If the sound quality on your Android phone is disappointing, there are ways to improve it without having to install apps. Here is how to boost audio quality on a Samsung phone using Settings.
If you want to make Spotify sound better or any other music app, if you want to make watching movies sound like you are really at the cinema instead of sitting on your sofa at home, if you wish the audio was brighter, had more bass or was simply better than it currently is, the solution could be in the Settings app on your phone and you just need to customize it.
Without installing any apps, the audio on an Android phone can be customized in many ways. If you have not yet tried these sound settings, you might be missing out on a better listening experience.
There are many different Android phones and it is impossible to make general statements that cover all of the various models, but here I look at one of the most popular brands, Samsung. The screenshots are from a budget model running Android 10, but if you have another Samsung phone, it probably isn’t much different.
Other Android phones, not Samsung, may have some or all of these features and you just need to dig into the Settings app and find what audio customization features are available. It is bound to have at least some.
Plug in your earphones or headphones. Many of these settings only work if they are plugged in!
1 Open phone settings
Pull down from the top of the screen and tap the gear icon to open the settings screen, or open it from the all-apps screen. Different phones have slightly different menus and different versions of Android also have different menus and settings. This is a budget Samsung phone running Android 10. Press Sounds and vibration.
2 Sound quality settings
Among the sound options in the phone settings is Sound quality and effects. This is where all the customization features can be found. Press it.
3 Customize sound effects
Can’t change these settings? Plug in your earphones! Let’s look at each of these options, which all affect the quality of the sound in one way or another.
4 Boost sound with Dolby Atmos
Dolby Atmos, if you have it on your phone, is an interesting setting and there is a switch to enable it on the Sound quality and effects screen (step 3). It is for media playback, like movies, music and voice, and it makes the sound flow above and around you.
Press Dolby Atmos to see these options. There is no right or wrong setting. Try movies and music with it turned on and off and see which you prefer. The Auto setting may be preferred and it will automatically choose the appropriate mode depending on the type of media.
5 Adjust the sound with the equalizer
Return to the previous screen (step 3, Sound quality and effects), and then press Equalizer. There are five presets to try and if none of them is to your liking, select Custom and then drag the sliders up and down to change the sound quality by frequency. It is best to try this while music is playing, so you can hear the difference.
If you want more bass, it is tempting to increase the low frequencies, but some audio experts say it is better to lower the sliders rather than raise them. The idea is that you reduce the higher frequencies to make the lower frequencies stand out more.
6 Upscale the audio quality
This UHQ upscaler screen is accessed from the Sound quality and effects screen (step 3). It is personal preference which to use, so try them both and see which is best for you.
7 Adapt the sound to your hearing
The Adapt sound option on the Sound quality and effects screen (step 3) is the most important for anyone whose hearing is not perfect. For those people with a problem, even if it is only minor, this can help.
As you grow older, your hearing changes and your ears become less sensitive to certain frequencies. The three age settings automatically adjust the sound according to your age and it can improve the quality.
It is said that you do not notice hearing problems until they are really bad, so even if you think your hearing is OK, you should use the Personalize your sound feature to check it. Press the button at the bottom.
8 Take a hearing test
Personalize your sound is basically a hearing test. The phone plays a series of beeps starting very quietly and increasing in loudness and you say when you can hear them. This is repeated at several frequencies.
At the end of the test, it knows which frequencies you hear normally and which you don’t, and how bad it is. It can then boost the frequencies you struggle to hear.
9 Pick an ear
Do you have a preference when it comes to making phone calls? Do you use your right or left ear? Ears may hear sounds differently and sometimes one ear is better or worse than the other. After the hearing test, select the ear you normally use for phone calls and the sound is optimized for that ear.
10 Save your sound profile
When the test is finished, the results can be saved and then the sound profile can be selected on the Adapt sound (step 7) screen.
The sound quality on your phone should now be the best possible and customized to your hearing. Remember that these settings only work when earphones or headphones are plugged in.
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