How do I check my audio balance on Android?

Audio balance refers to the relative volume between the left and right audio channels. Adjusting the balance allows you to customize the stereo field and direct more sound to the left or right ear. Maintaining proper audio balance is crucial for optimizing your listening experience with headphones or speakers.

On Android devices, being able to adjust the audio balance can accommodate any hearing impairments you may have. For example, if your right ear’s hearing ability is weaker than your left, shifting the balance to the right will let you hear fuller stereo sound. Proper audio balance can also compensate for improperly positioned speakers or asymmetries in your headphone drivers.

Locate Your Android’s Audio Settings Menu

The first step in checking your audio balance on Android is to open the Settings app and navigate to the Sound or Audio settings menu. To do this:

1. Open the Settings app on your Android device. This is usually done by swiping down from the top of the screen and tapping the gear icon for Settings. Alternatively, you can search for “Settings” from your home screen.

2. Scroll down and tap “Sound & vibration” or “Sound” depending on your Android version. This is where the audio and volume settings are located.

3. On some Android devices, you may need to tap “Advanced” or “More” to expand the audio settings menu. The balance slider may be located here.

4. If you have a Samsung device, go to “Sound quality and effects” then tap “Adapt sound” to find the Left/Right audio balance slider.

Once you’ve entered the Sound or Audio settings menu, you can check if a balance slider is available as described in the next section.

Check if Balance Slider is Available

The easiest way to check your audio balance on Android is to look for a left/right balance slider in the audio settings menu. Most Android devices have a setting for adjusting the stereo audio balance between the left and right channels.

To check for the balance slider:

Open your Android’s Settings app.
Tap Sound or Audio settings.

Look for an option like “Audio balance” or “Left/right balance.” It may be under an “Advanced” section.
If there is a slider, you can drag it left or right to adjust the balance.¹

If you don’t see a balance slider, your Android model may not have this feature natively. But there are other ways to adjust the audio balance, which we’ll cover next.

Use Volume Buttons Instead

If there is no balance slider available in your Android’s audio settings, you can use the volume buttons to adjust the balance between the left and right channels. This takes advantage of how the volume buttons control each channel independently.

To shift the balance to the right, press the Volume Up button. This will raise the volume in the right earbud/speaker. To shift left, press Volume Down to lower the volume on the right while keeping the left side unaffected. You may need to repeat pressing the buttons to get the desired balance.

The effect may be subtle on some devices, so listen carefully with headphones on to hear the change in left/right balance. Find the point where audio is equal in both ears for centered balance. This method can provide a workaround if a balance slider is not natively supported.

Download Third-Party Apps

The built-in audio settings on Android may not provide options for adjusting left/right balance. In that case, you can download third-party apps that give you more advanced audio controls:

Apps like Viper4Android provide an equalizer with left/right balance adjustment. This lets you customize the stereo audio output to your liking. Viper4Android works without needing root access.

Other options like Wavelet offer auto-EQ tuned to specific headphone models. The app has presets for over 3400 headphone models to optimize their sound. You can also create custom EQ settings and balance presets.

Consider apps like Viper4Android or Wavelet if you need more control over your Android device’s audio balance than what’s built-in.

Use Accessibility Settings

Enabling accessibility services in your Android settings unlocks additional audio adjustment options that can help balance the left/right channels. Accessibility services allow apps to customize aspects of your device to improve usability. Once enabled, open Settings > Accessibility and scroll down to the Audio section. Tap Audio Adjustment to access separate volume sliders for the left and right audio channels. Adjust the sliders to match each other and test your audio balance. Keep in mind, some Android devices and OS versions handle accessibility services differently. If you don’t see the Audio Adjustment option under Accessibility settings, try downloading a third-party accessibility app like TalkBack which may add more controls.

Check Balance with Headphones

A quick way to check if your Android’s audio balance is centered properly is to plug in a pair of headphones and play some audio.

Headphones often provide a more centered listening experience because they deliver audio directly into each ear. Listen to a song with clear left and right channel separation and make sure both sides come through equally.

You can also try specialized audio test tracks like those on AudioCheck to check balance between the left and right channels with your headphones.

If the balance sounds off, there may be an issue with your Android’s audio settings. However, if the sound seems centered and balanced through headphones, the problem could be with your device’s built-in speakers instead.

Troubleshooting Tips

If you are having issues with no audio coming through one side or the audio being muted on one channel, here are some things to try:

First, check that the balance slider is actually centered and hasn’t been accidentally moved to one side. Open your Android’s audio settings and ensure the balance slider is right in the middle.

Try using a audio balance app like Equalizer & Audio Player which has a left/right balance adjustment feature. This can help diagnose if the issue is with your phone’s built-in balance or some other audio problem.

Check that nothing is obstructing the speakers on your device, like dirt, debris or lint trapped in the small speaker holes. Use a toothpick to gently clean out the speakers.

Make sure you don’t have any headphones plugged in, as this can sometimes mute one channel. Unplug any wired headsets or Bluetooth audio devices.

Check that your phone doesn’t have any accessibility settings enabled that might affect audio, like mono audio or left/right sound swapping. Disable any of those if enabled.

Try adjusting the individual left/right volume buttons on your device. That may help reset the balance if it’s stuck favoring one side.

As a last resort, try restarting your phone or performing a factory reset if nothing else has worked. Sometimes software glitches can cause balance issues in Android.

Factory Reset if Needed

Resetting your Android device to its default factory settings can help resolve persistent issues with audio balance. This should be used as a last resort if the balance slider is missing and none of the other troubleshooting tips have worked. According to How to adjust the left/right sound balance in Android 10, resetting your device will restore the original software and settings, which should include the audio balance controls.

Before factory resetting, be sure to backup any data you want to keep. Then access the reset option in Settings > System > Reset options. Tap “Erase all data (factory reset)” and confirm. Once the reset is complete, set up your device again and check if the audio balance slider has returned in Accessibility settings. With default software and audio drivers, balance should be adjustable again.

Conclusion

There are several ways to check and adjust the audio balance on your Android device. The easiest method is to go into your device’s Settings app and look for a Balance slider in the Audio or Accessibility settings. If a slider isn’t available, try using the volume buttons on your device while audio is playing to adjust balance. Downloading a third party app from the Play Store is another option to get more granular control over left/right balance. As a last resort, you can perform a factory reset on your device which will restore default balance settings. The key steps covered in this guide were:

Navigating to the Audio or Accessibility settings in your Android’s Settings app

Looking for a Balance slider to adjust left/right audio
Using volume buttons while audio plays to shift balance
Downloading a third party balance app from the Play Store

Checking balance with wired headphones connected
Performing a factory reset to restore default balance

Following these steps should allow you to check and adjust the balance of audio coming from your Android device’s speakers or connected headphones.