How do I fix the volume automatically goes up and down on my Android?

Volume automatically fluctuating up and down randomly is a common issue some Android users experience. This problem can be annoying and disrupt your ability to consistently hear media or calls at a comfortable level. The volume fluctuation seems to occur randomly, with the volume spiking louder or dropping to very quiet at inconsistent intervals. This issue appears limited specifically to Android devices, and can occur across various apps or system sounds. There are a number of potential causes and solutions to attempt if you are encountering this issue. This guide will provide an overview of the common causes, troubleshooting steps and potential fixes to stop volume from automatically fluctuating on your Android device.

Potential Causes

There are a few potential causes for volume fluctuating up and down on Android devices:

Apps Automatically Changing Volume

Some apps may automatically adjust the volume based on their settings or algorithms. For example, video and music apps may lower the volume during quiet passages and raise it during loud ones. Streaming apps often try to normalize audio levels. This automatic volume adjustment could cause the volume to seem like it’s fluctuating on its own [1].

Physical Volume Button Issues

If the physical volume buttons on your Android device are damaged, stuck, or malfunctioning, they could be spontaneously triggering volume up/down presses causing the fluctuations. This is a hardware issue that may require repair or replacement [2].

Software Bug

In some cases, a software bug or glitch in the Android OS can cause volume levels to change randomly. Resetting app preferences or performing a factory reset may resolve this.

Check Volume Settings

The most common reason for the volume automatically going up and down on an Android device is that the volume or do not disturb settings need adjusting. Open the Settings app and go to Sounds and vibration. Here you can check that the media volume, call volume, ring volume, and alarm volume are all set to your desired levels (Google Support).

You can also review the do not disturb settings to make sure they are not enabled at times when you don’t want them to be. Do not disturb can automatically lower the volume during set times or when certain conditions are met. Make sure to disable do not disturb if you don’t want the volume automatically lowered (Google UK Support).

Adjusting the volume sliders and do not disturb settings often resolves erratic volume behavior on Android phones. If the issue persists after checking these settings, there may be another underlying cause.

Check Connected Devices

One common cause of fluctuating volume levels on Android phones is having Bluetooth devices connected that are affecting the volume. When certain Bluetooth devices like headphones, speakers, hearing aids, etc. are paired and connected to your Android phone, it can cause the volume to automatically change up and down.

This is due to a feature called Absolute Volume that is enabled by default on Android 6.0 and higher. Absolute Volume synchronizes the volume level between the phone and the connected Bluetooth device, which can result in sudden volume spikes or drops as you adjust either device’s volume. The volume level gets reset to a midpoint each time a new track plays in some cases.

To check if connected Bluetooth devices are impacting your phone’s volume, go into your Bluetooth settings and make sure no devices are currently paired or connected. If you have Bluetooth headphones, speakers, car audio system, hearing aids, etc. paired with your phone, try fully disconnecting them and see if the erratic volume behavior stops. You may need to unpair the devices entirely to prevent automatic connections.

If disconnecting Bluetooth devices fixes the issue, you can look into disabling Absolute Volume on your Android if you want to keep using the Bluetooth accessories without messing up your phone’s volume. Just be aware this may impact the synchronization between devices. Refer to your phone or accessory’s manual for details. Otherwise, be mindful of Bluetooth connections to control erratic volume.

Close Background Apps

One potential cause of volume fluctuations is background apps that are running and interfering with your device’s audio. Apps that you aren’t actively using can sometimes affect system volume if they are producing audio or accessing media in the background.

Try closing out all apps completely by opening the app switcher and swiping each app window upward to fully force close it. This eliminates any background interference from other apps. You can also try using a task killer or force stop app to aggressively shut down all background processes at once.

This advice comes from a discussion on StackOverflow about controlling background audio in Android apps (https://stackoverflow.com/questions/27860207/android-control-the-volume-of-a-background-sound). The goal is to fully force close everything so there are no apps running that could influence volume behind the scenes.

After closing all apps, open just the app where you are experiencing volume problems and observe if the fluctuations continue. This narrows down whether another app is the culprit.

Check Physical Buttons

One of the most common causes of volume button issues on Android devices is a problem with the physical buttons themselves. It’s a good idea to inspect the volume buttons on your device for any issues that could be preventing them from working properly.

First, check for any debris or dirt that could be obstructing the buttons. Try using a can of compressed air to blow out any dust or lint around the volume buttons. You can also use a soft bristle toothbrush to gently brush away any particles stuck near the buttons.

