Media volume is the default audio channel when adjusting the volume

[Riyadhe]

The volume bar now takes up the whole screen and it adjusts media by default. One cant adjust the ring tone without accessing the settings menu.

Been grating my teeth with android updates. If this does not get better then its bye bye

[skycamefalling]

Because you usually adjust the media volume to the environmental conditions before you start playing media.

The desired volume of media varies with the time of day and the location you are in. For example, when I want to play a game while my wife is already sleeping I lower the volume before starting the game otherwise it would start with full volume until the buttons finally allow me to change the media volume. The result would be an angry wife and nobody wants this...

The volume of the ringtone, on the other hand, doesn't need adjustment. Either you want to hear the ringtone or you don't, so it's only switching between loud and silent and there's a dedicated button for that.

[Jonas]

Hi @L457L0, welcome to our community!

I'm not 100% sure why this change was introduced by Google in Android Pie, but this is now the default behaviour for when adjusting the volume using the volume buttons.

As far as I know, there are applications in the Google Play store that can change this behaviour though.

@skycamefalling, that is an excellent example on when this comes in handy, however it seems that a lot of users do adjust the ring tone volume during the day, for example, just having it very low when for example, in a meeting.

I understand both those that are fine with the change and those that are not pleased with it as everyone is using their device differently.

I will continue to forward all the feedback internally as usual!

[L457L0]

Hi,

I think if they would just display a bar also for ringtone volume beside the media volume bar everybody would be happy with the solution. 

[Jonas]

Hi @L457L0!

That could also work very well, or a toggle if you want it to adjust ring volume or media volume by default.

Thanks for the suggestion and have a great weekend!

[Anjelfyre]

Clearly media volume is not the key answer! So please explain to me how I can differentiate my email notifications from my text messages and most importantly Why are the notifications control by the volume of incoming calls. It's ludacris. Your continuously answering with the same answer to all the same questions and complaints. It's either someone screwed up the function and no ones willing to admit. I am telling you that I have never ever had a phone that had the calls and notifications on the same control!!!! Frustration is beyond the realm at this point 

[Jonas]

Hi @Anjelfyre, welcome to our forum!

Your question is a bit different from the others as this thread is about the change to how the volume keys work in Android Pie and in Xperia devices, the notification sound and ring tone volume has always been on the same control, they have not been separated. Why I'm answering with the same answer is because the questions are mostly the same and as this is the standard behaviour and can't be changed, I have thanked the users for their feedback and forwarded it internally.

If you want to change the notification sound for certain applications, go to Settings > Apps & notifications > tap "See all xx apps" > find the application you want to change the notification for > Notifications > tap on the channel you want to change the notification for > (Advanced) > Sound > choose the notification sound that you want.

There may be an option directly in the application itself to change the notification sound and you can access the Settings menu in most applications by either tapping the three dots in the top right corner, or the three lines in the top left corner.

[MaxW]

User Acceptance Testing = Fail
This update

[Ceebasss]

this is a terrible 'upgrade'.  At the very least an option should exist in settings to enable the user to decide whether their main volume control should be for media or for ringing volume.

[Jjaacckk]

Just wanted to add that I hate this change and it has ruined my experiance of the phone (XPeriance?). I thought the future of design and UX was allowing people to customise their experience to suit themselves so having a change forced on me, that limits my options, and forces me to use far more buttons in order to achieve something that I do on an hourly basis is extremely frustrating. Since it occured after I purchased the phone I now feel ripped off and as though my phone has lost significant utility after the purchase. I used to recommend this phone but will no longer and instead will actively tell others to stay away. Imagine your car had an "update" such that changing gears was now deep in settings, and you now just had a button for go and stop, with no way to rectify the situation, and the forum topic complaining about the change was marked as "Solved", but with no actual solution presented apart from "some people like it" and "the change was recommended by our supplier". Then you might understand my frustration. I appreciate that whoever is reading this is not going to be Sony top brass and that nothing is likely to come of this (apart from earning yourselves a few anti-customers) but I had to put somewhere my deep regret at this change. I will change brands imminently, you have failed in your one job of at least not making things much worse with your supposed updates.

[Dissappointed]

"do or don't" in relation to ringtone is utter testicles it is nota black or white issue... There are degrees of acceptible noise, depending on where you are. 

To use your sleeping wife analogy, having a gentle ringtone sound as your phone rings would not wake her.

The bottom line is that we should be able to choose which action the button does, and sony should ot make such a change when we have already bought the other one