Why is my Android phone making a weird sound?

Check if the sound is a notification

The first step is to determine whether the strange sound is actually coming from a notification or system alert. You can test this by going into your Android phone’s Settings and turning off all notification sounds.

To turn off notification sounds according to Quora:

Open the Settings app on your device. Look for the gear icon.

Go to the “Sound & Notification” or “Sounds” section.
Toggle off all notification sounds like ringtones, alarms, media sounds etc.

With notifications silenced, go back to your phone’s home screen and see if you still hear the strange sound. If the sound is gone, you’ve confirmed it was from a notification or alert. You can then go back into Settings to customize which apps are allowed to make notification sounds.

Determine where the sound is coming from

The first step is to determine if the weird sound is coming from the phone’s speakers or vibrating (haptic feedback) inside the device. Carefully listen to identify where the sound is originating from.

If the sound seems to be coming from inside the device, it could be related to a mechanical issue, such as a fan or motor. This may indicate a hardware problem. If this is the case, you may need to contact the device manufacturer for support or service.

However, if you hear the sound coming directly from the speakers, then it is likely related to a software issue. This could be caused by a notification sound, media files playing, or an app generating audio feedback. In this case, further troubleshooting of apps and system settings would be the next step.

Tools like the “Sound and Noise Detector” app mentioned in [1] can assist with locating the direction and source of a sound.

Troubleshoot hardware issues

Hardware faults like a damaged speaker, microphone or vibration motor can cause odd noises from your Android phone. According to Androids Techno, these hardware problems may result in weird noises:

Faulty or blown out speaker – This can cause distorted, crackling or muffled sounds from your phone.

Damaged microphone – A faulty microphone can result in echoey, garbled or static sounds during calls.
Broken vibration motor – If your vibration rattles, buzzes or squeaks, the vibration motor may be damaged.

Inspect your phone carefully to locate the source of the odd noise. If it seems to originate from the speaker, mic or vibration motor, you likely have a hardware issue. You may need to replace the damaged component or contact the device manufacturer for repair options.

Check for software issues

Software flaws or conflicts can produce strange sounds from your Android phone. A buggy app that is not coded properly could contain glitches that activate audio randomly. An incomplete system update or corrupt system files may also trigger odd sounds.

According to Androids Techno, “Software Glitches: Incomplete or failed software updates, conflicts between apps, or issues with the phone’s operating system can result in unexpected sounds.” Try uninstalling recently downloaded apps to see if that stops the weird noises. You can also check if a system update is available and install it.

As a last resort, consider backing up your data and performing a factory reset to wipe the phone and reinstall a clean version of the operating system. This should eliminate any software bugs causing strange sounds. Just make sure your data is safely backed up before resetting.

Try restarting and resetting phone

If your Android phone keeps restarting, one of the first steps to try is restarting and resetting the phone. This is usually one of the simplest ways to fix intermittent issues and glitches.

First, try power cycling the phone by holding down the power button for 30-60 seconds until the phone turns off. Then turn the phone back on to reboot the operating system and see if that fixes the issue. Power cycling clears out temporary memory issues and resets apps and services (source).

Next, try clearing the app cache partition which clears app data that may have become corrupted. Go to Settings > Storage > Cached data and tap Clear cached data. This wipes temporary app files while keeping personal data intact (source).

As a last resort, perform a factory reset to erase all data and reset to default settings. Make sure to backup data first. Then go to Settings > Backup & reset > Factory data reset. Resetting deletes all apps, photos, settings and data so is best used when troubleshooting steps have failed (source).

Update apps and Android OS

Outdated apps and operating system software can sometimes cause glitches, bugs, and unintended issues on Android devices like weird sounds https://www.android.com/android-12/. It is important to keep your apps and Android OS up to date to ensure compatibility and smooth performance.

Go to the Play Store app and check if any app updates are available. Tap on your profile icon in the top right and go to Manage apps and device > Updates available to see pending updates. Install all available updates.

You can also check your Android version and see if any OS updates are available. Go to Settings > System > System update to check. If an update is available, download and install it.

Updating apps and system software is an easy step to take towards resolving glitches and bugs that may be at the root of weird sounds coming from your Android device.

Uninstall Recently Installed Apps

One of the easiest ways to determine if a newly installed app is causing the weird sound on your Android device is to uninstall any apps you’ve downloaded in the last few days or week before the sound started occurring. Oftentimes, buggy app code or compatibility issues with your specific device can manifest in unusual audio behaviors.

To isolate if a new app is the culprit, go to Settings > Apps on your Android device. This will bring up a list of all installed apps. Sort this list by “Last Used” or look for any apps you’ve downloaded in the past few days/week. Tap each app and select “Uninstall” to remove it from your device.

After uninstalling any suspicious apps, restart your device and see if the weird sound persists. If the sound goes away, then you can narrow down which app was the problem and contact the developer to report the issue.

Sources:

[1] Fix an installed Android app that isn’t working

[2] Why are my Android phone apps crashing or closing & how to fix

Back up data and do factory reset

If you have tried other troubleshooting steps and the weird sound persists, a factory reset may be necessary to erase everything and start fresh. A factory reset will restore your Android device back to its default settings, effectively erasing all your data, settings, and installed apps (Reset your Android device to factory settings).

Before factory resetting, it is important to back up any data you want to keep, such as contacts, photos, music, and files. You can back up data to the cloud or an external storage device. Then, access the reset option in your device’s settings app. On Samsung phones, go to Settings > General management > Reset > Factory data reset (How to perform Factory Reset on Android smartphone?). The device will reboot into factory default state.

After the reset, set up your device again and test if the unusual sound is gone. If it still persists, the sound is likely due to a hardware issue that requires repair or replacement.

Contact manufacturer support

If you have tried all the basic troubleshooting steps like restarting your device, updating software, uninstalling apps, and resetting your device but the weird sound persists, it’s time to contact your device manufacturer for further support.

For Samsung devices, you can contact Samsung support through their website or by calling 1-800-SAMSUNG (726-7864). Samsung has 24/7 customer support to help troubleshoot and fix issues with Samsung devices.

For Pixel and Nexus devices made by Google, you can contact Google support through the Android Help page. Google can help troubleshoot software issues and guide you through resetting your device if needed.

The manufacturer support team has more specialized knowledge about your specific Android device and will be able to provide customized support. They can run diagnostics, suggest solutions based on your model’s typical issues, or facilitate a warranty repair or replacement if needed.

Consider switching devices

If you have tried all the troubleshooting steps but the weird sound persists, the issue may be due to a hardware problem with your Android phone. Hardware issues like a defective speaker or audio jack typically cannot be fixed through software updates or resets. In these cases, you may need to replace your phone to resolve the weird sound.

Before replacing your phone, try bringing it to a phone repair shop to get a professional diagnosis. The repair technicians can inspect the hardware and determine if the issue is fixable or if the phone needs to be replaced. This may be a more affordable option than buying a brand new phone.

If the diagnosis confirms a hardware defect that cannot be fixed, then it’s time to switch devices. Consider upgrading to a newer Android model that fits your budget. Be sure to back up your data so you can transfer your contacts, photos, and other important information to the new phone.

Popular Android phones to consider in 2022 include the Samsung Galaxy S22, Google Pixel 6 Pro, OnePlus 10 Pro, and Sony Xperia 1 IV. Do some research to find an Android device with features you need. Then you can finally resolve that frustrating weird sound issue.