that nothing is physically blocking the microphone hole, like a phone case or screen protector. Remove any obstructions and see if that fixes the issue ^[1].

Restarting your Android device can often resolve microphone glitches. Power your phone off completely and turn it back on. Then open the app you were using the microphone in and test if the audio is clearer ^[2].

Check your app permissions and make sure the app has access to the microphone. You can toggle permissions on or off in your Settings. Granting microphone access and testing again may resolve microphone problems.

Updating to the latest Android OS version can also help fix compatibility issues causing the microphone to malfunction. Check for any available updates in Settings > System > System Update.

As a last resort, you can try resetting your phone to factory default settings. Back up your data first, then go to Settings > System > Reset options > Erase all data (factory reset).

If you still can’t get your Android microphone working after trying these troubleshooting tips, you may need to contact the device manufacturer or take it in for repair.

Conclusion

In summary, adjusting your microphone settings on Android is easy once you know where to look. The microphone settings menu allows you to control the overall volume, choose which microphone to use, enable noise cancellation, adjust sensitivity levels, and set microphone permissions for specific apps.

Some key tips for optimizing your microphone settings include:

• Increase the volume enough to be heard clearly, but not so high that it distorts.
• Select the microphone you want to use if you have multiple options.
• Turn on noise cancellation to reduce background sounds.
• Adjust sensitivity so your voice is picked up clearly without too much ambient noise.
• Grant microphone access selectively to apps that need voice input.

With the right settings, your Android device’s microphone can provide clear voice quality for calls, videos, voice assistants, audio recordings, and any other voice-enabled features you want to use.