Have you ever sat in silence when suddenly Telegram or Instagram they start playing notification sounds at full volume? Or maybe you want to listen to music in Spotify, but the sound effects from the game interfere? Silencing your entire smartphone is not an option because you only need important notifications. Fortunately, there are several ways to turn off sound for individual applications - both built-in tools and using third-party utilities. Many users do not know that the function appeared in Android There are several ways to mute the sound for individual applications, both built-in and using third-party utilities.

Many users don't know what the function is individual control of application sound appeared back in Android 8.0 Oreo, but its implementation depends on the manufacturer. For example, on Xiaomi i Samsung the path to the settings differs from "pure" Android on Google Pixel. In this article, we will look at all the current methods - from standard tools to hidden functions for advanced users.

If you are using Android 14 or newer, please note: some manufacturers limit access to sound settings for individual applications in order to "simplify the interface." On devices with MIUI 14 and One UI 6.0, the path to these parameters may be hidden in the "Accessibility" or "Digital Wellbeing" submenu —few people know about this, but we will show you the exact route.

1. The standard method is through the Android settings (without root)

The easiest method is to use the built-in system tools. It works on most devices with Android 8.0 and higher, but the interface may differ depending on the shell (MIUI, One UI, ColorOS etc.).

Here are the universal instructions:

  1. Open Settings → Applications.
  2. Find the desired application (for example, TikTok or YouTube) and tap on it.
  3. Select item Notifications (on some devices - Sound and vibration).
  4. Disable the slider Sound or Sound play.

On Samsung Galaxy s One UI the path will be different:

  • 📱 Settings → Notifications → Additional settings → Application notification sound
  • 🔍 Select an application from the list and set the volume to 0 or turn off the sound completely.

Mute the sound in the application itself (settings → notifications)

Check if the application is being used for calls (for example, WhatsApp)

Make sure the system volume is not at minimum

Reboot the phone after changes (sometimes required)

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⚠️ Attention: On some devices (for example, Realme c Realme UI), muting notifications does not block the sounds of media playback. If you need to mute the sound from video in Instagram or music in the game, proceed to the next method.

2. Using the sound panel (quick access)

Few people know, but in Android 12 and newer it became possible to quickly control the sound of applications directly from the notification panel. This method works on Google Pixel, Samsung Galaxy S22/S23 and other devices with the latest updates.

How to do it:

  1. Expand the notification panel (swipe down from the top edge of the screen).
  2. Hold your finger on the volume slider - the extended menu will open.
  3. Tap on the icon ⋯ (three dots) or 🔽 in the upper right corner.
  4. Select Application sound or Media (the name depends on the firmware).
  5. Find the desired application and move the volume slider to 0.

💡 Helpful tip: If the application you need is not in the list, try launching it and playing any sound (for example, video in TikTok). After that, it will appear in the sound control menu.

Why are some applications not shown in the list?

The application has not played sound in the last 24 hours (Android automatically hides inactive ones).

The application does not have rights to play sound (check permissions in the settings).

You are using an old version of Android (up to 8.0), which does not have this function.

3. Mute the sound through "Digital Well-being" (to ignore notifications)

If you are disturbed not so much by playback sounds, but by intrusive notifications (for example, from games or social networks), you can use the tool Digital well-being. It is available on all modern devices and allows you to completely silence the application.

Instructions:

  • 🛡️ Open Settings → Digital Wellbeing & Parental Controls.
  • 📵 Select Toolbar → Avoid Distractions.
  • 🔕 Activate the mode and add applications to the exclusion list (or vice versa - block sounds for everyone except selected ones).

⚠️ Attention: In mode Do not distract some applications (for example WhatsApp or Viber) may not show call notifications. Before activation, check the exception settings!

Method Works on Disables Requires root?
Standard settings Android 8.0+ Notifications + media ❌ No
Sound panel Android 12+ Media only ❌ No
Digital well-being All versions Notifications ❌ No
App Volume Control (application) Android 5.0+ Notifications + media ❌ No
ADB commands All versions Any sounds ✅ Yes (optional)

Standard Android settings

Sound panel in the notification shade

Third-party applications (for example, App Volume Control)

ADB commands for advanced users

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4. Third-party applications for flexible sound control

If the built-in tools are not suitable, you can use specialized utilities. The most popular:

  • 🎛️ App Volume Control — allows you to adjust the volume for each application separately, including system sounds.
  • 🔇 Mute App Sounds — blocks the sounds of notifications and media according to a schedule.
  • 🎧 Volume Mixer —advanced mixer with support for profiles (for example, "Work", "Game", "Sleep").

🔹 How to set up App Volume Control:

  1. Download the application from Google Play.
  2. Give access to Accessibility (required for operation).
  3. Select an application from the list and set the volume to 0.
  4. Activate the option Block notification soundif necessary.

⚠️ Attention: Some applications (for example, Volume Mixerrequire root access to have full control over system sounds. Without them, functionality may be limited.

💡

If an application asks for access to "Accessibility", do not be alarmed - this is a standard requirement for managing sound. But check the reviews on Google Play before installing!

