How do I get the original sound on my Android phone Zoom?

Many Android users have noticed that the audio quality on Zoom calls sounds different than the original sound on their device. This is often described as distorted, tinny, echoed, or generally low quality compared to listening to audio playback directly on the phone.

The reason for this change in audio quality is because of how Zoom handles audio encoding and transmission during calls. To save on bandwidth, Zoom compresses and processes the audio, which can reduce audio fidelity. Additionally, network connectivity strength can impact call quality.

While Zoom’s altered audio quality may be unavoidable in some cases, there are steps Android users can try to get original, higher-quality audio on their Zoom calls.

Check Zoom Audio Settings

To check your Zoom audio settings on an Android device:

1. Open the Zoom app and join or start a meeting.

2. Tap the screen and select the “More” icon in the toolbar.

3. Select “Meeting Settings”.

4. Under “Audio”, you can check and adjust settings for your microphone, speaker, and audio processing like suppressing background noise. Make sure the correct microphone and speaker are selected.

For the microphone, tap the drop-down menu to select the desired input device. Adjust the “Volume” slider as needed.

For the speaker, select the appropriate output device from the menu. Adjust “Test Speaker” volume.

Under “Advanced”, you can enable options like “Suppress Background Noise” and “High Fidelity Music Mode” for improved audio quality.

After adjusting audio settings, tap “Done” to save changes. Test your mic and speaker in a Zoom call to ensure proper setup. Adjust settings as needed until satisfied with call audio quality.

Use Original Sound

Zoom’s Original Sound feature suppresses noise cancellation and audio enhancements to capture audio the way it sounds on the device’s microphone. This results in a more natural sound quality for meetings and classes. Here’s how to enable Original Sound on Android:

Open the Zoom mobile app and join or start a meeting. Tap your profile picture in the top right corner, then tap “Settings.” Next, choose “Audio” from the menu. Under “Meeting Audio,” toggle on “Original Sound.”

Enabling this setting will disable audio enhancements Zoom normally applies, like noise suppression, echo cancellation, and audio leveling. Your audio will be transmitted to other participants exactly as captured by your device’s microphone. This achieves the most authentic and original sound quality possible.

Keep in mind that extraneous noises like background talking or shuffling may also be transmitted with Original Sound on. For best results, join meetings from a quiet environment. And let other participants know you’ve enabled Original Sound so they understand why your audio sounds more raw.

With Original Sound enabled, Zoom meetings and classes will capture audio in the richest, most genuine way straight from your Android device.

Disable Audio Enhancements

One reason you may not be hearing the original sound quality on Zoom calls is because audio enhancements or other sound effects are enabled on your Android device. These features aim to improve audio quality, but can sometimes result in altered or diminished sound.

To disable audio enhancements:

Go into your Android device’s Settings app.
Tap on Sound/Audio settings.

Look for options like “Audio effects,” “Sound enhancer,” or “Audio tuning.”
Disable or turn off these audio enhancement features.

For example, on Samsung devices, you would go to Settings > Sounds and vibration > Sound quality and effects and toggle off any enabled effects like “Adapt sound” or “Dolby Atmos.”

Disabling system-wide audio enhancements ensures sounds from apps like Zoom are not being altered before you hear them. This should allow you to get the original audio quality.

You can also check audio settings within specific apps like Zoom to disable any enhancements at the app level.

Use Wired Headphones

One way to ensure you get the highest audio quality on Zoom calls is to use wired headphones with a 3.5mm audio jack. Wired headphones have a direct connection to your Android device’s headphone port which provides clear, uninterrupted sound transmission. This avoids any compression, latency, or loss of audio data that can happen with Bluetooth streaming.

Wired headphones effectively act as an external microphone and speaker for your device. This direct wired connection bypasses any noise cancellation processing that could affect your original voice audio. Any enhancements or effects applied by your Android device will also be avoided with a direct wired connection.

Look for wired headphones specifically designed for voice calls and video chats to get the best sound. The microphone on these headphones will be optimized for picking up your natural voice rather than environmental noises. And you’ll get well-balanced speaker audio tuned for hearing every word clearly.

With a good pair of wired headphones, you can be confident the person on the other end of your Zoom call is hearing your original, authentic voice – not a digitally processed version. This will lead to more natural conversations without any miscommunications caused by audio compression or effects.

