Is there a way to disable volume buttons on Android?

There are a few reasons why someone may want to disable the physical volume buttons on an Android phone. Some common scenarios include:

Preventing accidental volume changes or media playback, especially by young children who like pressing buttons. Disabling the buttons can avoid unintended disturbances.
Avoiding unwanted volume adjustments during phone calls. The buttons can be easy to press by accident which could be disruptive.

Reducing distractions in certain environments like schools or meetings where media sounds could be bothersome.
Helping keep consistent volume levels for those who require a fixed, stable audio output.

Overall, disabling the volume buttons allows for greater control over audio levels and prevents unwanted or accidental volume changes from physical button presses. There are various ways this can be accomplished on Android, with varying degrees of effectiveness, as discussed in the sections below.

Default Android Behavior

By default, the physical volume buttons on Android devices control the ringer volume. Pressing the volume up or down buttons adjusts the loudness of ringtones, notifications, alarms, and other system sounds. The one exception is when media such as music or videos are actively playing – in that case, the volume buttons will control the media volume instead.

The default behavior is designed for convenience, so users can quickly adjust the ringer volume without having to unlock their phone and open settings. It allows people to quickly mute their phone by pressing the down volume button when a call or notification comes in. However, some users may prefer to have finer control over the functions of the buttons.

Some Android skins like Samsung’s One UI also add more options around the volume button behavior, such as letting you control media volume by default instead of ringer volume. But in stock Android and many other manufacturer skins, ringer volume is default.

Using Parental Control Apps

Many parental control apps like Qustodio have options to disable hardware volume buttons on Android devices. These apps are designed to allow parents to limit and control different functionality on their child’s device.

Some popular parental control apps that can disable volume buttons include:

Qustodio – Offers a “Kiosk Mode” to disable hardware buttons.

MMGuardian – Can disable volume controls and power buttons.
ScreenTime – Has an option to disable volume buttons and headset volume controls.
CooTek SmartScreen – Allows disabling of volume hard buttons and overriding volume settings.

These apps require setting up profiles for children’s devices and enabling the appropriate restrictions. Once configured, they can effectively disable hardware volume buttons on the device.

Using Accessibility Settings

One way to disable the volume buttons on Android is by using the Accessibility settings.
Most Android devices allow you to remap the volume keys to perform different actions through the Accessibility menu.

To disable the volume buttons:

Go to Settings > Accessibility
Select Volume Key Shortcut
Choose “No Action” from the dropdown menu

This will make the volume up and down buttons inactive. They will no longer control media volume or ringer volume when pressed.

The Accessibility settings provide an easy built-in way to disable the physical volume keys on most Android devices. This allows you to prevent accidental volume changes or undesired music playback without needing to download any third-party apps.

Using Button Remapper Apps

One way to disable the volume buttons on Android is by using button remapper apps. Apps like Button Mapper and Buttons Remapper allow you to remap the function of your device’s hardware buttons, including the volume keys. These apps work by intercepting the input from the physical buttons before the system can respond to it.

Button remapper apps let you assign custom actions to the volume buttons, like launching apps, shortcuts or tasks. For example, you can make the volume up key open your browser instead of increasing the volume. To disable the volume buttons completely, you can just map the volume buttons to do nothing. This prevents the buttons from changing the system volume.

Button remapper apps provide granular control and customization over your device’s hardware buttons. They are easy to use and offer many options to remap the buttons exactly how you want. This makes them an ideal way to disable the volume keys on an Android device.

Using ADB Commands

One method to disable the volume buttons on Android is by using Android Debug Bridge (ADB) commands. ADB allows issuing device commands from a computer using a USB cable or over WiFi.

To disable the volume buttons, connect the Android device to a computer and enable USB debugging. Open a command prompt or terminal and type adb devices to ensure the device is detected. Then issue the command:

adb shell settings put system volume_keys_control_enabled 0

This will disable the volume buttons completely [1]. To re-enable them, set the value back to 1:

adb shell settings put system volume_keys_control_enabled 1

ADB commands require connecting the device to a computer and some technical knowledge. But they provide fine-grained control to selectively disable volume buttons.

