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Which Android phones have offline FM radio?

tesaser radio
© Stockketes link: http://www.shutterstock.com/gallery-875983p1.html / Shutterstock.com link: http://www.shutterstock.com/de/index-in.mhtml

Before there was Google Play Music, Spotify, YouTube and PowerAmp, people would listen to music on the radio. And many people still do listen to the radio. Older cell phones often came with an FM tuner, however we are seeing more and more high end smartphones not having this classic feature, like some US versions of the Galaxy S3. If you are looking for a device that specifically has an FM tuner built-in, here is an non-exhaustive list of the smartphones that have it!

tesaser radio
© Stockketes / Shutterstock.com

For phones that don’t have an FM Tuner, the user will have to use mobile data or Wi-Fi in order to listen to streamed music, radio channels and podcasts online, like Spotify, Google Play Music All Access, etc.

However, Samsung, Sony, HTC, LG and other manufacturers have included this feature. How do you use the FM radio? Open the app, and plug in your headphones into the jack, this serves as the antenna. Below you will find the list of all the devices.

  • Samsung Galaxy Ace
  • Samsung Galaxy Ace 4
  • Samsung Galaxy Note 1
  • Samsung Galaxy Note 2 N7100
  • Samsung Galaxy S Advance i9070
  • Samsung Galaxy S1
  • Samsung Galaxy S2
  • Samsung Galaxy S3 GT-i9300
  • Samsung Galaxy S3 Mini I8190
  • Samsung Galaxy S4 Zoom
  • Samsung Galaxy S4 mini GT-i9190
  • Samsung Galaxy S5 SM-G900P (Sprint)
  • HTC Desire C
  • HTC One
  • HTC One X
  • HTC One Max
  • Sony Xperia Arc LT15i
  • Sony Xperia GO
  • Sony Xperia J ST26i
  • Sony Xperia M
  • Sony Xperia P
  • Sony Xperia S
  • Sony Xperia SL
  • Sony Xperia T3
  • Sony Xperia V
  • Sony Xperia Z1
  • Sony Xperia Z1 Compact
  • Sony Xperia Z
  • Sony Xperia Z2
  • LG optimus L7 (P700)
  • LG G2
  • LG G3
  • Lenovo Mini A1
  • Motorola Moto G
  • Acer liquid z130 (z3)
  • Huawei Ascend P6
  • UCall New-York
  • Archos 40 Titanium

It's also worth pointing out that carriers often disable this feature, Verizon is the biggest culprit. Some devices may come with an FM Tuner, like the HTC One (M8), but Verizon disabled this. It's best to double check with your carrier beforehand, especially if you're with Verizon. 

Does your phone have an FM tuner? How important is this to you?

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Loie Favre

Loie Favre
Editor

Loie Favre found her way to her present passion for Android and smartphone technology after experiencing an epiphany when she held her Galaxy Note 2. From that point onwards, you can find her with her nose buried in countless Android apps and different smartphone models, and thanking her lucky stars that she gets to work at something she loves.

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32 comments
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  • 2
    Homeless Guam May 31, 2017 Link to comment

    Most BLU phones have built in FM radios that allow offline listening. I sold my Samsung S5 because it had no offline FM radio. The problem now is getting a decent app that will allow you to listen to FM radio on Android 6.0 and greater. Android 6.0 removed the offline FM radio app and replaced it with NextRadio, which simply doesn't work as well as the radio app included in earlier versions (5.1 and lower) and automatically signed me up for NextRadio beta testing (and the beta I didn't ask for doesn't work at all).


  • 7
    michael doidge Feb 6, 2017 Link to comment

    My LG G5 has Fm radio , the device came with a nice simple lg fm radio app , you do need an aerial or to have phones plugged in for it to work though, i have a little aerial that plugs into the headphone jack and use the external speaker and it works well .

    i cant post a link up , but do a search with this description for this aerial if any one is interested .

