Android features an advanced AI-driven audio enhancement capability known as “Clear Calling.” When enabled on supported hardware (such as Google Pixel devices featuring Tensor chips), the operating system uses on-device machine learning models to identify and suppress background noise during active phone calls, while simultaneously enhancing the vocal frequencies of the caller. While this drastically improves call quality in noisy environments, it introduces a layer of algorithmic audio processing. In specific enterprise, forensic, or legal environments, strict policies may dictate that call audio must remain entirely raw and unprocessed to preserve acoustic fidelity and prevent AI artifacts from altering the original sound signature.
This guide explains how to completely disable the ‘Clear Calling’ feature system-wide on an Android device, ensuring that all voice calls maintain their original, unaltered acoustic profiles without algorithmic interference.
Disable Clear Calling via Android Settings
Because “Clear Calling” operates as a system-level audio DSP (Digital Signal Processing) filter, it is controlled directly within the main Sound settings rather than the dialer app.
- Unlock your Android device and open the main Settings app.
- Scroll down and tap on Sound & vibration.
- Scroll down towards the bottom of the menu and locate the “Call settings” section.
- Tap on Clear Calling.
- Toggle the main Use Clear Calling switch to the Off (grey) position.
Verify the Configuration Lockdown
When this toggle is disabled, the Android kernel immediately bypasses the Tensor audio processing pipeline for all incoming and outgoing cellular and VoIP calls, routing the raw microphone input and speaker output directly through the baseband.
To verify the lockdown is active, you can monitor the device’s battery and thermal footprint during a long call; bypassing the AI models will slightly reduce CPU/NPU overhead. More importantly, the audio stream will now include all ambient background noise, guaranteeing cryptographic compliance with policies that mandate raw, unedited acoustic transmission for legal or forensic monitoring.