How do I reduce the noise when making a call on Android?
Background noise can be a frustrating problem when trying to have a phone conversation on an Android device. Ambient noises from your environment, echo from the room, and even phone interference can make it difficult for you and the other caller to hear each other clearly. This background fuzz and static can be annoying at best and make it impossible to communicate at worst.
The goal is to reduce background noise as much as possible when making calls from an Android phone. By following some simple tips, adjusting phone settings, using tools and accessories, and finding optimal spaces for calls, you can cut down on distracting sounds and enable clearer phone conversations.
Identify Sources of Noise
Some common sources of background noise that can disrupt phone calls include:
- Household noises like televisions, music players, appliances, pets, and kids playing
- Environmental sounds such as traffic, wind, crowds, and construction work
- Echoes and reverb caused by room acoustics and hard surfaces
The noises can originate from either the caller’s environment or the receiver’s environment. Identifying the specific sources of noise is the first step toward reducing them.
Common household noises tend to be intermittent, like a dog barking or a washing machine running. While environmental noises like traffic are more constant.
Echoes and reverb are also common on phone calls and can make it very difficult to understand the other person. This is often caused by materials in the room like tile, glass, and concrete.
Being aware of these major categories of background noise can help you pinpoint the causes and take steps to minimize them.
Use Noise Suppression Settings
Android has built-in noise suppression settings that can help reduce background noise during calls. This feature uses algorithms to identify non-speech sounds like background chatter, wind, or traffic and suppress them so your voice comes through more clearly.
To enable Android’s noise suppression:
- Open the Settings app and go to Sound & vibration > Call settings
- Toggle on Noise suppression
This will enable noise suppression for all calls made through the Phone app. Some calling apps like WhatsApp also have their own noise suppression settings you can adjust.
Android’s noise suppression feature analyzes the audio input in real-time and identifies frequencies that don’t represent human speech. It applies filters to suppress those frequencies while minimizing the impact on speech frequencies. This makes your voice more intelligible to the person on the other end of the call.
The noise suppression algorithms on newer Android versions are quite advanced and can eliminate background noise without making your voice sound muffled or robotic. Just enabling this setting can significantly reduce ambient noise coming from your end of the call.
Limit Echo with Room Treatment
One of the best ways to reduce ambient noise when making calls is to limit echo and reverberation in your room. Hard, reflective surfaces like walls and windows can bounce sounds around and cause disruptive echo on calls. Adding sound dampening materials can absorb echo and clean up your audio.
Some simple options for DIY acoustic treatment include:
– Hanging curtains on walls and windows – The dense fabric helps absorb sound vibrations.
– Placing carpets on floors – Carpets and rugs prevent echo from hardwood, tile, or concrete.
– Installing foam panels – Acoustic foam panels mounted on walls dampen echoes and remove reverb.
Foam panels are inexpensive acoustic treatment options. For a budget DIY approach, use rigid insulation panels covered in fabric. Place these DIY panels at reflection points where sound bounces most. Reducing overall reverberation in a room cuts ambient noise reaching your phone’s mic.
Find a Quiet Space
One of the easiest ways to reduce background noise on a phone call is to simply move to a quieter area. If possible, go to a room in your home or office that is farther away from televisions, people, kitchens, street noise, etc. Moving into a room and closing the door can significantly cut down on ambient sounds that your microphone may pick up.
If you can’t find a quiet spot indoors, consider going outside or sitting in your parked car. Being outdoors eliminates household noises, and gets you away from chatter and appliances. Sitting in your parked vehicle can also provide a peaceful atmosphere to have a discussion. Just be sure to avoid making calls when driving, for safety.
According to My Office Pod, phone booths and pods are a great option for creating a soundproof environment for calls. They recommend the Silent Room Phone Booth, a small yet quiet and private unit perfect for video calls and phone calls without disturbances.
Use Headphones or Earbuds
Wired or wireless headphones with a built-in mic can help isolate background noise and improve call clarity. Earbuds that fit snugly in your ear canal are especially effective at blocking out external noise. Popular options include the Nothing Ear (2), Google Pixel Buds Pro, and AirPods Pro.