Using Tasker Automation

One popular automation app on Android is Tasker. Tasker allows you to set up context-specific rules to control device functions. One of the actions Tasker can perform is to disable the volume buttons when certain apps are opened.

To disable volume buttons in Tasker when certain apps launch, you can follow these steps:

Install and open the Tasker app on your Android device.
Create a new profile by clicking the “+” icon and select “Application.”

Choose the app(s) you want to trigger the volume button disabling.
Go back and create a new task by clicking the “+” icon and give it a name like “Disable Volume Buttons.”
Add an action by clicking the “+” icon, go to “Audio” and select “Key Suppress.”

Check the box next to “Enable” and select the “Volume Up” and “Volume Down” keys.
Link the profile and task together by long pressing on the profile name and selecting the task.

Now when the selected app(s) launch, Tasker will automatically suppress the volume buttons temporarily until that app is closed. This allows you to disable volume control in specific apps as needed without affecting system-wide volume settings.

Some users have reported issues getting this to work properly on certain devices, especially with newer Android versions like 12. There are tips for troubleshooting Tasker volume key suppression if it is not working. Tasker also offers many other advanced automation features like automatically restoring volume button functionality when leaving the app.

Limitations

There are some limitations to the approaches for disabling Android volume buttons:

Many methods like parental control apps, button remapper apps, and ADB commands require the device to be rooted, which not all users are comfortable doing since it voids the warranty (https://www.airdroid.com/mdm/disable-volume-buttons-android/).

The accessibility settings method only mutes the buttons rather than fully disabling them.

Some methods may not work on certain phone models or Android versions. For example, button remapper apps often don’t work on Samsung devices (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cHa8Hr2OFQU).

Using ADB commands requires connecting the phone to a computer every time you want to enable/disable the buttons.

Tasker automation requires purchasing the app and knowledge of how to use its scripts.

Overall, while there are ways to disable volume buttons on Android, most options have limitations or downsides to consider.

Workarounds for Volume Control

Even if the physical volume buttons on your Android device are disabled, there are still some workarounds to control the volume:

Many Android launchers and devices allow you to add an on-screen volume slider to the notification shade or quick settings panel. This gives you a touch slider to control volume without physical buttons (source: https://www.howtogeek.com/826836/how-to-control-the-volume-without-buttons-on-android/).

You can also add a volume control widget to your home screen. Just long press on the home screen, tap “Widgets”, and look for a volume control option (source: https://techwiser.com/ways-to-change-the-volume-on-android-without-buttons/).

Certain accessories like Bluetooth headsets may have independent volume controls as well. You can adjust the volume from the headset itself rather than the phone’s buttons.

For accessibility, Android has options to control volume through gestures, head movements, or an external switch device. This allows adjusting volume without relying on the physical buttons.

While not as convenient, you can also change volume through the device’s Settings app, under Sound & Vibration settings. Here you’ll find sliders to control media volume, call volume, etc.

So even with buttons disabled, you still have options to change the volume on Android. On-screen sliders, widgets, accessories, gestures, and Settings adjustments allow getting around disabled hardware keys.

Summary

Android offers various options to disable the volume buttons. The simplest method is using parental control apps that allow locking down device functions. Accessibility settings can also disable hardware keys, though this affects all buttons. Specialty apps like Button Remapper can selectively disable volume keys only. For advanced users, ADB commands and Tasker automations can control buttons programmatically. However, all these methods have limitations – they may not work on all devices, or persist after restarting the phone. Workarounds like physical button covers are possible, though not fullproof. Ultimately, there is no perfect solution. The best option depends on your specific needs and device. Parental controls or button remapper apps likely offer the right balance for most users. With some experimentation, you should be able to find a volume button disabling method that works on your Android phone.