5. Advanced method: ADB commands (for advanced users)

If you are ready to dive into technical details, you can use ADB (Android Debug Bridge) to fine-tune the sound. This method works on any device, but requires a connection to a computer.

🔧 Step-by-step guide:

  1. Enable USB debugging in the developer settings (Settings → About phone → Build number - tap 7 times).
  2. Connect your phone to the PC and open Command Prompt (Windows) or Terminal (Mac/Linux).
  3. Enter the command to test the connection: 
    adb devices
  4. To mute the sound for a specific application (for example, com.facebook.katana —Facebook), use: 
    adb shell appops set com.facebook.katana AUDIO_PLAYBACK deny

📌 List of popular application packages:

  • 📘 Instagram: com.instagram.android
  • 🎮 PUBG Mobile: com.tencent.ig
  • 📺 YouTube: com.google.android.youtube
  • 💬 WhatsApp: com.whatsapp

⚠️ Attention: Incorrect use ADB may disrupt the system. Before experimenting, create a backup copy of your data! Also note that after a reboot, some settings may be reset.

💡

ADB commands are the most powerful tool, but require caution. Use it only if other methods have not worked.

6. Features for different brands (Xiaomi, Samsung, Google Pixel)

Manufacturers often modify Android to suit their needs, so the methods for muting the sound may vary. Let's consider the nuances for popular brands.

📱 Xiaomi (MIUI 12-14):

  • 🔕 The sound of notifications is turned off in Settings → Applications → Manage applications → [Application] → Notifications.
  • 🎵 To mute media sound, use Settings → Sound and vibration → Application sound.
  • 🚫 On some models (Redmi Note 11, POCO X5) the function is hidden - you need to enable Developer mode and activate MIUI Debugging.

📱 Samsung (One UI 4.0-6.0):

  • 🔔 In Settings → Notifications → Advanced settings you can turn off sounds for individual applications.
  • 🎧 To control media sound, use the quick settings panel (hold the volume slider).
  • 🔄 After updating to Galaxy S23 Ultra And Galaxy Z Fold 5 after updating to One UI 6.0 the path has changed: Settings → Sound and vibration → Sound applications.

📱 Google Pixel (Android 13-14):

  • 🎛️ The simplest interface: Settings → Applications → [Application] → Notifications → Sound.
  • 🔇 Pixel 7/8 Pro there is a function Adaptive sounds, which automatically reduces the volume of little-used applications.
How to find the firmware version on Xiaomi?

Open Settings → About phone → MIUI version.

The last two digits (for example, MIUI 14.0.5) indicate the assembly.

To accurately identify the model, use the combination ##4636## (in the "Information" menu about the phone").

7. Frequent problems and their solutions

Sometimes the sound does not turn off even after all the manipulations. Considerable reasons and ways to eliminate them.

🔍 Problem 1: The sound returns after a reboot.

  • 🔄 Solution: Use App Volume Control with the option Launch on boot.
  • 📱 On Xiaomi disable Auto-optimization in the battery settings for the application.

🔍 Problem 2: The list does not contain what you need applications.

  • 🔍 Solution: Launch the application and play any sound (for example, video).
  • 🔄 Restart the phone - sometimes it helps.

🔍 Problem 3: The sound turns off notifications, but not media.

  • 🎵 Solution: Use ADB or Volume Mixer for separate control.
  • 📱 On Samsung check the settings in Dolby Atmos (may conflict).

⚠️ Attention: On devices with Android Go (for example Nokia 1.4, Samsung Galaxy A03 Core), individual sound control functions are often reduced. In this case, only third-party software will help.

Is it possible to turn off the sound only for games, but leave notifications?

Yes, use it for that App Volume Control or ADB-commands. In the application settings, disable only Media, leaving Notifications active. On Samsung this is done through Settings → Sound and vibration → Application sound → Advanced.

Why after updating to Android 14 the “Application Sound” item is missing?

In new versions of Android, some manufacturers transfer this function to Digital Wellbeing or Accessibility. The Google Pixel 8 path is as follows: Settings → Applications → [Application] → Advanced → Sound. If the item is not there, try resetting the sound settings in Settings → System → Reset settings → Reset notification settings.

Will muting the sound work if the application is updated?

Yes, the settings will be saved, but some applications (for example Facebook or TikTok) may reset individual sound settings after updating. To avoid this, use App Volume Control with the function Blocking changes or ADBcommands with the flag --permanent.

How to mute the sound of system applications (for example, Camera or Gallery)?

For system applications you will need root-rights or ADB. For example, to turn off the camera shutter sound on Xiaomi, use the command: 

adb shell settings put global camera_sound 0

On Samsung this parameter may be blocked by manufacturer policies - in this case, only flashing will help.

Is it possible to turn off the sound for the browser (Chrome, Firefox)?

Yes, but with nuances:

  • 🌐 Q Chrome: Settings → Site settings → Sound — block playback for specific sites.
  • 🦊 V Firefox: ⋮ → Settings → Permissions → Autoplay — select Block sound.
  • 📱 To completely mute the browser sound, use App Volume Control.