How do I turn my Android into a speaker?
Any Android device has the capability to operate as a speaker with the help of certain apps and tweaking your device’s settings. Smartphones and tablets running the Android operating system are incredibly versatile gadgets, and with a few simple steps you can easily turn your device into a portable speaker.
In this guide, we’ll walk through the various methods to transform your Android into a makeshift speaker using basic functionality already included on your device, as well as recommend third-party apps that can enhance the audio output. Whether you want to amplify the sound from your device to fill a room or connect wirelessly to external speakers, there are options for everyone.
So read on to learn the quick and easy ways you can turn your Android into a speaker!
Enable Developer Options
The first step to turning your Android phone into a speaker is to enable Developer Options. Developer Options give you access to settings that allow more control over your device’s hardware and software.
To enable Developer Options on your Android device:
- Open the Settings app.
- Scroll down and tap About Phone.
- Find and tap Build Number 7 times. After a few taps, you’ll see a message that says “You are now a developer!”
Tapping Build Number that many times enables Developer Options on your device. You can now go back to the main Settings menu and see a new option called Developer Options near the bottom.
Install Sound Amplifier App
One of the easiest ways to turn your Android phone into a speaker is by using the Sound Amplifier app. This free app from Google is available for download on the Play Store. Sound Amplifier provides a helpful volume boost for your phone’s speakers, headphones, or connected bluetooth devices.
After installing Sound Amplifier, you can launch it from your app drawer. The app provides an accessibility boost for your audio output in two main ways: increasing overall volume beyond your phone’s normal maximum level, and applying sound enhancements to amplify speech. This makes it easier to hear media and conversations without straining.
To turn up volume, use the volume boost slider in the Sound Amplifier app. This gives you fine-grained control to increase volume substantially. You can also try the “Hearing aids” preset for amplified vocal clarity. With these tools, Sound Amplifier can effectively turn your Android into a louder speaker for personal use or small gatherings.
Connect to Bluetooth Speaker
To turn your Android phone into a speaker system, you can connect it to a portable Bluetooth speaker. Most Bluetooth speakers have a pairing mode that allows you to sync your phone to the speaker. Here are the steps for pairing your Android to a Bluetooth speaker:
First, enter pairing mode on your Bluetooth speaker by following the manufacturer’s instructions, usually pressing a pairing button. The speaker will become discoverable to nearby Bluetooth devices.
On your Android phone, open the Settings and tap Bluetooth. Make sure Bluetooth is turned on. Your phone will automatically scan and display available Bluetooth devices in range.
Select your Bluetooth speaker from the list. Your Android will send a pairing request. Confirm pairing on your speaker if prompted. Once paired, your phone’s Bluetooth icon will display as connected. Some speakers connect immediately when turned on after initial pairing.
Now when you play audio or media on your Android, it will route through the connected Bluetooth speaker instead of the phone’s internal speaker. As long as you are within Bluetooth range, typically 30 feet or more, your phone will use the external speaker.
Many portable Bluetooth speakers have excellent audio quality and volume, effectively turning your phone into a speaker system for music, videos, games, and other media. Just connect to your favorite portable Bluetooth speaker to amplify your Android’s sound.
Use Media Volume Sync
One way to turn your Android phone into a speaker is by enabling Media Volume Sync in your settings. This feature keeps your ringtone and media volumes in sync so that media playback volume also controls the ringer volume.
According to Reddit, the ringtone volume controls the volume for incoming calls while the media volume controls the volume for music, videos, games, and other media playback on your device [1]. By syncing these two volumes together, you can easily turn up the volume for media and have it also increase the ringtone volume. This effectively turns your phone into a speaker since the louder media volume produces sound from the phone’s built-in speakers.
To enable Media Volume Sync, go into your Android’s Settings app and select Sound. Then turn on the toggle for Media Volume Sync. Now when you increase the media volume, it will also turn up the ringtone volume so you can use your phone just like a Bluetooth speaker.
