1. From the Android Settings
One obvious alternative is to change the volume from the Android Settings app. Just open the Settings app and select the Sound and vibration option. Here You should find all the volume controls you needed right at the top. You can change the Media Volume, Ring and notification Volume, and also the Alarm Volume. This may not be a fast option to change the volume, but it’s an option that you can always rely on any Android device without any prior setup.
2. By Adding Sound Widget
This is an extension of the previous step. Instead of opening and navigating through Settings every time, you can create a widget to that specific setting to access it easily. To do it, long press on the home screen and select the Widgets option to open the widgets panel. In the Widgets panel, scroll down to the Settings option and long press on the Settings shortcut to add to the home screen. Once added, it opens a Settings Shortcuts page where you can select the shortcut. So whatever you have selected, it creates a shortcut for that specific setting. On that page, scroll down and select the Sound and vibration option. That’s it, you have successfully created a shortcut to the sound settings. Now instead of opening that specific settings page every time, you can just use the shortcut to access your volume controls easily.
3. Using the Voice Assistant
Another easy and fast option is to use voice assistants like Google Assistant or Bixby. While Google Assistant is available on all Android devices from all OEMs including Samsung, Bixby is available only on Samsung phones. So I am proceeding with Google Assistant here, but even Bixby has a similar process. (Unfortunately, Alexa doesn’t work with device controls.) First, make sure that you have enabled Google Assistant on your device. To do that, open the Google app > profile icon > Settings > Google Assistant. If you haven’t set it up, you can set it up from here. Just follow the step and it should barely take you a couple of minutes to complete the process. Once done, just say “Hey Google, increase the volume“. It should increase the volume a bit. You can also say “Hey Google, set the volume to 80%” and it sets the volume to 80% irrespective of the current volume. Instead of saying “Hey Google” every time, you can just swipe from the bottom corner of your Android phone’s screen to launch Google Assistant. Once done, you can type the command or you can just say the command like “Set the volume to the max“.
4. Enabling Accessibility Menu
All the previous methods have a few things holding them back. For the first option, it takes a lot of time to open the specific setting. Though the widget option made it easy by creating a shortcut, you can only access it from the home screen. The voice assistant needs voice input, so it draws a lot of attention and not suitable in public places. But with Accessibility Menu, you can change the volume when using any app. You also don’t have to rely on the voice controls. Set up is required but quick. On your Android phone, open the Settings app > Accessibility > Accessibility menu. On the Accessibility menu page, enable the toggle beside the Accessibility menu shortcut option. In the pop-up, tap on Allow for Accessibility menu to have control over your device. Now you should see a shortcut at the side of the display, tapping on it opens the Accessibility menu that also includes Volume up and Volume down controls. This shortcut will be available on the side of your display no matter what app you have open. It will be even available on full-screen apps like YouTube and Games where you mostly need the volume controls.
5. With Earphone/Headphone Buttons
Another option is by using the buttons on your earphones or headphones. Even if you are using a TWS, most earphones come with gesture volume controls. However, this option works on some earphones and while doesn’t work on others. Also, functionality depends on the make and model of the product. But if your audio device has audio control button which most probably it does, this is a much better way to control volume on your Android smartphone than any other way previously mentioned.
6. Using Third-Party Apps
You can try some third-party apps to control the volume on your Android phone. One of the best apps I have tried is the Assistive Volume Button. Just like the Accessibility menu, a small shortcut button will be placed on your screen. While you have to rely on volume up and volume down buttons over there, this app provides you with a clean volume slider. Another advantage is that you can even customize the look of volume controls, you can different volume slides such as ringtone, media, alarm, notifications, etc. Also, there are more customization options for the size of the shortcut on your screen, transparency, etc. Overall, it brings you physical buttons and makes them virtual completely with added style options.
7. Try Remapping Other Physical Buttons
Though the previous options work great, they don’t work well when the screen is off. That’s where remapping buttons come in. If your phone has any additional buttons like the capture button or Bixby button, then you remap it to change the volume on your Android phone. Button Mapper is a good app to do just that. Open the app and grant all the required permissions. Now select the button that you want to use to control volume on Android and map it to volume down or volume up. Even if you want to change the volume in the opposite direction, you can press the button, then you can control the volume with the slider you should see on the screen.
Time to Mute
Instead of using the third-party apps I discussed above, you can also try some other volume control apps such as Always Visible Volume Button, Volume Notification, etc. Also, there are some other apps to remap buttons. Speaking about volume control apps, also try out volume booster apps and equalizer apps on Android to make your experience better.