    3.5mm Plug 4 Section Telescope FM Radio Antenna 23cm for Smart Phone


  • ATeo KS 1
    ATeo KS Feb 6, 2017 Link to comment

    Samsung Galaxy A7 (2017) has FM Radio and it works great with sound either coming out from speaker or headphone.


  • 1
    Menelik Alemu Oct 7, 2016 Link to comment

    Hi there ,i was wondering if i could flash an galaxy s5 sm g900p's(sprint) rom or firmware on my international version sm-g900f phone to get that coveted offline fm tuner if any of you have played aroud with it please share your experiance. thanks


  • Therese Synnett 1
    Therese Synnett May 30, 2016 Link to comment

    I have a BlackBerry z30 and it has a fm tuner, which I have the choice to listen to the radio on the speakers or t headphone. I love this feature very much because it does not use any data or wifi, and it uses very little battery life.


    • 1
      Stephen Hartley Jul 12, 2016 Link to comment

      I also have Blackberry Z30 but to use the FM radio I need to use head/ear phones as these act as the antenna. The same is true of my wife's Blackberry Leap


  • 2
    Droidman Jan 12, 2016 Link to comment

    Blackberry Passport is said to have FM radio and is said to be capable of running Android apps.

    Also the Motorola Atrix II is capable of FM radio but many providers install software to disable the functionality but the disabling software can be defeated.


  • 2
    B_Driver Sep 15, 2015 Link to comment

    Oh kindred spirits on widely overlooked FM radio. I like my old school FM radio while I'm riding the train to work. I used the FM radio feature on my HTC One X+ quite a lot. My phone gave out on me (after less than 3 years) and I'm on the prowl for a replacement phone that must have (1) FM radio transmitter; (2) dual front-facing speakers; (3) is no more than 5" diagonal; and (4) not made by HTC.

    I don't really like Sony Experia (the glass back panel, either you love it or hate it) but Sony almost always has FM radio. I'm waiting for the Nexus 5 2015 though. Hope the final product has FM radio.


    • 1
      Darren Ma Sep 19, 2015 Link to comment

      There's pretty much no hope that Nexus 5X would have FM radio. Sorry :(.
      My Nexus 4 doesn't have FM radio, and I don't think any of the Nexus devices has it.


    • 1
      Natasha Vincent Dec 16, 2015 Link to comment

      A good list of phones with FM ability (including non-Android) can be found on the NextRadioApp site (click "Supported Devices." This is an NPR radio funded app allowing 50+ devices to make use of the embedded FM tuner with or without a data plan. Going only by the pics, @B_driver, try the LG Flex or Moto G series


  • 1
    rabah Jul 21, 2015 Link to comment

    Does anyone know if the LG G2,G3,Sony xperia z1 or z2 has fm radio recorder?


    • 1
      MKE-Stan Sep 5, 2015 Link to comment

      NO phones have an FM RECORDER! If you want to know about an FM Radio/Reciever/Tuner, look up Technical Specifications or "specs" for each Android phone. I'd have provided that answer for one phone, but you listed 5 phones. . . c'mon, now!

      Also, most phones with a radio don't have an application (app) to operate it. (Yes, they're hoping you'll use more DATA) Just find an "Android FM Radio app" and download it AFTER verifying the phone in question has the hardware. BTW, the wire from "wired headphones" or earbuds is normally the necessary antenna: You'll likely need a set plugged-in TO FUNCTION AS AN ANTENNA when using the radio, but you can still connect to bluetooth speakers. Read that carefully, and believe it. Good luck, but luck isn't necessary if you CHECK THE SPECS BEFORE YOU BUY A PHONE!


      • 2
        B_Driver Sep 15, 2015 Link to comment

        Samsung S3 has an FM recorder. What's odd though is the volume goes down when I press record. I wish the Samsung FM app works with Sound Hound.


      • 7
        kamel alg Mar 10, 2016 Link to comment

        If you have a phone with fm radio you have just to install spirit2 app, it have a recording option.


      • 2
        Othniel Graichen Feb 17, 2017 Link to comment

        That is one opinion BLUBOO Picasso check your facts before blanket statements.


