Google has recently hinted at a potential change in the way we control Ringtone and Notification volume in Android 13 QPR3 or 14. Currently, the two volumes are controlled by one slider, but an ADB command found in Android 13 QPR2 Beta 1 in December allowed for the creation of separate “Ring volume” and “Notification volume” sliders in the Settings > Sound & vibration menu. This would have joined Media, Call, and Alarm volume for a total of five sliders.
Google will offer separate notification and ringtone volume sliders in the upcoming Android update
Despite the ADB command continuing to work, the stable release of QPR2 in March did not include the separate volume sliders. There have been no changes in QPR3 (Beta 3) either. However, Google has updated the “[Feature Request] Please allow to have separate volume bars for notification and ringtone sounds!” entry in Android’s issue tracker from December of 2021 with the following: “The requested feature will be available in a future build.” With 47 comments, the status is now “Fixed”.
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It’s unclear when the separate notification/ringtone volume change will arrive in the stable release of Android 13 QPR3. It will take place in June, or it may come with Android 14. The feature is not currently live in 13 QPR3 Beta 3 or 14 Beta 1.1. An upcoming release in Android 14, and a subsequent beta, feels more likely at this stage of the development cycle. But it’s still technically feasible for Android 13, which will stop getting major updates after the June release.
This update will be a quality of life improvement for those who prefer to hear notifications but not incoming calls. The separate volume sliders will allow users to customize their sound settings to suit their preferences. Overall, this change will enhance the user experience for Android users. And it will make it easier for them to manage their device’s sound settings. We have to wait to get it finally on our smartphones.