How to turn on video and music at the same time on Android: a complete guide

Have you ever wondered why Android blocks audio from video by defaultif music is playing in the background? Or did you want to add a soundtrack to a video directly on your phone, without resorting to a computer? This feature seems obvious, but it is often missing from standard settings. The reasons lie in the architecture Android Media Frameworkwhere audio streams by default compete for resources —the system prioritizes the active application, “jamming” the others.

In this article we will examine 5 working methods how to bypass the limitation - from simple applications to hidden developer settings. The methods have been tested on Samsung Galaxy S23 Ultra, Xiaomi Redmi Note 12 Pro+, Google Pixel 7 and Honor 90, but most solutions are universal. Important: on some devices (especially with custom firmware) root accessmay be required, but we will focus on safe methods without hacking the system.

If you plan to use this function to create content (for example, streams or installation), please note: simultaneous playback of video and music through standard codec AAC/MP3 can cause synchronization delays of up to 200 ms on weak chipsets (for example, Snapdragon 6xx or Helio Gxx). For professional tasks, it is better to use a PC, but for everyday purposes (background music in games, overlaying sound on stories), a smartphone will suffice.

1. mixing audio and video

The easiest way is to use specialized utilities. They create a virtual audio mixer, allowing you to overlay tracks on top of each other. Advantage: no need to root or change system settings.

Top 3 proven applications:

• 🎵 MixPlayer - supports formats MP4, MKV, FLAC and allows you to adjust the volume of each track separately. There is a built-in equalizer and a function for removing vocals from music.
• 🎬 VLC for Android —in the latest versions there is an option Audio → Additional trackswhere you can load an external audio file and synchronize it with the video.
• 🎛️ AudioMix - a minimalist tool for adding music to video with the ability to trim and export to MP4 or MOV.

How to use MixPlayer:

1. Install the application from Google Play.
2. Open the video through the built-in file manager.
3. Click on the icon + in the lower right corner and select an audio file.
4. Adjust the volume with the sliders Video Volume and Music Volume.
5. Click Play —sounds will be played simultaneously.

⚠️ Attention: Applications like MixPlayer may conflict with system codecs on devices with MIUI 14+ or One UI 5.1+. If the video is slow, try disabling hardware acceleration in the player settings.

2. Developer settings: enable multi-channel audio

Android hides a number of functions that can be activated through developer menuOne of them is Disable absolute volume, which allows you to bypass simultaneous playback restrictions.

How to enable:

1. Activate developer mode: go to Settings → About phone → Build number and press 7 times.
2. Go back to the main settings menu and open System → For developers.
3. Find the option Disable absolute volume (Disable absolute volume) and enable it.
4. Reboot the device.

Now try playing the video in YouTube or Gallerywhile simultaneously playing music in Spotify or Yandex Music. On some devices (for example, Samsung s One UI) the sound will be mixed automatically, on others (for example, Xiaomi) you will need an additional application like SoundAssistant.

⚠️ Attention: The Android 13+ option Disable absolute volume may be missing. In this case, try the alternative method via ADB (described in section 4).

3. Using a Bluetooth headset that supports Dual Audio

If your device supports the function Dual Audio (simultaneous connection to two Bluetooth devices), you can trick the system: send video to one device (for example, JBL speaker), and music to another (for example, AirPods). Disadvantage of the method: two Bluetooth transmitters are required, and possible sound delay (latency).

How to set up Dual Audio on Samsung:

1. Connect two Bluetooth headsets.
2. Open the quick settings panel and hold the icon Bluetooth.
3. Click on the three dots in the upper right corner and select Dual Audio.
4. Activate the function and select the second device.

On Xiaomi and Google Pixel a similar function is called Simultaneous Audio or Multi-channel audio. Please note that not all headsets support this mode - check the manufacturer's specifications.

4. ADB commands to force audio mixing

For advanced users, there is a way to enable multi-channel audio via Android Debug Bridge (ADB). This method works even where standard settings are not available, but requires a connection to a computer.

Step-by-step guide:

1. Install ADB Tools on PC (you can download from the website Android Developers).
2. Enable USB debugging to developer settings on the phone.
3. Connect the phone to the PC and enter in the command line:

   adb shell settings put global multi_channel_audio_enabled 1

4. Reboot the device.

After this, the system should allow simultaneous playback from different sources. If this does not work, try an additional one. command:

adb shell settings put global force_use_dynamic_media_scan 1

⚠️ Attention: Incorrect use of ADB can lead to malfunctions of media services. Before experiments, create a backup copy of your data via Settings → System → Backup.

5. tracks

Some video players can load external audio tracks, which actually solves the problem. For example, MX Player and KMPlayer allow you to add .mp3 or .aac files to videos in real time.

Instructions for MX Player:

1. Open the video in the player.
2. Click on the icon ... (three dots) in the upper right corner.
3. Select Audio → Select audio track.
4. Click Add external file and specify the path to the music track.
5. Adjust the audio delay, if necessary (option Audio → Synchronization).

The advantage of this method is no loss of quality, since the sound is mixed at the player level, not the system. However, for streaming (for example, in Twitch or YouTube Live), you will need additional software like Streamlabs for Android.

6. Creating a finished video with overlaid music

If you need one-time to add music to the video (for example, for Instagram Reels or TikTok), it is easier to use mobile editors. They export the finished file, which can then be played back without unnecessary manipulations.

The best applications for editing:

• 🎥 CapCut - a free editor with the function Add audio and automatic synchronization bits.
• 🎬 KineMaster —supports multi-track audio and effects (for example, fading music to a voice).
• 🎵 InShot —a simple interface for quickly overlaying tracks with volume control.

How to add music to CapCut:

1. Import the video into the project.
2. Click Audio → Music and select a track.
3. Adjust the volume of video and music separately (sliders Original sound and Added music).
4. Export video in format 1080p or 4K.

FAQ: Frequently asked questions

adb shell settings put global multi_channel_audio_enabled 0