Next, examine the volume buttons for any visible damage. Look for scratches, dents, cracks or malformations on the actual hardware buttons. Damaged volume buttons may not be making proper contact when pressed, causing issues. If the volume buttons look warped or pushed in, this can also interfere with their function.

Finally, test to make sure the volume buttons can still physically click in and out. Press the buttons several times to check that they still have their full range of motion. If the buttons feel stuck, don’t click smoothly or don’t spring back out after pressing, this is a sign of a hardware problem.

If inspection reveals any debris, damage or sticking with the physical volume buttons, this is likely the cause of the issues. Try cleaning the buttons thoroughly or contacting device support, as hardware damage may require replacement of the volume buttons.

Sources:

https://www.guidingtech.com/fix-android-volume-buttons/

https://www.quora.com/How-do-you-fix-volume-buttons-on-a-phone

Try Safe Mode

One way to diagnose if a third party app is causing the fluctuating volume is to boot your Android device into safe mode. Safe mode loads the device with only the original software and apps that came with it. This allows you to determine if the issue persists when third party apps are disabled.

To boot into safe mode:

1. Press and hold the power button on your device
2. Tap and hold the “Power off” option when the menu appears
3. Tap “OK” to confirm entering safe mode

Once in safe mode, test if the fluctuating volume issue occurs when playing audio or video. If the problem goes away in safe mode, then a third party app is likely causing the conflict. You can then begin uninstalling recently downloaded apps one by one until you isolate the problematic app.

To exit safe mode, simply restart your Android device.

Reset App Preferences

One potential solution is to reset all app preferences and permissions relating to volume control. This will clear any problematic permission settings and revert apps to their default volume behaviors. To reset app preferences on Android:

1. Go to Settings > Apps.
2. Tap the menu icon in the top right corner (three vertical dots).
3. Select Reset app preferences.

This will reset all preferences for apps installed on your device, including any custom permissions or settings related to volume control. It’s a good troubleshooting step if a particular app seems to be overriding your volume settings without permission.

Resetting app preferences doesn’t delete any app data and won’t require you to reconfigure all your apps from scratch. However, you may need to re-enable certain app permissions or preferences afterwards. Monitor if the erratic volume behavior improves after resetting app prefs. If the issue persists, further troubleshooting may be needed.

For more details, see Google’s support article on resetting app preferences: Reset app preferences – Android – Google Support.

Factory Reset

A factory reset should be used as a last resort, as it will erase all data and settings on your Android device and restore it to its original factory settings. Before performing a factory reset, it’s important to back up any data you want to keep.

To back up your data, you can use your Google account. Open Settings > Accounts on your device. Under Accounts, select your Google account. Enable sync for any data you want backed up, such as contacts, calendar events, photos, etc. You can also manually back up files by copying them to a computer or cloud storage.

Once your data is backed up, you can perform a factory reset by going to Settings > System > Reset options > Erase all data (factory reset). Read the warnings carefully and select Reset phone. Once completed, your device will reboot and you’ll have to set it up again from scratch.

According to Tom’s Guide forums, a factory reset can sometimes resolve issues with sound and volume not working properly on Android devices. However, this should only be attempted after trying other troubleshooting steps, as you’ll lose all local data in the process.

Get Device Serviced

If all troubleshooting steps do not resolve the issue of volume levels automatically changing up and down, the problem may be due to a hardware malfunction that requires professional repair service. Faulty hardware like the volume buttons, headphone jack, speakers, microphone or motherboard could be the underlying cause.

In these cases, it’s best to take the Android device to a reputable repair shop or the device manufacturer if it’s still under warranty. Technicians can diagnose the specific hardware issue through testing and repair or replace any faulty parts. For example, they may find that the volume button needs replacing or the microphone wiring is damaged.

Hardware repairs can resolve even severe issues like a phone’s speakers or microphone not working at all. The right technicians have the skills, tools and parts to correctly fix the device and restore proper functioning. While software fixes are ideal, hardware service is sometimes the only way to permanently fix volume problems on Androids.

According to Cell Phone Repair, some common hardware issues that can cause volume problems include:

• Faulty power and volume buttons
• Damaged headphone jack/charger port
• Cracked or blown speakers
• Broken microphone
• Motherboard failure

Before resorting to repair costs, be sure to thoroughly try every software fix. But if volume continues behaving erratically, professional device servicing may be needed to replace or fix the faulty hardware component.