Why is my volume so low on Android?

Check Volume Settings

The first step to troubleshoot low volume issues is to locate the volume rocker on the device, typically found on the left side. Use the buttons to turn the media volume all the way up and ensure it is not muted (check for an icon indicating mute is activated).

You can also go into your sound settings and make sure that any volume limit is not in place by sliding the volume slider to maximum (source: https://www.headphonesty.com/2023/08/no-sound-on-android-phone/). While playing media, try using the volume buttons to increase the sound to confirm if the issue only appears at lower volumes.

Check Connected Devices

If you are experiencing low volume on your Android device, one potential cause is that the audio is being routed to a connected device like headphones, speakers, or a Bluetooth device instead of the built-in speakers. Here are some troubleshooting steps to check connected devices:

Unplug any wired headphones, external speakers, or other audio devices that are connected to your device via the headphone jack, USB port, or other connection method. Disconnecting these can allow audio to correctly route back to the built-in speakers.

The volume may be set very low or muted on the device the audio is routing to. Double check that the headphones, speakers, or connected devices have their volume turned up.

Consider disabling Bluetooth as a troubleshooting step to force audio to route to the built-in speakers. Go to Settings > Bluetooth and toggle off Bluetooth. Test if the sound volume improves through the device’s speakers.

If you find the volume increases to the built-in speakers after disconnecting or turning off Bluetooth, then a connected device or Bluetooth audio routing was the cause. You can then reconnect and adjust volumes or settings going forward.

Test Different Apps

Volume may be an app-specific issue instead of a system-wide one. Try playing music, video, and games from different apps to narrow down the source of the low volume.

Start by opening your music player app and playing a song. If the volume seems low, try a different music app. Spotify, Apple Music, YouTube Music, and other streaming apps may behave differently. See if the issue persists across multiple music apps (1).

Next open a video streaming app and play a show or movie. Apps like Netflix, Hulu, YouTube, and more rely on different audio engines. Pay attention to any volume differences between the music and video apps. If only certain types of apps exhibit quiet playback, that points to an app-specific software issue rather than a hardware problem.

Lastly launch some games to test sound effects and gameplay audio volume. Games use audio engines optimized for sound effects, so it’s worth verifying in-game audio volume matches expectations. If game audio seems loud enough while media apps remain quiet, then the apps themselves should be investigated further.

By testing volume across music, video, and games, you can determine if the issue is widespread or specific to certain Android apps. This informs next troubleshooting steps like app updates, cache clearing, or factory resets targeting problematic apps.

Update Apps

One potential cause of low volume issues is having outdated app versions installed on your device. According to an article from Guiding Tech, outdated app versions can cause a variety of problems including volume issues.

To check for updates on your Android device, open the Google Play Store app and go to the “My apps & games” section. Look for any apps that have an “Update” button available and tap to update them to the latest version. According to Google Support, ensuring apps are up-to-date can solve installation issues. After updating your apps, restart your device as recommended by Guiding Tech to ensure the changes take effect.

Updating outdated app versions can often resolve low or inconsistent volume problems by making sure you have the latest software running. If volume issues persist after updating and restarting, further troubleshooting may be required.

Clear App Cache/Data

Clearing the cache and app data of audio and media apps on your Android device can resolve low volume issues. This essentially gives apps a “fresh start” by wiping temporary data that may be causing problems. The steps are:

1. Open your Android device’s Settings > Apps.
2. Select the app you want to clear the cache/data for, such as a music or media streaming app.
3. Select “Storage” or “Storage and cache” and tap the “Clear cache” and “Clear data” buttons. Completely wiping app data can resolve issues but will delete all preferences.
4. Close the app completely by swiping it away from the recent apps list.
5. Re-launch the app and test playing audio for improved volume.

As explained on Esper, clearing cache and reloading apps forces them to “recreate their necessary files and may fix issues occurring within those apps.” So try this fix next if low audio in certain apps persists.

Check Accessibility Settings

The volume limit on your Android device may be enabled due to accessibility settings intended to protect hearing. Go to Settings > Accessibility and review the different options there.

Look under Hearing enhancements or Volume options for any settings that limit overall volume or media volume. These could include Media volume limiter, which caps volume at a certain percentage, or warnings that alert you when volume exceeds safe levels.

If you don’t require any specific volume limitations for accessibility reasons, go ahead and switch them off. This should remove any caps set on maximum volume output.

As noted in this Verge article, volume limits are often enabled unintentionally, so checking accessibility is a good troubleshooting step if your Android volume is suddenly low.

Factory Reset Device

As a last resort, you can attempt a factory reset of your Android device. This will wipe the software on your device and restore it to factory settings (“How To Fix Volume Keeps Going Up And Down”). Before resetting, be sure to backup any data you want to keep.

A factory reset will erase any faulty software or configurations that could be causing volume issues. It essentially gives you a fresh start. After resetting your device, you’ll need to reinstall your apps and test if the volume problems persist. If the issues continue even after a reset, it’s likely a hardware problem.

Test Safe Mode

One way to troubleshoot volume issues on Android is to boot the device into safe mode. Safe mode disables all third party apps and services temporarily, allowing you to test if the issue persists when only the original software and services are running.

To enter safe mode on Android, press and hold the power button until the power off prompt appears. Then press and hold “Restart” until the phone restarts into safe mode. The words “Safe mode” will appear in the bottom left corner of the screen.

Test the volume in safe mode across different apps like YouTube, Spotify, phone calls, etc. If the volume returns to normal levels, then a third party app is likely causing the issue. The next step would be isolating which app is problematic by uninstalling recently downloaded apps one by one and testing.

If the volume issue persists in safe mode, then it’s likely a problem with your Android device’s software or hardware. You may need to try updating the device software or performing a factory reset. If those steps don’t work, the volume problem could be due to a hardware malfunction that requires professional repair.

Update Device Software

Outdated system software could cause volume issues on your Android phone. Over time, the Android operating system evolves and software updates include bug fixes and improvements that ensure devices run optimally. An outdated OS version may contain bugs that affect your phone’s volume output. Checking for and installing the latest OS update for your specific Android device model can potentially resolve abnormal volume problems.

In some cases, you may need to perform a full firmware or ROM update to fix volume issues, rather than just a standard OS update. Firmware refers to the core software programmed into your phone’s internal memory. Updating to the newest firmware version can overwrite any corrupted data that may be causing volume glitches. Refer to your device manufacturer’s support site for instructions on how to update your phone’s firmware or flash a custom ROM.

Before updating your Android OS or firmware, be sure to back up any important data on your phone. Major software updates can sometimes erase or corrupt user data if something goes wrong during the installation process. Overall, updating to the latest stable OS and firmware version available for your device is one of the best troubleshooting steps to resolve inexplicably low volume problems.

Hardware Malfunction

A faulty hardware component like the phone’s built-in speakers could be the underlying issue causing low volume. If the speakers have been damaged or degraded over time, they may not be able to produce sound at full volume.

As a test, try connecting external speakers or headphones to the device. If the volume is still low even when using external audio devices, that indicates a problem with the hardware rather than just the built-in speakers.

According to Reddit user u/epicurious_aussie, “I thought it was a hardware issue so I got my phone replaced and now it works perfectly.” (source)

If both the internal and external speakers have low volume, the phone likely needs hardware repair or replacement to resolve the issue. Factors like physical damage or component failure over time can degrade the audio capabilities.

The only solution for a confirmed hardware malfunction is to take the device in for professional repair or replacement. Software fixes cannot increase the volume if the underlying hardware is faulty or broken.