S9+ Ringing Sound Volume Too Low - Perhaps it has a ghost!

[simmiv]

I've got Samsung Galaxy S9 Plus mobile and it's driving me crazy! The ring volume is so low, I can't get any calls as I can't hear the ring tone. I've gone through all the settings that have to do with the ring volume to no avail. If I restart the phone, it comes good for a few hours and then falls back to it's old habits. Essentially it seems to have three different ring volume settings it applies of it's own accord, without me doing anything. After having been powered on for a few hours and put in a horizontal position (on a flat surface) the ring volume is medium high. If then raised to a vertical position, the ring volume is very low, if then restarted and called again the ring volume is very high. After a few minutes or hours, it defaults to the low volume. Here is a youtube video showing the issue i.e. first I laid it horizontally on a flat surface and called it, then I raised it to a vertical position and called it, then I restarted it in the vertical position and called it.

It has the latest firmware i.e. QP1A.190711.020.G965FXXU9ETF5.. I have also noted that when it's ringing in a horizontal position, the ring volume is medium and when I pick it up the ring volume goes low. I have found that some other phones have this feature in their settings (Quiet on pickup), but I can't find this setting on this phone. Any theories as to why this occurs are welcome..
Simmi

 

[mustang7757]

Hi, welcome!

Is the phone rooted?

 

[simmiv]

The phone isn't rooted.. Stock standard with the Optus firmware..

 

[mustang7757]

The phone isn't rooted.. Stock standard with the Optus firmware..

Ok, so international version?

 

[mustang7757]

Check in device care app if optimized settings are toggled on ?, make sure no dnd on?, using any medium/adaptive power save modes ?

 

[simmiv]

Hi, the device care/power mode is set for Optimized.. Where is the other setting accessed? If I touch the Optimized, it doesn't show any further screens..

 

[mustang7757]

Hi, the device care/power mode is set for Optimized.. Where is the other setting accessed? If I touch the Optimized, it doesn't show any further screens..

S9 might be different then my Note 10 but turn it off optimized. For the other screen pull your notifications panel down and long press power mode

 

[B. Diddy]

Does this happen if you try other ringtones?

 

[simmiv]

I've turned it into power mode i.e. optimize off.. Yes I have tried different ring tones in the past with no change.. Optus is one of the telco's here in Australia.. I've googled this problem a lot and haven't found anyone with a similar issue. The only thing I haven't done is a complete factory reset and start from scratch. I've done a soft reset. The ring volume is on the highest setting.

 

[mustang7757]

Try resetting settings, this will put your home screen back to stock if you customize it but its worth a try , to do this go into settings, general management,>reset>reset settings

 

[B. Diddy]

When the ring volume drops, do you see that the Ringtone volume slider also drops temporarily, or does it remain on the highest setting as you mentioned?

Also, when the ring volume drops, what happens if you play any media right then -- is it also softer, or does it play normally?

 

[simmiv]

Just tried it a couple of times.. Put it on the table and called it. Ring volume was mid high, pick it up and the ring volume dies down to very low volume. The volume slider stays at max all the time. Second time I was playing music and then called it lying down. Ring volume mid high and music faded down (Not the media slider). When I pick it up fades the ring volume to very low.. No changes to ring or media volume sliders. Once I end the call, music fades up again to max based on the media volume slider.. I have to the reset (all settings to their default) a few times and no change. I have not done the factory reset, so that is the only thing I haven't tried for now. This "quiet on pickup" seems to override everything when the phone is in vertical position. I carry it in my pocket and that explains why the ring volume is so low.. However after a restart it is fine for a few minutes and then defaults to it's bad habit..

 

[B. Diddy]

Does this sound like the same thing? https://eu.community.samsung.com/t5/galaxy-s20-s20-s20-ultra/s20-bug-with-low-ringtone/td-p/1644339

I've been looking for a "Quiet phone on pick up" option for the S9, but so far haven't found any evidence of it.

 

[simmiv]

Just did the following: Reset all the accessibility settings to their defaults and then did a restart. Tried calling it and now it's behaving i.e. loud ringing when lying on a flat surface and upon pickup it doesn't go low, stays the same louder ringing volume. I then put it into my pocket as I usually do and after ten minutes tried it again and it's still fine. I'll try every ten minutes for a half hour and then hourly to see how long it goes back to it's old habits.. I appreciate the comments and suggestions, as this is just driving me insane! This Samsung having a feature that Samsung don't even offer and I certainly don't want..
Rgds,
Simmi

 

[simmiv]

Does this sound like the same thing? https://eu.community.samsung.com/t5/galaxy-s20-s20-s20-ultra/s20-bug-with-low-ringtone/td-p/1644339

I've been looking for a "Quiet phone on pick up" option for the S9, but so far haven't found any evidence of it.

Hi B. Diddy,
Yes I haven't found it either! I've looked at the post and added my voice to it.. They don't mention if the low ring tone occurs if the phone is horizontal or vertical. Perhaps, like me initially they haven't worked it out yet! I even called the Samsung help line and demonstrated this to them using a second mobile. The told me to restart and of course the problem went away for a few hours or minutes.. I'm trying to find out how long it takes for this to re-occur..
Rgds,
Simmi

 

[simmiv]

I've been testing it for a few times and now it's back to it's bad habits.. Loud volume when horizontal on a table, upon pickup the volume dies down. If in my pocket I can't even hear it ring.. This is a bit troubling. I'll have to try for a complete factory refresh, but I don't hold my hopes high for that to work.. This makes the phone useless. As it's out of warranty Samsung won't do a thing, just tell me to buy another one.. This seems to be a bug floating around with these Galaxy phones..

 

[simmiv]

I've now done a complete factory reset, re-establishing my account. After some time of going through the setup and getting it up to scratch without installing or making any major changes, I called it from another phone.. Sure enough, it still retained the "quite phone on pickup".. i.e. loud ringing while horizontal, but faded down when picked up. I then did a restart and the issue went away.. I'm sure it will come back within the hour.. A major mystery??
Rgds, Simmi