Turn on Speakerphone
One simple way to turn your Android phone into a speaker is to enable the speakerphone during phone calls. The speakerphone allows you to route the audio from phone calls through your device’s built-in speakers instead of the earpiece. To enable speakerphone on an Android phone:
1. Start a phone call as you normally would, either by dialing a number or answering an incoming call.
2. Once the call has started and you are on the call screen, look for the speakerphone icon at the bottom. This icon typically looks like a microphone with sound waves coming from it.
3. Tap the speakerphone icon to toggle it on. You should hear a confirmation sound or see the icon change color to indicate speakerphone is now active.
4. The audio from your call will now play through the phone’s speakers instead of the earpiece. Speak into the phone as you normally would.
5. To disable speakerphone, simply tap the speakerphone icon again during your call. The audio will switch back to the earpiece.
Turning on speakerphone during calls allows you to go hands-free and multitask or have shared conversations more easily. Just be careful not to enable it in public places where it could disturb others.
According to a 2021 smartphone usage survey, use of speakerphone increased 40% during the COVID-19 pandemic as people worked from home more.
Cast Audio to Other Devices
One way to turn your Android phone into a speaker is by using the Cast feature to play audio on other devices like smart TVs or speakers. Many Android apps have a Cast button that allows you to stream content from your phone to those devices. Here’s how it works:
First, make sure your Android phone and the device you want to cast to are on the same WiFi network. The device must also be Cast-enabled, meaning it can receive streams from your phone. This includes many smart TVs, speakers like Google Home or Sonos, and Chromecast devices plugged into regular speakers.
Open an app like Spotify, YouTube, Google Play Music, etc. Look for the Cast button, which looks like a wireless symbol. Tap it and select the device you want to play audio on from the list. The app on your phone will now stream to that device.[1]
This allows you to freely move around while your music, videos, podcasts, etc. play loudly on another speaker system. Just remember the devices need to stay connected to the same WiFi. Casting provides an easy way to broadcast audio from your Android phone.
Try a Dedicated App
Dedicated speaker booster apps like Volume Booster – Sound Booster provide extra features and controls for boosting your Android’s volume beyond the normal maximum level. These apps are designed specifically to amplify sound output through the speakers. Apps like SpeakerBoost allow you to boost volume higher than your device’s default limit, adjust separate volume levels for media, ringtones and alarms, and add bass boosting effects. With advanced equalizers, you can customize the sound profile to your liking. The advantage of using a dedicated app over the standard audio settings is the ability to squeeze out those extra decibels when you really need to pump up the jam. Just be careful not to boost the volume too high for extended periods, as very loud playback can potentially damage speakers over time. Moderately increasing loudness with a dedicated app can provide an occasional volume boost when you need it.
Adjust Audio Settings
One way to customize your Android device’s audio is by adjusting the Sound settings. You can find the Sound settings by going to Settings > Sound. Here you can tweak options like media volume, call volume, ring volume, and notification volume. You can also select different audio profiles like vibrate, silent, or do not disturb.
The Sound settings also allow you to change the default notification sound and customize audio for different apps. For example, you could set a custom notification sound for your text messaging app. There are also advanced audio options like bass boost, surround sound, and equalizer presets to improve music playback quality.
By tweaking the audio output settings under Sound in your Android device’s settings, you can customize the audio performance for different scenarios like media playback, phone calls, alerts and notifications. This allows you to shape the audio to best suit your preferences.
Conclusion
Turning an Android phone into a speaker is easier than ever thanks to recent software updates that enable high-quality lossless audio output. The key steps are:
1. Enable Developer options in your phone’s settings to access advanced audio features.
2. Install a sound amplification app like Sound Amplifier to boost volume beyond normal levels.
3. Connect your Android to a Bluetooth speaker for wireless audio playback.
4. Use Media Volume Sync to control both device and speaker volumes together.
5. Turn on speakerphone mode for enhanced loudness without extra equipment.
6. Cast audio to Chromecast devices or smart speakers for room-filling sound.
7. Try dedicated apps like Musicolet for greater audio control.
8. Adjust audio settings like disabling audio normalization to maximize loudness.
With the right steps, Android’s USB audio provides near lossless quality rivaling dedicated speakers – transforming your mobile device into a powerful boombox.
