Android Q Beta 2: System-wide setting enables custom left-right audio balance

Ben Schoon | Apr 16 2019 - 7:35 am PT

Android Q Beta 2 delivered a lot of handy new options for users with special audio needs. Starting in Android Q, there’s a native, system-wide option for adjusting audio balance.

Sitting in Android’s Accessibility menu starting with the second Q Beta release, users can manually adjust the Left-Right audio balance to better suit their needs. As some Reddit users have enthusiastically pointed out, this has been available on other Android hardware, such as Samsung, for quite some time.

With this feature baked directly into Android, users with special hearing needs can tune the audio to what they specifically need. Where could this be useful? Google has already catered to users who are deaf in one ear with a mono audio option, but this Audio Balance tuner in Android helps those who have partial hearing loss. For example, years of loud concerts, or even an infection could cause hearing problems in just one ear.

To access Android Q’s new audio balance tuner, you’ll need to be on the second Android Q beta release. From there, head to Settings > Accessibility and look for the section titled Audio & on-screen text. Currently, the slider can’t be dragged, but tapping anywhere on the line adjusts the balance.

Android Q Beta 2 (left) vs Beta 1 (right)

Whether you’ll use this feature or not, we’re glad to see Google continually adding user-friendly features like this. It’s a move that makes Android better for everyone.