How do I use voice isolation on Android?

Voice isolation is a feature available on some Android devices that allows you to isolate your voice from background noise during phone calls or voice recordings. It uses advanced noise cancellation technology to suppress ambient sounds around you, so the person on the other end of the call hears your voice more clearly. This can be useful in noisy environments like cars, crowds, or windy areas where it may be difficult to hear the other person otherwise. Voice isolation helps ensure your voice comes through clearly regardless of what’s happening around you. It’s a handy feature for anyone who makes a lot of calls on the go and wants their voice to sound as crisp and audible as possible.

Check Android Version

Voice isolation requires Android 9 or later to be installed on your device. This feature leverages advancements in machine learning and audio processing that were introduced in Android 9 Pie and further improved in subsequent Android releases.

To check what version of Android you have:

Go to Settings.
Scroll down and tap About Phone.
Look at the number under Android Version.

If you have Android 8.1 or earlier, you will need to upgrade your device’s operating system to take advantage of voice isolation. Newer devices often ship with the latest Android version pre-installed. However, if your device is more than a year or two old, you may need to manually update to a newer Android version if available for your device.

Updating to the latest OS will enable you to use advanced features like voice isolation, while also improving performance and security on your device. If voice isolation is important to you, upgrading your OS should be a priority.

Enable Wind Noise Reduction

Wind noise can be a major annoyance when trying to have a phone conversation outdoors. The gusts of wind get picked up by your phone’s microphone, resulting in crackling sounds and making it difficult for the other person to hear you clearly.

Many modern Android phones have a setting to enable wind noise reduction to help minimize this issue. Here’s how to find it:

Open the Settings app on your Android device.
Go to Sound & vibration or Sound settings.

Look for an option labeled “Wind noise reduction” or “Wind filter” and enable it.

On Samsung Galaxy phones this may be under Advanced features > Voice calls > Wind noise reduction. On Pixel phones look under Sound enhancement. The setting may be called something slightly different but look for a toggle to reduce or minimize wind noise.

Enabling this kicks in algorithms to lessen the impact of wind interference on your phone’s microphone while on calls. It attempts to filter out and dampen wind gusts so the person on the other end can hear you more clearly.

This feature works best for mild to moderate wind. Very strong wind can still overpower the reduction capabilities. But overall enabling wind noise reduction can help improve call quality outdoors.

Turn On Voice Isolation

Voice isolation is a feature that helps isolate your voice from background noise during calls. Here are the steps to turn it on:

Open the Phone app on your Android device.

Tap the three-dot menu icon in the top right corner.
Select Settings.
Tap Calls.

Toggle on “Voice isolation” under the Noise suppression heading.
You may also want to enable “Wind noise reduction” here for added background noise blocking during outdoor calls (Source).

That’s it! Voice isolation will now be enabled for your phone calls, helping isolate just your voice for a clearer call.

Use Voice Isolation

Voice isolation works by using advanced audio processing algorithms to separate your voice from background noise during phone calls. According to an article by The Washington Post, voice isolation filters out ambient sounds and isolates the user’s voice in real-time to make it more prominent and clear for the person on the other end of the call. The microphone focuses only on picking up the user’s voice and suppresses other sounds like wind, traffic, and people talking in the background.

When voice isolation is enabled on Android smartphones like Samsung Galaxy or Google Pixel, the microphone system relies on machine learning to distinguish between intended speech and background noise. It then boosts the voice signal while suppressing everything else. This makes the user’s voice stand out clearly despite any surrounding noise or chaos. The feature may especially improve call quality in noisy outdoor environments or crowded places.

Adjust Microphone Settings

Optimizing your microphone settings is key to getting the most out of voice isolation on Android. Here are some tips:

Go to your phone’s Settings app and find the Sound/Audio settings. Look for options to adjust microphone volume or sensitivity.
Try increasing the microphone volume to pick up your voice more clearly. However, set it too high and it may overamplify background noise.
Adjust any “Noise suppression” or “Wind noise reduction” settings to filter out unwanted background sounds.

Select a microphone mode optimized for voice, such as “Voice recognition” or “Voice isolation.” This focuses the mic on picking up speech.
Use a headset with noise cancelling microphones for better sound quality and voice isolation.
Download third-party apps like Microphone Amplifier to finely tune mic settings and amplify your voice.

Test the mic in a call and adjust settings until your voice sounds clear without overamplifying noise.

Optimized microphone settings help voice isolation focus on your speech by improving mic sensitivity and filtering out distracting sounds. Adjust settings while testing on a voice call to find your phone’s sweet spot.

Troubleshooting Voice Isolation Issues

If you are having issues getting voice isolation to work properly on your Android device, there are some troubleshooting steps you can try:

First, check your microphone settings and make sure the microphone is not muted or set at a low volume. You can adjust the microphone volume in your device settings. Additionally, try using a headset with a microphone as they often work better for voice isolation than built-in microphones (source).

Background noise, vibration, and Bluetooth interference can also cause problems with voice isolation. Turn off vibration in your device settings and disconnect any Bluetooth devices to remove potential interference sources. You may also want to move to a quieter environment.

On Samsung devices specifically, some users have reported microphone issues during calls even when voice isolation is enabled. Checking for software updates and rebooting your device can sometimes resolve this (source).

As a last resort, you can try performing a factory reset on your device to eliminate any software bugs disrupting voice isolation. Just make sure your data is backed up first.

Voice Isolation Apps on Android

In addition to voice isolation features built into Android, there are third-party apps that offer advanced vocal isolation and removal capabilities. Some popular options include:

Vocal Remover – Studio365 – This app uses AI to isolate and remove vocals from music tracks. It has options to adjust vocal volume and create karaoke versions.

SonicMelody – SonicMelody isolates vocals and instruments so you can remove the vocals or accompaniment from a song. It works for MP3, M4A, WAV, and other formats.

These vocal isolation apps provide customizable options beyond what’s built into Android. They allow you to fine tune vocal removal, create karaoke tracks, and remix songs.

Additional Tips

Here are some other useful tips related to using voice isolation on Android:

Turn off notifications and other sounds while on a call to further reduce background noise. Open your phone’s Settings app, go to Sounds and vibrations, and toggle off Notifications and System sounds.

Use over-ear headphones with a built-in microphone for better noise cancellation. The microphone will be closer to your mouth, resulting in clearer voice pickup.

Adjust your microphone sensitivity in your phone’s Settings. A lower sensitivity means your phone will only pick up louder sounds closer to the mic. This can help filter out background noise.

Face away from noise sources like a window or crowd. Pointing the mic towards the noise will make it more prominent in your audio.

If you are in a very noisy environment, try enabling Airplane mode which will turn off cellular and WiFi signals. This eliminates minor interference noise.

Consider using a third-party app like Krisp for enhanced noise cancellation features.

Conclusion

In summary, voice isolation is an effective feature available in newer versions of Android that helps eliminate background noise during calls. By enabling wind noise reduction and voice isolation in your microphone settings, you can make your voice clearer to the person on the other end of the call. While some older Android devices may not support voice isolation natively, there are third-party apps that offer similar functionality. Using voice isolation results in several benefits – your voice is crisper, background noise is reduced, and call quality greatly improves. With just a few simple steps, you can start taking advantage of voice isolation on your Android device for higher quality calls.