Issues with speakers or microphones on Android devices can be very frustrating. Some of the time you won’t be able to hear the person on the other end of the line; at other times, they cannot hear your voice at all. In some instances, the speaker may stop working suddenly while viewing videos, listening to music, or using applications like WhatsApp or Instagram.
The good news is that the majority of problems involving sound on Android devices can be repaired. Most of the time, the source of the trouble is not a serious issue with the hardware of the device, but rather issues with Bluetooth compatibility, defects in the software, dust accumulation, configuration problems, or problems with app permissions.
This guide provides step-by-step directions to resolve speaker and microphone issues on Android devices at your convenience.
Why Is the Speaker or Microphone Not Working on Android?
Android audio issues can occur for many different reasons.
In some cases, there is dust covering the speaker grill or microphone hole; in other cases, there are software glitches that interrupt Android’s audio services; and there are also some instances where a Bluetooth device has redirected audio with the user being unaware.
In addition, water exposure, outdated software, corrupted cache data, and/or third-party apps could lead to microphone and speaker issues.
Once the root cause has been identified, solutions to the problem can often be found more readily.
Restart Your Android Phone
One of the easiest, yet most efficient ways to fix problems with audio on your device is by restarting your phone. When there are temporary glitches in the operating system, it can cause problems with your audio functions, causing your speaker or microphone not to work properly.
Restarting your phone will refresh the background processes and then reload the Android audio system.
After you’ve restarted your phone, you can test out whether there are continuing issues with audio by doing a test phone call or a recording with the voice recorder application on your phone.
Check the Volume Settings
It’s normal for users to accidentally lower their media and/or call volume without realizing it. This can happen when you’re pressing the volume buttons. Ensure that you are pressing the correct button and turning the volume up high enough.
In addition to checking the volume settings, it is also wise to check for any other devices (i.e., Bluetooth headphones/earbuds/speakers) that may either still have an active connection or be plugged into the phone and might be sending the audio to a non-existent device. Some Android devices may also route audio from the app via the last Bluetooth connectable device.
Check to make sure that no headphone icon is displayed on your device’s display (if no headphones/earbuds are connected): your device may be in headphone mode; if you see this, the phone’s speaker won’t work normally.
Clean the Speaker and Microphone
The majority of audio muffling comes from dust and dirt buildup on the speaker and/or microphone openings.
Over time, lint will accumulate inside the speaker/microphone openings, reducing sound clarity and degrading voice quality during phone calls.
Gently clean the speaker grills and microphone holes with a soft brush or fiber cleaning cloth for the best results.
Do not use anything sharp to purge the area as they may cause irreparable damage to components located on the inside of your phone.
If your phone was recently submerged in water, please allow your phone to air dry completely before retesting the audio.
Test the Microphone Properly
Launch the voice recorder application on your Android smartphone and make a brief recording.
Listen to the recording from the beginning to end; if your voice is clear, then the hardware microphone is most likely working correctly, and the issue with the other applications (such as WhatsApp, Zoom, Telegram, or Instagram) is not likely to be with the hardware.
If there is no sound in the recording, there may be an issue in the system or with the hardware.
Disconnect Bluetooth Devices
You may have trouble with your Bluetooth function when trying to connect to other devices, since this occurs frequently on Android phones as well. Even after disconnecting from an old Bluetooth device, the phone may still want to send sound to that old device.
Repeat this process with all devices currently paired to the phone by going into the Bluetooth settings and unpairing each device; once you have unpaired the devices, test your mic and speakers again, and it will work for many Android users who are experiencing any audio problems.
Check Microphone Permissions
At times, the microphone is functioning properly during regular calls; however, it will not function correctly within an application. This may occur due to the application’s microphone permission being turned off. To ensure that the application has been given permission to access the microphone, visit the app’s settings.
Your Android device’s privacy settings may have automatically revoked the application’s microphone permission, which can happen after an update. After allowing for microphone access, restart the application, and see if it works once again.
Remove Recently Installed Audio Apps
Certain third-party applications may create conflicting problems with the Android audio system (e.g., sound boost apps, equalizer apps, screen-recorders, and audio-modification tools), causing issues with the microphone and/or speaker.
If the issues with your phone’s speaker/microphone happened after you downloaded an app, uninstall it temporarily, restart your device, and then verify whether or not the problem has been resolved.
Use Safe Mode
By using Safe Mode, you can find out if an app that you got from someone else is the source of the problem.
In Safe Mode, your phone has all of its downloaded apps disabled temporarily.
If your phone’s speakers/microphone are working correctly in Safe Mode, then you likely have an app that is causing the problem.
Once you have determined that there is probably an app causing the problem, you can remove the most suspicious app that was recently added first, then repeat the procedure until you have solved the problem.
Clear System Cache
Sometimes, after an Android update, corrupted cache files can create audio problems. If the system cache is cleared, it will reset the temporary files but not erase any user information. The exact procedure will differ from Android maker to Android maker; however, in most cases, the cache may be cleared via recovery mode. After doing so, restart the phone and check for audio issues.
Update Your Android Software
Using outdated tools can result in hardware-related problems. Phone events routinely issue iterations of the mobile tools that boost performance / reduce errors for common tasks. To check your current version of Android, visit the settings menu. Once the correct software has been installed, your microphone and speaker may work again as intended.
Reset App Preferences
Your audio routing and app permission issues can be caused by incorrect settings of the system. By resetting your app’s preferences, you are restoring your apps to their original state without affecting your saved data. This may assist with some of the microphone access issues, turned off although running background services, as well as any audio conflicting issues caused by incorrect settings. Once the app
preference resets have been completed restart your device and re-test the audio.
Factory Reset Your Phone
A factory reset is a possible option if there is software corruption on the device. Before performing a factory reset, users should back up their important information that they would not want to lose, such as files, contacts, photos, documents, etc. A factory reset will wipe all applications installed on the device and set Android back to its factory settings.
If the speaker or microphone didn’t work after the factory reset of the device, then the problem is hardware since software issues were ruled out with the factory reset.
When To Visit a Repair Center
Not all audio problems can be fixed via software troubleshooting.
If your phone has been dropped or become wet, there may be damage to the internal hardware parts of the phone.
Consider getting your phone repaired by a professional if:
- You hear crackling noises from the speaker
- The microphone occasionally loses sound
- There is no sound coming from the phone at all
- The phone has been physically damaged
- You have performed a factory reset, and the problem still occurs
If any of those symptoms exist, you will likely need to replace either the speaker module, the microphone connector, and/or the internal audio chip.
How To Prevent Speaker and Microphone Problems
Adopting simple, regular maintenance habits can help to alleviate future potential audio issues with your Android device.
Try to maintain a clean phone, as dust or moisture can damage your device; make sure that you utilize protective cases.
Avoid installing any additional/unneeded sound modification applications, and do keep your Android up-to-date with the latest version of its operating system.
Disconnecting Bluetooth devices that you no longer use will help prevent any potential audio routing errors when connecting to your device.
You can improve your audio performance in the long term with just a few easy/quick methods.
Final Thoughts
Issues with speakers and microphones on Android devices occur far more often than we think. Luckily, many issues can be resolved quickly without taking your device to a service center. You may be able to restore audio functionality simply by restarting your device, cleaning your speaker grills, disabling any Bluetooth devices, or adjusting your app permissions.
For software-related issues, Safe Mode, clearing your cache, and updating your operating system should resolve the issue. If you have tried all of these fixes and nothing works, the issue is likely hardware-related and will need to be repaired by a professional.
Follow these simple steps in this guide to successfully troubleshoot your Android device’s speaker and microphone issues and restore audio performance to your device.
