How do I turn off headphone controls on Android?

What are headphone controls?

Headphone controls refer to buttons located on the earbuds or in-line remote of wired headphones and earbuds. These controls allow you to perform basic media playback functions without having to take your phone out.

Common headphone controls include:

Play/Pause button to start and stop your music or videos

Volume up/down buttons to increase or decrease the volume
Next/Previous track buttons to skip to the next or previous song in your playlist
Call answer/end buttons to answer or hang up phone calls hands-free

Voice assistant button to activate Siri, Google Assistant, etc.

Headphone controls provide a convenient way to manage music, videos, calls and more directly from your headphones. They aim to improve the playback experience by minimizing device handling. Most modern wired headphones and earbuds come equipped with some combination of these handy control buttons.

Why disable headphone controls?

There are a few reasons why you may want to disable the playback controls on your headphone cord or earbuds when using an Android device:

Prevent accidental touches – The playback buttons on headphones are very sensitive and can easily be bumped or touched accidentally. This can pause your music or skip tracks unexpectedly. Disabling the controls prevents any accidental presses from interrupting your listening.

Avoid playback control conflicts – If you are controlling music playback from another device like a smartwatch or directly on your phone’s screen, the headphone controls may conflict with these, causing erratic behavior. Disabling the headphone controls prevents any control conflicts.

Improve headphone battery life – On wireless Bluetooth headphones, having the playback controls enabled can drain the battery faster. Disabling the on-ear controls can help extend the battery life between charges.

Check your Android Version

To disable headphone controls, you first need to check which version of Android your device is running. Knowing your Android version number will determine the steps you need to take to turn off headphone controls.

To find your Android version number, go to Settings > About phone. You’ll see the Android version listed there. Android versions are named after sweets and desserts in alphabetical order. The latest major version as of 2022 is Android 12 “Snow Cone.”

Older versions of Android include:
– Android 9 “Pie”

– Android 8 “Oreo”
– Android 7 “Nougat”
– Android 6 “Marshmallow”

Newer versions tend to have more customizable settings for headphone controls. Android 10 and higher make it easier to disable headphone controls compared to Android 9 and lower.[Source]

Disable controls on Android 9 and lower

To disable headphone controls on Android 9 and lower, follow these steps:

Open the Settings app on your Android device.

Tap on System.
Choose Languages & Input.
Tap on Advanced at the bottom.

Find the Wired headphone remote control option.
Uncheck the option to disable headphone controls.

This will prevent your headphones from controlling playback when connected to your Android 9 or lower device. You can always re-enable this option in the future if desired.

Here is a screenshot showing where to find the setting on Android Pie:

Disable controls on Android 10 and higher

Starting with Android 10, Google moved the setting to disable wired headphone controls. To turn off headphone controls on Android 10 or newer:

Open the Settings app and tap System.
Scroll down and tap Gestures.
Under “Prevent ringing” toggle off ‘Wired headset controls’.

This will prevent your wired headphones from controlling music playback and volume. The controls on the headphones themselves will no longer function when this setting is disabled.

If you want to re-enable the controls later, go back to the Gestures menu and toggle ‘Wired headset controls’ back on.

Disable controls for specific apps

Some Android devices allow you to disable headphone controls for specific apps rather than globally. This can be useful if you only want to disable controls in certain media apps like Spotify.

To disable headphone controls in specific apps on Samsung devices:

Go to Settings > Accessibility

Tap Dexterity and interaction
Turn off Voice assistant help

This will disable headphone control interactions with Samsung’s Bixby voice assistant in specific apps. You can also try disabling Media Volume Sync in Sound settings.

On other Android devices, first check if the app itself has settings to disable headphone controls. For example, Spotify has an option to disable headset controls under Settings > Playback. If not, your only options may be disabling controls system-wide or using a third party app.

Use developer options

Android’s developer options contain advanced settings that allow you to disable headphone controls. To access these options:

Open Settings and scroll to the bottom. Tap About Phone.

Scroll down and tap Build Number 7 times until you see a message that developer options have been enabled.
Go back to Settings and you should now see Developer options. Tap it.
Scroll down and enable Developer options if it’s disabled.

In Developer options, you can disable absolute volume which may disable headphone controls. Under Advanced settings, toggle “Disable absolute volume” on (source).

You can also try toggling other audio-related developer options like “Disable USB audio routing” and see if that disables headphone controls.

Try third-party apps

If your device does not have built-in options to customize your headphone controls, third-party apps can give you more flexibility to remap buttons instead of fully disabling them. Some recommended Android apps include:

Button Mapper – This highly-rated app lets you remap your headphone buttons to launch apps, shortcuts, or other custom actions. You can customize each button separately.

Remap Device Buttons & Keys – Specifically designed to remap hardware buttons like headphone controls. Create custom actions for single press, double press, and long press.

These apps require no root access. You’ll need to grant some permissions related to detecting button presses. The main advantage over disabling is that you can keep using the buttons for other useful functions.

Experiment with different apps to find one that works best for your needs. Read reviews and check capabilities before installing. With full customization, you can make your headphone controls work the way you want.

Use wired headphones

Many wireless headphones have built-in controls for pausing music, adjusting volume, skipping tracks, activating voice assistants, and more. Wired headphones often lack these built-in controls.

“The biggest benefit of wired earbuds is that most don’t have any music playback controls like pause, volume, track skip, voice assistant, etc.” – Wired Earbuds No Microphone

Switching to a basic pair of wired earbuds without built-in controls can prevent accidental touches from triggering unwanted actions on your phone. This removes the ability to control playback directly from your headphones but provides a simple solution if you want to disable headphone controls entirely.

Some recommended wired earbuds without controls include:

Panasonic ErgoFit In-Ear Earbud Headphones

Sony MDR-EX15LP In-Ear Headphones
JLab Go Air Pop Earbuds

Check product details carefully before purchasing wired earbuds to confirm they do not include inline microphone/controls. For the most basic wired listening experience without any controls, wired earbuds are an affordable option.

FAQs

Here are answers to some frequently asked questions about headphone controls on Android:

Why do my headphone controls keep pausing or skipping tracks?

If your headphone controls are malfunctioning and randomly pausing, playing, or skipping tracks, it could be an issue with either the headphones themselves or your Android device. Try testing your headphones with another device to see if the issue persists. If it only happens with your Android phone or tablet, it could be a hardware or software issue. Make sure your Android OS and apps are up-to-date. You can also try toggling your headphone controls off and back on, or use developer options to disable headphone controls entirely.

How do I remap my headphone button functions?

On many Android devices, you can remap the function of your headphone buttons in Settings > Accessibility > Advanced settings > Headphone controls. Here you can change what a short press, double press, or long press does for each headphone button. Options usually include play/pause, skip track, previous track, voice assist, and more. If your device doesn’t have these settings, you may need to use a third-party app like Button Mapper to remap controls.

Why aren’t my headphone controls working?

If your headphone buttons have suddenly stopped working, first make sure the headphones are properly plugged in. Then check if your headphones work properly with another device – if not, it could be an issue with the headphones themselves. You can also go into Settings and make sure “Headphone controls” are enabled, and try toggling them off and back on. Restarting your Android device can sometimes help too. If the issue persists, it may be a hardware problem requiring headphone replacement or repair.

Can I disable headphone controls on my Android lock screen?

Yes, you can disable headphone controls from the lock screen only on most Android devices. Go to Settings > Lock Screen, and disable “Headphone controls”. This will prevent headphone buttons from working when your phone is locked, while still enabling controls when unlocked.