James Harper
How To Increase Ring Volume on Android: Complete Troubleshooting Guide
If the ringtone volume on an Android device is annoyingly low or just not loud enough, it’s a pretty common headache. Missed calls, missed invites — nobody wants that. Usually, it’s a quick fix, but sometimes you run into tricky settings that don’t behave as expected. Here’s what’s worked after bumping into this stuff multiple times and some tips for troubleshooting it yourself.
Step 1: Access Your Device’s Settings
Start by opening Settings. It’s usually on the home screen or in the app drawer. If not, just swipe down from the top and hit the gear icon—though I’ve seen a few phones where it’s buried deep in a menu or named differently.
- Settings path: Settings > Sound & Vibration
Step 2: Adjust the Volume Settings
Here’s where most folks miss the mark. Make sure you bump the Ringtone or Ring Volume slider all the way to the right. Sometimes, it’s lower than you think, or a quick tap on the volume buttons defaults to media volume instead of ring.
On some models, you can even see separate sliders for media, alarms, and ring volume. Double-check that the one for ring is cranked up.
- Sound & Vibration > Volume. Drag the Ring slider.
Step 3: Check ‘Do Not Disturb’ Mode
This mode is sneaky. Sometimes, it’s on, and you forgot about it, silencing your ringtones. To turn it off:
- Go to Settings > Sound & Vibration.
- Look for Do Not Disturb. If it’s on, toggle it off.
It’s weird how this sometimes disables all sound without obvious warning. On some setups, it disables only notifications or silence calls after a certain time—so keep an eye on those toggles. Expect to see silence after toggling DND off, then check if your ringtone is louder during incoming calls. Honestly, this is probably the most common culprit, especially after updates.
Step 4: Change the Ringtone
Some default ringtones are quiet or just not noticeable enough. Try switching to a louder one:
- Navigate to Settings > Sound & Vibration > Ringtone.
- Pick a different ringtone. Maybe go for a more “blaring” style if available. Sometimes, the default tone is just too soft or bland.
Testing different ringtones can immediately help you verify if it’s a volume issue or just a choice of ringtone. Also, if your ringtone setting is linked with other sound settings, changing it might help. Because, of course, Android has to make this more convoluted than necessary.
Step 5: Restart Your Device
OK, not the most techie fix, but sometimes a restart resets sound drivers or caches that might be acting up. Hold down the Power button, then tap Restart or Reboot. Wait a few seconds, then check if your ringer sounds are louder. Might seem trivial, but on some phones, this clears out weird glitches. On one setup it worked immediately, on another… not so much. Go figure.
Step 6: Check for System Updates
Manufacturers often release fixes for bugs affecting sound or volume issues. To update:
- Go to Settings > About Phone > System Update or Software Update.
- If an update is available, install it. Sometimes, these updates address volume bugs or improve system stability.
And now that your device is hopefully up-to-date, check again for volume issues. If it still feels off, there’s still more to try.
Step 7: Test with Different Ringtones and Audio Files
If the problem persists, pick a few different ringtones or even play a sound in the media player to see if louder sounds work better. If your notifications and media are loud but calls are still soft, that points to a specific ringtone or volume setting. You can even try recording a short message and playing it back. If it’s quiet, maybe your speaker’s getting muted or damaged — but more likely it’s just settings.
Extra Tips & Common Issues
Sometimes minor things cause major volume drops:
- Make sure your phone isn’t in a case that muffles sound. That might seem obvious, but I’ve seen it happen.
- Check if any third-party apps, like sound boosters or customizers, might be interfering with your volume settings.
- Resetting all settings — that’s in Settings > System > Reset options > Reset app preferences/Reset all settings — can fix weird conflicts, but it resets everything including Wi-Fi passwords, so use as a last resort.
Conclusion
If all that still leaves your ringtone whispering, it might be a speaker issue or hardware defect. But for most folks, tweaking these settings—especially toggling DND and dialing up the volume sliders—fixes it. Not sure why it works, but removing the DND button and fiddling with the ringtone usually does the trick.
Frequently Asked Questions
What if my ring volume still won’t increase?
Sometimes, a factory reset’s needed, or a visit to support. But usually, updating the system or toggling DND does the job.
Can I set different volumes for different contacts?
Yep, most devices support custom contact ringtones, which can include different volume levels, especially if you assign unique tones to specific people.
Is there a way to test my ringtone volume easily?
Definitely — just pick a tone in settings, then have someone call you or play the ringtone on speaker in a quiet spot. Or, if your phone has a volume test feature, use that.
Summary
- Crank up the volume sliders in Settings.
- Turn off ‘Do Not Disturb’ mode if it’s active.
- Switch to a louder or different ringtone.
- Restart the device and check for updates.
- Test with various ringtones and audio files.
- Verify no third-party app is messing with sound.
Hopefully this shaves off a few hours for someone. It’s kind of weird, but messing around with settings usually helps more than you’d think.