Adjust Microphone Settings

A common reason for experiencing poor audio quality during Zoom calls on Android is incorrect microphone settings. You can tweak the microphone settings to optimize sound pickup and clarity. First, open your device’s Settings app and go to the Sound or Audio settings. Look for options to adjust the microphone volume, noise cancellation, or acoustic echo cancellation. Turning up the microphone volume can make your voice louder and clearer to others. Enabling noise cancellation helps block background noise like fans or chatter. Acoustic echo cancellation reduces echo and feedback.

You may also find advanced options to select the audio input source. Choose the phone’s internal microphone unless you are using wired headphones with a mic. Additionally, go into the Zoom app’s Settings and test your microphone. Adjust the input volume slider as needed until your voice sounds clear without peaking. Run a test call and ask the other person if your audio sounds good on their end. Tweak the Android microphone settings as required until you are satisfied with the call quality.

According to Zoom’s support article on troubleshooting audio issues, adjusting your device’s microphone settings is one of the main ways to resolve problems with poor sound quality (https://support.zoom.us/hc/en-us/articles/202050538-Audio-Echo-In-A-Meeting#h_01EVPD3JNSYK5ZFWB2WAB8QKI4). Optimizing the input levels and noise cancellation can significantly improve your call experience.

Update Zoom App

One of the first troubleshooting steps to try is updating the Zoom app to the latest version. Newer versions of the Zoom app often have bug fixes and performance improvements that can resolve audio issues. According to Zoom’s support article (“Updating Zoom to the latest version”), you can update the Android Zoom app by going to the Google Play Store, searching for Zoom, and selecting Update. If there is a newer version available, the Zoom app will automatically download and install the update. As noted in an Android Authority article (“How to update your Zoom app on mobile or desktop”), keeping Zoom up-to-date ensures you have access to the latest features and fixes. So if audio issues persist on an older Zoom version, updating the app is advisable.

Clear App Cache

Clearing the cache for the Zoom app can help resolve issues caused by corrupt temporary data. The cache stores images, media files, and other content temporarily to improve performance. Over time, issues like lagging, freezing, or problems connecting to meetings and calls can occur if outdated cache files accumulate.

To clear the Zoom cache on Android:

Open your device’s Settings app.
Tap Apps or Application Manager.
Select the Zoom app.

Tap Storage.
Tap Clear Cache or Clear Data.

This will delete all the temporary data stored by the Zoom app and force it to re-download any resources it needs. Clearing the cache can free up storage space on your device as well. After clearing the cache, try using the Zoom app to see if the issues are resolved.

For additional details, refer to Zoom’s support article on clearing the cache on mobile devices.

Restart Your Device

Restarting your Android device is a simple troubleshooting step that can often resolve issues with apps like Zoom. When you restart your device, it clears out any software glitches and resets all of the components. This forces the Zoom app to reload properly. Restarting gives the operating system and apps like Zoom a fresh start.

According to Zoom’s support article, restarting your phone can help resync it if you are having issues connecting it to Zoom.

Some users on Zoom’s community forums have also reported that restarting their Android device resolves microphone problems in the Zoom app. As one user said, “Restarting phone solves the issue. Things were fine before the update. Either Zoom is the problem or it isn’t playing nice with the Android update.” (Source)

Therefore, if you are experiencing audio issues like not getting the original sound in Zoom on your Android, try restarting your device. This simple step often fixes glitches and gets the Zoom app working properly again.

Contact Zoom Support

If you’ve tried all the troubleshooting steps but are still having issues with audio quality in Zoom on your Android device, you may need to contact Zoom support for further assistance. Here are some ways to get in touch with Zoom support:

Live chat: You can start a live chat session with a Zoom support agent on the Zoom Help Center website.
Submit a support ticket: On the Zoom Help Center, you can submit a request for support and a Zoom agent will respond via email. Go to https://support.zoom.us/hc/en-us/requests/new.
Call support: Zoom has toll-free numbers for various countries that you can call for real-time phone support. Find your country’s number on their Technical Support page.

When contacting Zoom support, be ready to provide details about your device, Android version, Zoom app version, and steps you’ve already tried. With their assistance, you should be able to resolve any lingering audio issues.