How to turn on mono audio on a OnePlus (OxygenOS 16)

Device

Android

Shown on

OnePlus Nord 5 (CPH2709), OxygenOS 16.0.5.1201, Android 16

App

Settings

Path

Settings › Accessibility & convenience › Accessibility › Hearing

Real screenshots

3 of 3 steps

Checked

October 2026

Sources

2 official, linked below

Step by step

1. 

   Open Accessibility

   Open Settings, Accessibility & convenience, Accessibility.

   Done

2. 

   Switch on Mono audio

   On the Hearing tab, under Audio: it merges the left and right channels.

   Done

3. 

   Balance left and right

   Drag Channel volume balancing towards Left or Right.

   Done

If you do not see this option

• Captions? Live Caption and Caption preferences are on the same Hearing tab.
• Older OxygenOS? OnePlus's OxygenOS 14 manual puts Accessibility under Additional settings. Source: OxygenOS 14.0 User Manual

If this does not work

• Still one side only? Check the balance slider is in the middle, and test with another pair of earbuds.
• Music sounds flat? That is mono: switch it off for stereo.

About this guide

Mono audio plays the same sound in both earbuds, which helps if you hear better on one side.

The screenshots are from our OnePlus Nord 5 with OxygenOS 16.0.5.1201 and Android 16, in Dark mode. Mono audio was off and the balance was in the middle. We changed nothing.

Good to know

Remove animations on a OnePlus.

In short: Accessibility, Hearing, Mono audio.