Samsung Sound Assistant in One UI: What Changes

When Samsung Sound Assistant features are folded into One UI, they stop being a separate Good Lock module and become native settings inside the phone’s Sound and Vibration menu. You get the same core tools—per-app volume, dual audio, equalizer presets—but they are always on, updated with the system, and no longer require a separate download or a Good Lock app to access.

Background: Sound Assistant’s Journey

Sound Assistant launched in 2017 as a Good Lock module, part of Samsung’s suite of customization tools for Galaxy devices. It gave users granular control over audio that wasn’t available in stock Android: separate volume for each app, the ability to play music from two apps at once, a five-band equalizer, and a “mono audio” switch for single-earbud listening. For years, it remained a separate app, updated independently from the main One UI firmware. Users had to open Good Lock, find Sound Assistant, and install it manually.

Starting with One UI 5 (Android 13), Samsung began migrating some of these features into the core system settings. The equalizer and adapt sound options moved to Settings > Sounds and Vibration > Sound Quality and Effects. Per-app volume appeared in the same menu. By One UI 6, the migration was largely complete, and Sound Assistant as a standalone module was deprecated for most devices, though it still exists for older models and some regions.

How the Integration Works

Once the features are part of One UI, they behave like any other system setting. You don’t install anything; the options are just there. Here’s what you’ll find and where:

• Per-app volume: Settings > Sounds and Vibration > Sound Quality and Effects > Per-app volume. You can set a different volume level for each app that’s currently running or has played audio recently.
• Dual audio: Settings > Connections > Bluetooth > Advanced. This lets you play audio to two Bluetooth devices at once, with a slider to balance volume between them.
• Equalizer: Settings > Sounds and Vibration > Sound Quality and Effects > Equalizer. Nine presets plus a custom five-band mode.
• Adapt sound: Same menu as the equalizer. It runs a short hearing test and tailors the audio output to your ears.
• Mono audio: Settings > Accessibility > Hearing > Mono audio. This mixes left and right channels into one.

The key difference is that these features are now part of the system audio service, not a separate app. That means they work even in safe mode, they don’t get killed by battery optimizers, and they update with the firmware rather than waiting for a separate app update.

What’s Actually New in One UI

Integration isn’t just a move; Samsung also changed how some features work. The most noticeable is the volume panel. In older Sound Assistant, you could customize the volume panel’s appearance and choose which sliders appeared. In One UI, the volume panel is fixed—you get media, ring, notification, and system sliders, and you can’t reorder them. The “advanced” option to show a separate call volume slider is gone.

Another change: the “Play sound on both Bluetooth and phone speaker” feature, which was in Sound Assistant, is no longer available in One UI. If you want audio from both the phone and a Bluetooth speaker simultaneously, you can’t do it natively anymore. The dual audio feature only works between two Bluetooth devices.

On the plus side, per-app volume now works more reliably. In the standalone module, it sometimes failed to apply to certain apps or after a reboot. In One UI, the volume levels are stored in the system settings database and apply consistently, even after a restart.

How to Choose: Standalone vs. Integrated

If you have a device that still supports the standalone Sound Assistant module (typically older models running One UI 4 or earlier, or devices where Good Lock is available), you might wonder which to use. Here’s a practical comparison:

• Integration: If you want the features to “just work” without extra downloads, use the built-in settings. They’re more stable and receive updates with the OS.
• Standalone: If you want the volume panel customization, the ability to play audio on both phone and Bluetooth, or the “volume button controls media by default” toggle, you need the old module. Those specific features haven’t been ported.
• Conflict: If you have both installed, the standalone module may override some system settings. It’s best to uninstall the module once you’ve migrated to One UI 5 or later, to avoid confusion.

For most users, the integrated version is better. The missing features are niche, and the reliability gain is worth it.

Common Problems and Fixes

When features move from a separate app to the system, a few issues can pop up. Here are the ones people actually hit:

Per-app volume not showing all apps. The list only shows apps that have recently played audio. If an app isn’t there, play something in it, then go back to the settings. It should appear.

Equalizer resets after Bluetooth connection. This is a known quirk. Some Bluetooth devices have their own equalizer, and the phone may defer to it. Try disabling the device’s equalizer in its companion app, or reconnect the device.

Dual audio doesn’t work with certain earbuds. Some Bluetooth devices don’t support the required A2DP protocol for simultaneous streaming. Check if both devices support dual audio—most modern ones do, but older ones may not.

Mono audio doesn’t apply to calls. The mono setting only affects media and notifications, not phone calls. That’s a limitation of the telephony stack, not a bug.

Comparison: One UI vs. Stock Android

Stock Android (Pixel, for example) has no per-app volume, no dual audio, and only a basic equalizer (often none). Samsung’s integration gives it a clear advantage for audio enthusiasts. The per-app volume is particularly useful if you listen to music while watching a video on another app—you can balance them without touching the global volume. Dual audio is great for sharing a podcast with someone else on a plane or train. These features are part of what makes One UI feel more polished than stock Android.

However, stock Android has a feature Samsung lacks: the ability to route audio to different devices per app (like sending music to a Bluetooth speaker while keeping navigation audio on the phone). Samsung’s per-app volume is only about level, not routing. If that matters to you, you’d need a third-party app like SoundSeeder, but that’s a workaround, not a native solution.

Frequently Asked Questions

Do I still need Good Lock for Sound Assistant? No, on One UI 5 and later, the features are built in. Good Lock is still useful for other modules, but not for sound.

Will my custom equalizer settings carry over? Yes, if you’re updating from One UI 4 to 5, the settings migrate automatically. If you’re setting up a new phone, you’ll need to reapply them manually.

Why can’t I find per-app volume on my Galaxy? It’s only available on devices running One UI 5 or higher. If you have an older device, you’ll need to install Sound Assistant from Good Lock. Also, some budget Galaxy models (like the A series) may not have all features—Samsung sometimes omits per-app volume on lower-end devices.

Does dual audio work with two speakers? Yes, you can connect two Bluetooth speakers and play to both. The volume balance slider lets you adjust the relative level.

Can I still customize the volume panel? No, that feature didn’t survive the migration. The volume panel is now fixed in One UI. If you really want customization, you’d need a third-party app or a different launcher, but that’s not a Samsung solution.

Is there a way to get the old Sound Assistant back? If your device supports Good Lock, you can still install the module from the Good Lock app, even on One UI 5/6. It may not work perfectly, but it’s there. For devices that don’t support Good Lock, there’s no official way.

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