The Nothing Ear (2) earbuds stand out with their excellent noise reduction during calls and affordable price point. Reviewers praise the Ear (2)’s ability to pick up the wearer’s voice while minimizing distracting ambient sounds [1]. For Android users, the Google Pixel Buds Pro feature excellent integration with Google Assistant and noise canceling optimized for voice calls. The active noise cancellation helps reduce background noise so your voice comes through clearly [2].
Overall, quality earbuds or headphones with built-in mics make it easier to hear and be heard when making calls in noisy environments. Investing in a solid headset can vastly improve your phone call experience.
Use External Microphones
One effective way to reduce background noise on Android calls is to use an external microphone. Lapel microphones or USB microphones can help block ambient sounds compared to using the built-in microphone on your phone.
Lapel mics clip onto your shirt near your mouth, capturing your voice while rejecting sounds from other directions. Popular options like the Synco Mic-M2 (https://www.amazon.com/external-microphone-android-phone/s?k=external+microphone+for+android+phone) wireless lav mic pair with Android phones via Bluetooth to provide clearer call audio.
USB microphones designed for Android like the Movo VXR10-PRO (https://www.movophoto.com/collections/microphones-for-android) plug into your phone’s USB-C port. They utilize a directional microphone pattern to focus on voices directly in front of the mic while suppressing surrounding noise.
The focused pickup patterns of external mics reject sounds coming from the sides and rear. This allows them to isolate your voice from background chatter, wind, traffic, and other distracting ambient noises. Using an external mic optimizes the audio clarity on both ends of the call.
Ask Callers to Reduce Their Noise
One simple way to reduce noise when making calls on Android is to politely ask the people you are calling to move locations or reduce background noise on their end. Explain to them that excessive background noise makes it very difficult for you to hear them properly. Most people will be understanding if you ask them nicely.
You can say something like: “I’m having a hard time hearing you with all the background noise. Would it be possible for you to move somewhere a bit quieter so I can hear you better?” Emphasize that you really want to hear what they have to say, but the noise is making that challenging.
If they are unable to move, gently ask if there is anything they can do to reduce the amount of background noise. For example, closing a door or window, turning off music or television, moving away from crowds, or using headphones with a built-in microphone. The key is to make the request politely and explain the reason why – so you can have a better conversation.
Here are a few polite ways to request callers reduce their background noise:
- “I’m having trouble hearing you over the noise. Is there any way you could move somewhere quieter?”
- “Would you mind reducing the background noise a bit? I’m straining to hear you.”
- “Sorry, it’s really noisy on your end. Could you try closing a window or door to block some of that out?”
With a courteous request and brief explanation, most callers will happily oblige to improve communication on both ends of the call.
Use Calling Apps with Noise Reduction
Many popular calling and messaging apps for Android offer built-in noise reduction features to help minimize background noise during calls:
Google Voice includes a setting called “Noise cancellation” that uses AI to detect and filter out ambient noise during calls [1]. This can help reduce echo and other distracting sounds coming through on both ends of the call.
WhatsApp has a noise suppression feature that aims to remove unwanted noise from the audio stream during voice and video calls. This can help reduce background chatter and other ambient sounds that users pick up through their microphone [2].
Facebook Messenger and Instagram Direct have “Voice Isolation” which detects external noise during calls and works to suppress it in real time. This makes it easier to focus on the caller’s voice without distractions.
Signal also offers built-in noise cancelling to remove unwanted background noise during voice and video calls. It filters out ambient sounds to deliver clearer call audio.
Using calling and messaging apps with noise cancellation features can be an easy and effective way to reduce distracting background noise when making voice calls on Android devices.
Conclusion
To recap, there are several key strategies to reduce unwanted background noise when making calls on Android phones. Using the built-in noise suppression settings, limiting echo with room treatment, finding a quiet space, using headphones or external microphones, and asking callers to reduce their noise can all help minimize distracting sounds.
Taking these steps to reduce background noise during calls provides multiple benefits. It allows you and the other caller to hear each other clearly without distraction. This improves communication and understanding between both parties. It also enhances call quality and professionalism when speaking to clients, coworkers, or other important contacts.
Some additional tips include using calling apps with noise reduction features, updating to Android software versions with the latest noise cancellation capabilities, and adjusting microphone settings to focus on voice rather than ambient sound. With some small adjustments, you can make a big difference in clearing up unwanted background noise during calls on your Android device.