Unidentified warning sound randomly happens

[barneytoe]

Galaxy S6 Edge running latest Nougat. My phone is possessed. Randomly, I'll hear an alert sound (similar to a warning horn) that goes off a few times. There is no indication from status bar that any particular app is responsible.

This happens EVEN when my ringer is set to vibrate only.

I have Emergency Alerts app disabled. Weather alerts are also disabled from my AccuWeather app. I don't receive Amber alerts.

I use Textra app and don't see any additional alert settings that could be responsible.

Any help is appreciated.

[stef7]

If I were in your shoes, I would enable the things you disabled, and see if you get a corresponding alert so you might determine if an app where you disabled notifications is culprit.

You might also consider booting into SAFE mode, and see if you receive any of these notifications.

Otherwise, do you have a Settings | Sounds and Notifications default setting?

If you recently updated your Android OS, your issue might be associated with that. Sometimes over the air updates affect different people's phones differently. You could Google Clearing your System Cache, or performing a Factory Data Reset. Before doing a FDR, make sure you backup all your content you wish to be safe onto your computer and verify it got there.

Good luck.

[barneytoe]

yes settings -> sound & notifications is set to something that isn't this.

I've never heard this sound before.

It's really infrequent right now, about once a week. So going to be difficult to solve.

We really could use an android app that anytime sound is output it records which app is responsible!

[stef7]

Agreed, I believe there is some means to set certain sounds for certain apps.

Settings| Sound and notification | Apps

There you can specify particular sounds for an app.

Question, can you use something like ES File Explorer, and look in Alarms and Notifications and try to find the .ogg file that is the mystery sound?

[barneytoe]

I don't have settings -> sound and notifications, only "Sounds and vibration" and in there are no option for apps in there.

Good idea on OGG files. I searched and found around 11 of them but none of them is the sound.

I used windows explorer but had to download VLC Media player to play .ogg files.

[juand_vzw]

This is no way to enjoy your device. I definitely understand the urgency with turning off these notifications and I'll be happy to help fix this. After enabling the settings you were previously advised to do, did this change anything? Are any other notifications not working properly?

[vzw_customer_support]

Bustermagoo, let's get to the bottom of this alert sound together.  When did this first start?  Where there any recent changes to your phone around the time when this first began (new applications added or updated, software updated, etc.)?  How often does this happen? 

Let's start by performing a Device Health Check https://www.verizonwireless.com/support/knowledge-base-201171/.  After attempting this, can you notify us of any abnormalities reported? 

Let's also test your device in Safe Mode for some time to see if the alert sound still occurs https://www.verizonwireless.com/support/knowledge-base-152233/ .  Once these steps have been completed please notify us of the results. 

SeanC_VZW
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If my response answered your question please click the _Correct Answer_ button under my response. This ensures others can benefit from our conversation. Thanks in advance for your help with this!!

[barneytoe]

Health check comes back fine. Happens about once per week. Can't do safe mode right now but will try soon, thanks

[barneytoe]

Update - while debugging a separate issue I may have discovered the culprit: gmail app!

Gmail app hasn't been syncing so I was making changes and sending test emails from my work account and right when I was looking at my phone to see if incoming email notificiation popped up, I heard the 3 beeps!

Send 2nd and 3rd test emails but no beeps, so wondering if there's some sort of time that needs to pass before this happens again. I'll continue testing and will uninstall gmail app to validate.

chris

[barneytoe]

Problem solved, it was the gmail app. I uninstalled it, disabled it and instead setup up Samsung email app to use gmail account.

I solved 2 problems in 1: now getting email notifications again (visual) and no longer getting the weird beeps.

[vzw_customer_support]

I'm sorry to hear this is still occurring, bustermagoo Let's keep digging. Does it make this sound when in safe mode? Did this start after a case was put on the device?

JoeL_VZW

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If my response answered your question please click the �Correct Answer� button under my response. This ensures others can benefit from our conversation. Thanks in advance for your help with this!!

[barneytoe]

Sorry, it's just too infrequent right now for me to put my phone in safe mode for that long of a time.

No, not related to adding a case.

[barneytoe]

I question the value of putting phone into safe mode. 99% sure that once in safe mode it will NOT make the sounds. What we need is a tool that monitors which apps are sending things to the speaker.

[stef7]

I think there are applications that will report Android "logs" of certain events, but to use them, generally you need to be a developer with an elevated privilege level for access to your device.

[vzw_customer_support]

bustermagoo,

We appreciate your continued partnership. We'll be on standby to proceed with troubleshooting if needed, as I understand that you're testing the Gmail App and Safe Mode.

CoreyM_VZW

Follow us on TWITTER @VZWSupport
If my response answered your question please click the _Correct Answer_ button under my response. This ensures others can benefit from our conversation. Thanks in advance for your help with this!!

[stef7]

I'm confused. I thought SafeMode was a way to test a device without downloaded software.

I would first try performing a "System Cache Wipe" from the recovery/boot menu (i.e. not from Settings).

If that did not work, I would backup my important content and perform a Factory Device Reset (FDR), aka Factory Data Reset, aka Hard Reset.

[barneytoe]

I claimed success too soon! With gmail app uninstalled just heard the dreaded 3 beeps again

thanks and sorry.

[barneytoe]

Latest suspect is the Ring.com app. Without disabling it is there any way to dig deeper for the app in question?

[vzw_customer_support]

You have been a great partner to work with. You can try clearing the cache of the app or Force Stop it and test the functionality. YaleK_VZW

Follow us on Twitter @VZWSupport

If my response answered your question please click the �Correct Answer� button under my response. This ensures others can benefit from our conversation. Thanks in advance for your help with this!!