If you unexpectedly began to notice that when talking on the phone, the voices of the interlocutors have become significantly worse than before, and in noisy rooms the voice “at the other end of the tube” is completely inaudible - then this article is for you!
As a rule, everyone who experiences problems with hearing at first thinks that the cellular connection or the microphone (cell phone) of the interlocutor is to blame, but as soon as you switch the phone to speakerphone, the problem disappears and the interlocutor’s voice immediately becomes heard loudly and clearly. It turns out that the problem was with the phone, that is, with the speaker, which began to work noticeably quieter than before. And in order to make the earpiece work as loudly as before, you need to calibrate its volume in the phone settings according to the instructions below.
Self-diagnosis
To diagnose yourself, take the test. The virtual assistant will identify the problem and tell you what to do.
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Have you covered the proximity sensor with your finger?
Correct! Wrong!
In modern smartphones, especially in the entry-level price category, the proximity sensor may sometimes not work or malfunction, causing a lot of inconvenience. If it doesn’t help, click the “Continue diagnostics” button.
Did you turn up the volume?
Correct! Wrong!
If turning up the volume does not solve the problem, click the “Continue diagnostics” button.
When they call you back, can you hear your interlocutor better?
Correct! Wrong!
If it doesn’t help, we continue the diagnosis.
Did you clean the speaker with a cotton swab soaked in alcohol?
Correct! Wrong!
If it doesn’t help, click the “Continue diagnostics” button.
The network may be congested, wait 15 to 30 minutes.
Correct! Wrong!
If it doesn’t help, click the “Continue diagnostics” button.
Have you tried doing a factory reset?
Correct! Wrong!
Sometimes this eliminates software errors. Instructions for resetting settings. If you have already done this, click the “Continue diagnostics” button.
Have you tried updating or reflashing your device?
Correct! Wrong!
Instructions for flashing If you have updated, click the “Continue diagnostics” button.
Has the phone been dropped or repaired?
Correct! Wrong!
If dropped or repaired, the board responsible for playing sounds may be damaged. If it is not dropped, click the “Continue diagnostics” button.
You can’t hear your interlocutor. Only repairs in the workshop will help here.
It's time for repairs, the problem is clearly not in the software part, you can't fix it with your own hands.
Be sure to try to complete all steps in turn.
- Instructions for rebooting any smartphone.
- Wait 15 to 30 minutes, this may be operator glitches.
- Ask to call you back.
- Clean the speaker with an alcohol solution
- Update your smartphone to the latest available firmware. Instructions for flashing
- Do a factory reset (Warning! You may lose all data). Instructions for resetting settings.
- If the device is under warranty, take it to the store where you bought it and describe the situation.
Share your Results:
What to try first
Cover the proximity sensor with your finger
When you are using a touchscreen mobile phone and cannot hear the other person, the problem may be that your ear is unintentionally muting the microphone. In modern smartphones, especially in the entry-level price category, the proximity sensor may sometimes not work or malfunction, causing a lot of inconvenience.
During a conversation, try simply placing your hand on the proximity sensor (close the entire front camera block) and tap on the microphone icon.
Clean the speaker
An extreme option, but sometimes it works. Take a cotton swab (or brush) moistened with alcohol and gently wipe the speaker grill of your smartphone. Thus, accumulated dust and dirt will fall out of the sound slots.
Detailed instructions on how to clean the speaker:
Turn up the volume
The simplest method is to try to increase the sound level using hardware keys located on the body of the gadget. Only then move on to other options.
Network is overloaded
This often happens due to network outages, for example, due to bad weather conditions or other radio interference. Call technical service. support from your operator to ask why cellular service is so poor in your location. If the consultant says that this problem does not come from them, then try removing the SIM card, and then reinserting it and repeat the call.
Ask to call back
If you still cannot hear the caller, there is another way to restore sound - it is necessary for your interlocutor to call himself, and for you to pick up the phone. This may work if the reason lies not in mechanical, but in software damage.
Sometimes you can simply not see and turn off the microphone during a call. This is especially true for modern Android and iOS devices. We turn the microphone back on and in 90% of cases this will correct the situation. If this does not help, then you need to reboot the device and make the call again.
Insufficient volume
Without a doubt, the most absurd cause of hearing problems is insufficient speaker volume. Alas, as practice shows, quite often this “oversight” becomes the key one. Oddly enough, not all modern smartphone users know that using the volume keys located on the side panel of the gadget, you can adjust not only the volume of music and videos in the headphones or on the main speaker, but also the sound level when talking on the phone. Thus, I highly recommend checking how loud your smartphone's speaker is set the next time you make a call.
technical issues
All the above tips do not always help, since the reason for the lack of volume may be mechanical in nature. We list the damage that causes the microphone to stop working:
- Inside the speaker there is a magnetic coil, the turns of which are connected to contacts on the board. One of these turns may break, leading to failure of the part.
