Absolute Bluetooth Volume On Android Explained & How To Disable It

Absolute Bluetooth Volume allows Android users to control both the volume of the Bluetooth device they’re connecting to and the volume of the phone with one volume control. This feature has been around since 2015 and it is likely already available on your phone. There are pros and cons to Absolute Bluetooth Volume, and there is also an easy way to turn it off.

Bluetooth is a useful feature in itself, although the need for better controls has become even greater in recent times with so many devices moving away from physical ports. This is particularly true when it comes to headphones, with the 3.5mm port becoming less common and forcing users to rely more heavily on wireless headphones. Absolute Bluetooth Volume was a long-awaited feature on Android devices. As prior to its inclusion in Android, Bluetooth devices required the user to control the volume of the accessory and the phone volume separately.

Absolute Bluetooth Volume is a feature that is available for devices running on Android 6.0 or later. According to the Android Open Source Project, it allows the phone to send audio information through the phone, edits that audio information to match the volume, and then controls the volume of the Bluetooth device to make sure accurate volume is achieved. While the source device can detect changes and change volume coming from the Android device, changes to the source device can also be shown in the volume controls on the Android device. This means that if someone turns down the volume on a Bluetooth speaker while it’s connected to your phone, you’ll be able to see the new volume reflected in the controls of your phone.

Why Disable Absolute Bluetooth Volume?

Unfortunately, many Bluetooth-enabled devices aren’t designed to handle Absolute Bluetooth Volume and so, some may encounter audio issues when the feature is enabled. However, it’s easy to turn it off, if needed. First, head to the Android phone’s settings menu and then choose “System,” followed by “Developer Options.” Note, some may need to head through “Advanced” before they see the “Developers Options” tab. Once in the developers section, the option to toggle Absolute Bluetooth Volume off will be available. If a time comes when the feature needs to be enabled again, it can be done by heading to the same section and toggling the same setting’s switch back on again.

Absolute Bluetooth Volume is automatically turned on in most Android devices, so unless you’ve already messed with the settings, it’s likely already controlling the audio of devices. If you’re currently connected to a Bluetooth device, you will need to disconnect it before changing these settings. Absolute Bluetooth Volume is very useful, as long as your Bluetooth device can handle it. It offers much better audio control than Bluetooth would otherwise be able to on an Android phone, and it can even increase audio quality.

Source: AOSP

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