Android phone speaker not working?7 tips and fixes to try

Your Android phone's speaker grill is constantly exposed to the environment and all kinds of debris, even in a case.While your phone can withstand these environments, it doesn't always hold up to dust very well.This often results in muffled sound from the Android phone's speakers, or worse, the phone's speakers don't work at all.

Fortunately, you don't have to make a service center appointment just yet if you have problems with your speakers.If your phone speaker is dead, here are some troubleshooting steps and fixes you can try to restore your Android phone's speaker.

1. Check for software issues

Before actually troubleshooting no sound from your Android phone's speakers, you should make sure the problem is indeed a hardware fault.

The first step is to perform a reboot.This will allow the phone to reboot in case anything went wrong after the last reboot that stopped the phone's speakers from working.

If not, please perform the following checks:

Go to Settings > Connections > Bluetooth to see if your phone is connected to wireless audio devices such as earbuds.If yes, disconnect.This will redirect the audio output to the phone's main speaker.

Go to Settings > Sound & Vibration to check if your phone is set to silent/no sound.If yes, set it as sound/ringtone.

Go to Settings > Notifications > Do Not Disturb and toggle it to Off if it's on.

Go to Settings > Accessibility > Hearing Enhancements or Audio Adjustments, and if enabled, turn off Mute All Sounds.During this process, make sure that the left-right sound balance of the phone's speakers is not skewed to either side.

It could also be an app issue if you're playing music through a third-party music player.So, a more conclusive way to check whether it's the music app or the phone's speakers that's failing is to play a ringtone or alarm in the phone's audio settings.

You can go to Settings > Sounds & Vibration > Ringtones and choose one of the many options available.Make sure to turn up your call volume when doing this.

2. Manually disable the headphone output

Sometimes your phone speaker may not work, but your headphones will.When you unplug an accessory from the audio jack, Android may not be able to handle the event, leaving your phone stuck in headphone mode with the phone speakers not working.This means that although you have unplugged the headphones, the speakers will still not work.

While many phones don't have a headphone jack these days, phones that do have one can still suffer from this problem.

Usually, you can fix this with a standard reboot.But if that doesn't solve the problem, you can try a free app called Disable Headphone.With the flick of a switch, the app manually forces the phone out of headphone mode to play sound through the speakers.

Disable Headphone does the opposite as well.If, for whatever reason, the phone is unable to transmit audio through a connected accessory, you can use the app to manually enable headphone mode.

Download: Disable Headphone, HDST Toggle (free)

3. Try safe mode

Android allows you to boot into a stripped-down mode that only runs the original software that came with the phone from the factory.This allows troubleshooting your phone without interference from any third-party services or apps.It's called Safe Mode, and it's available on every Android phone.

To enter safe mode, press and hold the power button.In the prompt that appears, touch and hold the "Power Off" button, then tap "OK" when prompted.The phone will restart in safe mode shortly.Repeat the above steps and select the "Restart" option a second time to easily leave Safe Mode.

Note that the steps for safe mode may vary from one Android device to another.If nothing comes up when you follow the steps above, try googling your model or check the official support forum.

4. Clean the speaker grilles

If you're wondering "Why is my phone muffled?" or "How do I fix speaker volume problems?", chances are your speakers are full of dust!As mentioned earlier, smartphone speaker vents often collect dust over time.

This hinders the speaker's ability to produce sound.At this point, you should try to clean the grill yourself, removing as much of the obstruction as possible.

There are many tips and tricks to help you clean your phone.First, you can blow air into the speaker with your mouth or a can of compressed air.Alternatively, you can try vacuuming up small crumbs and dust.This may affect the phone's internals though, so be careful when trying.

Another good tip is to gently scrub the speaker grills with an old toothbrush or soft-bristled brush, which should help remove dust.

If you're feeling extra confident and your phone is easy to take apart, you can also try getting inside and blowing the dust out.

5. Perform a hard reset

As mentioned above, testing the phone in safe mode rules out the possibility that a third-party app is causing the phone's sound to fail.

If your phone's speakers are working fine in safe mode, you can try to isolate the problem to a specific app, setting, or device.If you're experiencing speaker issues after making changes to these options, try undoing your changes.

Failing that, you can do a hard reset.Even if switching to safe mode doesn't help, you can try a factory reset.Doing so will allow the phone to reboot, eliminating the possibility of any software wreaking havoc on the speaker.

You can usually find the reset option in Settings > System > Reset Options, but if you can't find it, you can also use the search bar at the top of the Settings app.However, make sure to fully back up your data first.

6. Flooding accident?let it dry

If your phone's speaker isn't working and it's been exposed to water recently, water damage is likely to blame.

One of the most common consequences of getting water in your phone is a dead speaker.Liquids can quickly enter internal components connected to the open grille.So if you have issues with your speakers after such an accident, let your phone dry out.

There are a few ways to dry a wet phone, such as blowing hot air on it -- though putting it in rice won't do it.In any case, turn off your phone immediately and wait for it to dry completely before trying to restart it.

While many phones are water resistant these days, the IP rating doesn't protect the phone from water damage.If you don't know what an IP68 rating is, or if your phone has an IP68 rating, do some research before attempting underwater photography!

Also, you can try downloading apps like Speaker Cleaner.The apps play vibrating sounds to unclog and pump water from the speakers.It has a good track record and costs nothing, although there are ads.

Download: Speaker Cleaner (Free, premium version available)

7. Seek professional help

If none of the above steps work, then it's likely a hardware failure.You should make an appointment with a trusted service center to have it inspected by a professional.

Given the frequency at which smartphone speakers operate, their quality will eventually wear out.While these repair methods have the potential to help you restore a dead speaker, they don't guarantee the speaker's longevity.

Protect your phone with a case

Your phone goes through a lot every day.To protect your phone from drops, debris, and general wear and tear, it's best to keep it in a case.While you may prefer your phone as it is, using a case will extend the life of your phone and save you money on repairs.