How to use volume mixer in Android?

What is the volume mixer in Android?

The volume mixer in Android allows you to adjust the volume levels of individual apps on your device. It is found in your Sounds settings menu. With the volume mixer, you can customize the volume for music, videos, games, and other apps independently. This lets you set different volume levels for each app according to your preference.

For example, you may want to turn up the volume for music, while lowering the volume for games and notifications. The volume mixer gives you granular control over sound on an per-app basis (https://www.reddit.com/r/headphones/comments/cba7jn/iem_buzzing_on_android/).

Why use the volume mixer?

One of the main benefits of using Android’s built-in volume mixer is the ability to customize the volume level for each individual app on your device. This allows you to turn up the volume for music or video streaming apps while lowering the volume of other apps like games or notifications.

For example, you can increase the volume for Spotify or YouTube Music to get more robust sound for music listening, while turning down the volume for alarm apps so they aren’t as jarring. Gaming apps can also be amplified to immerse you in gameplay audio, without increasing the loudness of incoming calls or alerts.

The volume mixer gives you granular control to tailor the ideal audio levels for different use cases. As noted by XDA Developers, this ability to separately control app volumes can help you find the perfect volume sweet spot.

Locating the volume mixer

The volume mixer in Android allows you to control the volume level for individual apps. To access the volume mixer:

First, open the Settings app on your Android device.

Next, go to the Sound section in Settings. On some Android versions this may be labeled Audio.

Finally, tap on the “Volume panel” option. This will open up the volume mixer where you can adjust volume levels.

As an alternative, you can also access the volume mixer by pressing the physical volume buttons on your device. When the volume slider pops up, tap the down arrow icon to expand it into the full mixer.

The volume mixer gives you granular control to set the volume level for any app installed on your device [1].

Adjusting app volumes

One of the main features of Android’s volume mixer is the ability to adjust the volume levels of individual apps. The volume mixer interface shows separate volume sliders for different app categories such as Media, Notifications, System, etc. You can drag these sliders up or down to increase or decrease the volume for that category of apps.

For even more granular control, tapping on an app category will expand it to show volume sliders for each individual app in that group. This allows you to customize the volume level on a per-app basis. For example, you may want Navigation apps to be louder than Music apps when driving.

You can also mute individual apps by dragging their volume slider all the way down to zero. This provides a quick way to silence specific apps without muting everything. The app’s slider will turn gray when muted.

Adjusting volume levels in the mixer allows you to balance sounds from different apps running simultaneously. Setting custom volumes can help minimize distractions or unwanted noise when using your device.

Setting Default Volumes

One useful feature of Android’s volume mixer is the ability to set default volume levels for different apps. This allows you to choose the volume level that works best for each app, and have it automatically reset to that level when the app is restarted.

Setting default volumes for apps prevents having to manually adjust the volume each time you open an app. For example, you may prefer listening to Spotify at a lower volume for background music, while needing a louder volume for podcasts in Pocket Casts. The volume mixer allows tailoring the default level per app.

To set an app’s default volume in the mixer, simply adjust the slider to your desired level. Android will then remember this volume and apply it automatically when you next launch that app. The volume can still be adjusted manually during use, but will revert after closing the app.

Setting thoughtful default volumes for frequently used apps can improve the audio experience and consistency in Android. It’s a handy set-and-forget feature of the volume mixer.

Linking app volumes

The Android volume mixer includes an option to link app volumes together so that linked apps will share the same volume level (Source). This can be useful for apps that commonly work together, like a video streaming app and a chat app.

To link apps:

1. Open the volume mixer and locate the apps you want to link.
2. Tap the chain icon next to one of the apps.
3. Select the other app(s) you want to link to it.

Now when you adjust the volume of one linked app, the others will change to match. To unlink apps, simply tap the chain icon again and deselect any apps you don’t want grouped together.

Using do not disturb

Do not disturb mode in Android allows users to mute sounds and prevent interruptions from notifications and calls. Enabling DND is useful when you need to focus or avoid disturbances during a set period of time.

To mute all sounds, simply swipe down from the top of the screen and tap on the do not disturb icon that looks like a moon or crescent shape. This will silence all ringtones, alerts, and other audio [1]. You can customize which apps are allowed to override DND and make noise through the “Exceptions” section in your phone’s sound settings.

Schedules can also be set for do not disturb mode, so it automatically turns on and off during certain times of day. Go to Settings > Sound > Do Not Disturb > Schedules to configure when you want DND to activate. For example, you may want it on from 10pm to 7am everyday while you sleep. There are also options to enable DND during calendar events or when your screen is off.

Troubleshooting tips

If you are having issues with the volume mixer not functioning properly, there are some troubleshooting steps you can try:

First, check that the volumes are turned up for both your device and the specific apps. Open the volume mixer and make sure none of the app volumes are muted or set too low. Also check your device’s main volume setting in the notification panel or with the side volume buttons.

If the volume mixer is not responding or apps are not showing up properly, try force closing and reopening the problematic apps. This may reset the volume levels and allow the mixer to detect the apps again.

As a last resort, consider restarting your Android device if the volume panel becomes completely unresponsive. A reboot will reload all system apps and services and may resolve any software glitches preventing the mixer from working correctly.

See this Reddit thread for more volume troubleshooting tips from Android users.

Alternative volume controls

There are a few other ways to control the volume on your Android device besides using the volume mixer.¹

The most basic method is using the hardware volume buttons on the side of your device. Pressing the volume up or down buttons will adjust the system volume.

Many Android skins also include an on-screen volume adjuster in the notification dropdown menu. Pull down the top menu, then drag the volume slider left or right to turn the volume up or down.

You can also control volume directly within certain apps. For example, video and music apps usually have their own in-app volume controls. Adjust these sliders independently to control the volume of that specific app.

So while the system-wide volume mixer is useful for controlling relative app volumes, you also have options like hardware buttons and in-app controls for quick volume adjustments on the fly.

Additional customization

Android allows you to customize the audio experience beyond just adjusting app volumes. In the Sound settings menu, you’ll find options for more advanced audio configurations such as equalizers, spatial audio modes, headphone tuning, and output switching.

Equalizers allow you to adjust the frequency levels to customize the sound profile to your preferences. There are preset equalizers like Bass booster or Pop that optimize levels for certain genres of music.

Spatial audio and headphone tuning modes simulate surround sound and tweak headphone frequency responses for a more immersive listening experience.

Output switching lets you toggle audio between speaker and connected audio devices like headphones or Bluetooth speakers (Learn more from CNET).

Experiment with these additional settings to further customize and enhance how audio sounds on your Android device.