Help Pixel 4a 5G muting without activating mute

[dheymann]

My Verizon Pixel 4a 5G has a frustrating issue. While I am on a longer phone call, it sometimes mutes my end of the conversation. To be clear, the MUTE button is NOT activated. It is just the callers suddenly can't hear me even though I can hear them. When I look at my screen the phone call is not in the foreground. All I see is a little circle with the callers picture. If I click on the picture I get a drop down menu. One option is "Go back to call" When I click on that the other party can hear me again. the entire time this is going on, I can hear them. This always happens when I am holding my phone to my face but once again I am NOT accidently pushing the MUTE button because it is not activated. Is this a setting I need to change?

 

[Hadron]

I can't think of a setting. Presumably what's happening is that the screen is becoming active and then contact with your face is causing it to shift focus to another app (e.g. the launcher). Muting your end of the call in this case is surprising though. If you keep the top of your phone to your ear the proximity sensor should keep the screen off, so I have to assume that (unless there's something wrong with the sensor) the phone is being moved, but even so I'm a little surprised this happens easily (I frequently swap hands/ears in long phone calls and have never had such a problem with any of my phones). What screen timeout period have you got set? When I have woken my screen during a call it's usually locked anyway, but if it weren't it would be easier for something like this to happen?

 

[mikedt]

My Verizon Pixel 4a 5G has a frustrating issue. While I am on a longer phone call, it sometimes mutes my end of the conversation. To be clear, the MUTE button is NOT activated. It is just the callers suddenly can't hear me even though I can hear them. When I look at my screen the phone call is not in the foreground. All I see is a little circle with the callers picture. If I click on the picture I get a drop down menu. One option is "Go back to call" When I click on that the other party can hear me again. the entire time this is going on, I can hear them. This always happens when I am holding my phone to my face but once again I am NOT accidently pushing the MUTE button because it is not activated. Is this a setting I need to change?

Check the phone's proximity sensor is working. You can do that by placing a phone call, cover the proximity sensor with your hand. Tthe display should go off, and unresponsive to touch.

I once had a custom ROM on an Oppo Find7, and that was a known issue with that particular ROM, non-working proximity sensor.

 

[dheymann]

I can't think of a setting. Presumably what's happening is that the screen is becoming active and then contact with your face is causing it to shift focus to another app (e.g. the launcher). Muting your end of the call in this case is surprising though. If you keep the top of your phone to your ear the proximity sensor should keep the screen off, so I have to assume that (unless there's something wrong with the sensor) the phone is being moved, but even so I'm a little surprised this happens easily (I frequently swap hands/ears in long phone calls and have never had such a problem with any of my phones). What screen timeout period have you got set? When I have woken my screen during a call it's usually locked anyway, but if it weren't it would be easier for something like this to happen?

Thanks for reply. 30 Second timeout is set.

 

[dheymann]

Check the phone's proximity sensor is working. You can do that by placing a phone call, cover the proximity sensor with your hand. Tthe display should go off, and unresponsive to touch.

I once had a custom ROM on an Oppo Find7, and that was a known issue with that particular ROM, non-working proximity sensor.

Thanks for helping. I tested the proximity sensor. It works correctly.

 

[codesplice]

I've had some trouble with recent Pixel phones where I think the way I hold it moves the sensor slightly past the edge of my ear so it turns on the screen, and sometimes that does cause my cheek to inadvertently mute the call.

No idea why yours would be muting without indicating that it's muting though.

Could you test with the phone booted into Safe Mode for the next time you're anticipating being on a long call? That would help to rule out any misbehaving third-party apps:
Find problem apps by rebooting to safe mode - Pixel Phone Help

 

[dheymann]

I've had some trouble with recent Pixel phones where I think the way I hold it moves the sensor slightly past the edge of my ear so it turns on the screen, and sometimes that does cause my cheek to inadvertently mute the call.

No idea why yours would be muting without indicating that it's muting though.

Could you test with the phone booted into Safe Mode for the next time you're anticipating being on a long call? That would help to rule out any misbehaving third-party apps:
Find problem apps by rebooting to safe mode - Pixel Phone Help

Thanks! I will try to do that but I rarely know when I am going to get a long call. I seldom initiate calls. Keep in mind the mute symbol is not activated AND I don't have to hit the mute function to unmute it. I just have to select "back to call".

 

[ChuckTheWeed]

Thanks! I will try to do that but I rarely know when I am going to get a long call. I seldom initiate calls. Keep in mind the mute symbol is not activated AND I don't have to hit the mute function to unmute it. I just have to select "back to call".

My Pixel 4a has developed the habit of switching to mute at various times, including when I answer the phone, while I'm speaking, and generally random times. I have read this thread, but are there any other thoughts?