Unwanted sound coming from unknown source - how do I find where it's coming from?

[jdgalt]

Lately, after I've been using several apps but have used "close all" to shut them all down, my Android device is playing unwanted music. How do I make the operating system show me what app the music is coming from, so I can kill that app?

 

[Sajo]

Welcome to the Forum. When you swipe down on the Notification Panel are there any open apps displaying there, that are playing the music / audio?

 

[jdgalt]

What Notification Panel?

The last time it happened (it's not reproducible at will), I pushed the lower left button (two overlapping squares) and the only app it showed running was Sudoku, which is silent.

I was able to work around the issue by setting the Media volume control to zero, but I want to find the source so I can either get rid of that app or have it updated.

 

[Sajo]

When you swipe down from the top of the phone. The notification panel shows you all the current open notifications, things that are running. Are there any music player apps open and running when this music is playing?

Sent from my moto z4 using Tapatalk

 

[Sajo]

Here is an example of my current notification panel. I have one music playing app open and one notification for WiFi hotspot.

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[jdgalt]

No. I had previously been playing a podcast on Podcast Addict, but it ended and I used "close all" to completely shut that app down before the unwanted music started.

 

[Sajo]

And there are no visual indications anywhere as to what app is running & playing the music? I have personally never experienced that. I have had apps play music suddenly, by themselves for no reason (Zedge, Samsung Music Player, etc.) but they were open and running in the background when it happened so I could see them in the notification panel.

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[jdgalt]

I was hoping there would be some Settings page where I can restrict the playing of sound to specific apps, just as I can restrict the sending of notifications to certain apps.

 

[Sajo]

There is, but how do you know which app to restrict?

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[jdgalt]

I was hoping there would be some Settings page where I can restrict the playing of sound to specific apps, just as I can restrict the sending of notifications to certain apps.

There is, but how do you know which app to restrict?

If I had that ability I'd troubleshoot by turning them off one by one.

 

[Sajo]

I might have been mistaken. On my phone, running Android 9 Pie, there is no option for Sound / Speaker in Settings > Apps & Notification > Permissions

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[jdgalt]

Thanks for trying.

The first thing I thought of was an app left running, then a virus. But I've scanned and didn't find any.

 

[Sajo]

In all my years of using Android I have never seen a virus scan app actually detect a virus in Android. Most of those apps do more harm than good.

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[Tauseeq Rabbani]

I think u need to hold the music player then it will show u which app is playing sound

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[dcellars]

Did you eventually find a solution? I am having this problem with my Galaxy S10. An instrumental loop that sounds like video game menu music, but I am unable to find the source or find any way to turn it off. The 'Media output' menu shows that no media is playing, and I can't find anything under 'Developer options' > 'Running services' that looks suspicious.