- There are phone models where the speaker is connected to the board via a cable. Such a wire can simply break or come off the connector.
- It is possible that the track on the microcircuit, which is responsible for supplying power to the microphone and speaker, may be erased.
- To convert and transmit sounds, a special microcircuit is provided in the design of the device; it can also burn out or be mechanically damaged after a strong impact.
- The volume button also does not last forever and often breaks when the sound is turned off.
It is possible to carry out independent repairs of such elements, but only if you have the appropriate knowledge. In other situations, it is better to take mobile phones to a service center to restore the functionality of the microphone.
Audio jack problems
The test can be done after connecting the headphones. If you hear sound from them, try the following:
- with headphones connected, hold down the volume up button and remove the headphone plug from the socket;
- Insert and pull out the headphone plug several times;
- blow out the audio connector with compressed air;
- If any liquid gets in, partially disassemble the device and clean the button contacts.
Also, sometimes “antennae” are clamped in the audio connector, which indicates to the device that headphones are currently connected, which is why it does not provide sound to the speakers. In this case, you need to try to unclench them, or give the device to specialists.
Factory reset
If you have done the manipulations that were noted earlier, but you are still unable to hear your interlocutor on the phone, you can return the cell phone to the factory settings, since the software can sometimes fail. This procedure is performed using the “Settings” menu in the “Backup and reset” tab. Depending on the modification and brand of the telephone, this item may be called differently. After going to the “Restore and reset” item, click “Reset to factory settings”.
1 way:
Method 2:
We would like to warn you that if your smartphone contains any significant information, photographs, audio recordings or video material, first transfer everything you need to an external drive. Thus, after resetting the settings, you can easily return all content to the device and continue to use it.
The bad news is that if this does not help, then you will need to update the Android device firmware, which is described below.
Important! Don’t forget your accounts (Google, Viber, Skype, mail, etc.), after the reset they will also be deleted, so remember and write down all logins and passwords for them in advance.
Cable failure
If you are using a flip phone or slider, then one of the likely reasons for the lack of sound may be a broken cable. When opening and closing the cover of the device, this element also moves each time, as a result of which, after prolonged use, the contacts may fray.
I'll try to suggest the basic principles of setting up sound in the engineering menu.
On the same phones, but with different firmware versions, the engineering menu may be slightly different. We describe it using the iPhone H6 engineering menu as an example.
We enter the engineering menu by entering the appropriate code. For example, for some phone models *#9646633#
Go to the Audio menu. By default, the audio settings use three modes: - normal mode - main phone use mode - loudspeaker mode - handsfree mode - headphone mode - headset mode
We choose the sound in which mode annoys us. For example, we don't like the microphone sensitivity in “Normal Mode”. Go to the menu “Normal Mode” - “Microphone”. We observe the menu items “Volume 0” - “Volume 1” - “Volume 2” - “Volume 3” - “Volume 4” - “Volume 5” - “Volume 6”. These menu items determine the microphone signal level at various settings of the overall phone volume, which, if necessary, is adjusted by the phone volume rocker. Now, by changing the values in each of the 7 points, you can customize the phone for yourself. The basic principle is “The higher the volume of the speaker, the lower the sensitivity of the microphone” (if there is noise outside, the volume of the speaker is higher to hear the interlocutor and the sensitivity of the microphone is lower, to reduce the transmission of external noise, and vice versa - in a quiet room, with a quiet sound from the speaker, You can increase the sensitivity of the microphone so as not to raise your voice). The minimum value of these parameters is 0, the maximum is 255. i.e. set type settings: Volume 0 - 255 Volume 1 - 235 Volume 2 - 215 Volume 3 - 205 Volume 4 - 195 Volume 5 - 185 Volume 6 - 175
These are not specific values. This is the principle. Specific values may depend on the characteristics of your microphone. Parameter values are selected using the volume rocker. Then “Install”. Excessive sensitivity of the microphone leads to an echo effect when the interlocutor hears himself.
Similarly to the microphone, the volume of other audio devices is adjusted: Speech - speaker level in conversation mode Keyboard tone - volume of the signal when pressing keys Melody - volume of the ringing signal Sound - volume of TV and FM
Same as Normal mode - set values for Speaker Mode and Headphone Mode.
Additionally: In each of the items (Speech, Melody, etc.) there is a final item “16 Level Setting”. It has 2 parameters: Max Analog Gain and Step. This is for setting 16-step volume control of the audio player in the corresponding mode (Normal, Headphones, etc.) Max Analog Gain is the maximum volume of the audio player. Step is the step by which the volume decreases (from maximum) when you press the rocker. Thus, if for example Max Analog Gain=160, Step=10, then the volume will change from maximum (160) to zero. If Max Analog Gain=160, Step=5, then the volume will be from 160 to 80. These parameters are duplicated in all items (Speech, Melody, etc.), just set in one item. PS Their influence on the volume of the video player was not noticed (although there is also a 16-step control)
What should I do if the person I’m talking to can’t hear me well on the phone? If the device is under warranty, then you can simply contact the service center, where they will repair or replace the relevant parts. What if the warranty has unfortunately already expired? Then you should try to independently determine what is the cause of this defect: a software failure or a hardware failure?
Why can't my interlocutor hear me on my Android phone?
You can find out the cause of the problem quickly enough by simply connecting the headset. If you then make a call using speakerphone and the interlocutor can hear you, it means that the microphone built into the phone is damaged, and the device must be taken to a service center to have the part replaced. At times, simply rebooting the smartphone helps.
Sometimes, as a result of the fact that the interlocutor cannot hear you well on the phone, there is a system failure that you can try to fix yourself without turning to specialists. In this case, you should proceed as follows:
- Go to " Settings
" - Find " Storage and Backup
"
- Create a backup by connecting a memory card, or use cloud storage, a copy can also be saved using a computer via USB port
- Perform a " Factory Reset
"
This is a radical measure, but if the device worked fine in its pure form before you started installing programs, then the problem lies with the installed software. This turns out to be enough to eliminate the reason that the interlocutor cannot hear me well on the phone.
If you apply, save all information that is stored on your device as it will be deleted during the reset. Please note that all photos, videos, account settings, messages, contacts, and applications will disappear, so do not neglect backup. Some smartphone models have built-in utilities for saving a backup copy in the cloud services of phone manufacturers. Read more about this in the article.
A complete data reset will delete all information stored on the device (photos, videos, account settings, messages, contacts, and applications). Before resetting your data, be sure to create a backup copy - instructions.
What should I do if the person I’m talking to can’t hear me well on the phone?
To troubleshoot problems with the microphone, try cleaning your phone using a program that is available on the Play Store. Tubro Cleaner will safely clean your smartphone of unnecessary files and programs that slow down the operation of the device, and also eliminate settings errors. Launch the application, and the utility will monitor the operation of the smartphone’s system files.
- Download and install the program on your device
- Run " Accelerate
"
- Turn on Tubro Cleaner
- Get rid of debris clogging the system
You can clear your smartphone of files that cause software failures using the built-in utility, if your phone has one. To use this function you must:
- Go to " Security
" - Then select " Optimize
"
- Select files to be optimized
- Perform Cleanup
When I call, the interlocutor cannot hear me - drastic measures
Well, the last option is to reflash the phone. You most likely won’t be able to do this on your own without a certain skill, if you don’t have enough experience or have never done reflashing. It’s better to contact a service center, where specialists will do everything faster and safer for your smartphone. If you decide to change the software yourself, you should go to the phone manufacturer's website to download the firmware and upload it to the device. But, if you dare to take such a step, be sure to create and save a backup copy, as described above.
We deliberately do not give advice like “take a toothpick and clean the microphone hole yourself from accumulated dirt or dust,” since it is quite easy to damage the microphone by piercing it. After this, replacement is possible only at a service center. If the interlocutor has trouble hearing me on the phone, use our tips.
Often, users of Sony Xperia smartphones are dissatisfied with the quality of audibility during communication with a contact, and this situation also occurs in the reverse order. In this article we will look at all possible problems of audibility during communication. In most cases, the issue can be resolved at the software level without much effort, free of charge and without having to contact repair centers.
We will consider the reasons in order of frequency encountered by owners of smartphones from this company.
Serious reasons
An even more radical method of restoring the audibility of the speakers is to reflash the gadget, since problems can begin due to an OS software failure, viruses, or malicious actions of advertising rootkits. Instructions for flashing Android devices. True, it is important to understand the intricacies of computer wisdom at least at an intermediate level.
Sometimes, other than replacing the sound element, nothing will help. You will have to buy a hearing speaker and replace it yourself or at a service center. Bring the gadget and say: “When talking, they can hear me perfectly, but I can’t.” Then the technician will know where to start diagnosing.
To assess the complexity of the problem, watch the video on replacing the part (you may have to use a multimeter and a soldering iron):
Question answer
The sound is too quiet
There may be two problems here:
- This level is set from the factory, you will have to activate the engineering menu and manually increase the volume level using software.
- The device was poured or dropped into liquid (water, beer, soup, glue, a child slobbered on it, whatever).
A strange noise appeared: interference, crackling
If the speaker suddenly begins to wheeze, make noise (you can hear an echo), creak, hiss, hum, and others, the module has most likely become unusable. Possibly from old age or exposure to fluid.
The smartphone says “do not cover the speaker”
The “Prevent accidental clicks” or “In your pocket” function on Xiaomi is probably activated.
Is there ultrasonic cleaning of mesh and diaphragm?
Yes, but there is no point in this, the metal protection is designed to collect dust, hair, grease, and other contaminants. You can clean clogged dirt using household chemicals or detergents.