      • 2
        Othniel Graichen Feb 19, 2017 Link to comment

        www.gsmarc.com/model-finder/fm-recording/with-fm-recording/

        As of feb 18, 2017 " no android phones have fm recording" is disproved 560 times over by a web site that keeps track of important features like fm radio tuner, fm radio app and fm recording capability.

        Sorry MKE Stan.


    • Corne Beerse 1
      Corne Beerse Mar 3, 2016 Link to comment

      The Sony Xperia Z2 does come with FM receiver hardware and an app that actually can record from this fm-radio, including the noise and such.

      From my memory, the Samsung S2 does have an FM receiver. The origional android with this i9100 (android 2.x) comes with an FM app that just plays. The upgrade to android 4.x at some point did include a recorder that even can do time-shift like pause and such.


  • 1
    Terry Wilson Jul 21, 2015 Link to comment

    Does anyone know if the LG G4 has this feature?


  • James McIntyre 1
    James McIntyre Jul 6, 2015 Link to comment

    It's July 2015 and I wanted to know if there was any update on this list.


    • 1
      MKE-Stan Sep 5, 2015 Link to comment

      Yes, as the response to "rabah."


  • 1
    Al Phillips Mar 17, 2015 Link to comment

    How do I get old school FM on a Samsung S5


    • 2
      B_Driver Sep 16, 2015 Link to comment

      You can't unless it the Sprint version. The unit does not have an FM transmitter so even if you install a third party app, its not going to work.


    • 1
      Ken Newman Oct 8, 2015 Link to comment

      Galaxy S5 (Sprint) has an old school type FM radio within the nextradio app. In addition to the local stations
      listed for your area in the app, you can go to basic tuner mode which allows you to tune in by FM frequency.
      The headphone cord acts as your antenna, so you must have one connected for this to operate.


  • 1
    Cat Balou Mar 7, 2015 Link to comment

    Thanks so much for this list! I was so disappointed when my IPhone didn't have an FM tuner. The only way I could listen to my favorite shows was to connect to the internet and use up my data plan or download podcasts. But I like to just tune in and hear what is happening in real time and listen to things that I might not have known about to download. This is one of the reasons I'm returning to an android phone!


  • Northernbaygirl 10
    Northernbaygirl Aug 2, 2014 Link to comment

    The FM radio on my HTC One M8 works. It's a factory unlocked one.


  • Raindance Rob 6
    Raindance Rob Jul 30, 2014 Link to comment

    unless you like top 40, talk, news or sport etc then FM radio is pretty limited & controlled by companies that only care about turning listeners into money via advertising. if like me you prefer underground music that doesnt get any airtime on commercial/terrestrial radio then online radio is your only option other then pirate radio but unless you live in a big city then more then likely there wont be any in your area. best app imo is TuneIn Pro it has a huge list of stations & podcasts in every style imaginable, plus you can also record shows which is a useful feature


    • 1
      Susan Acito Jun 27, 2015 Link to comment

      Agree, BUT, the FM tuner doesn't use up your data, which you are paying for.


  • 1
    Walther Perry Jul 30, 2014 Link to comment

    My Galaxy S5 with Sprint also has the built in FM Tuner.


    • Loie Favre 33
      Loie Favre Jul 30, 2014 Link to comment

      Good to know! I'll add it to the list.


      • 1
        Walther Perry Jul 30, 2014 Link to comment

        Its the SM-G900P Its an S5 looks like you added it as an S4


      • Loie Favre 33
        Loie Favre Jul 31, 2014 Link to comment

        Yep, I did! Oops, I corrected it right away though. Thanks for the heads-up.


      • 1
        MKE-Stan Sep 5, 2015 Link to comment

        The list is rather incomplete, and actually doesn't even include all the manufacturers. Sorry, it's simply a fact: The instruction in the response to "rabah" is the way a true techie, geek, etc. would find an answer, and the way to the most accurate of answers regarding all individual device hardware components/capabilities, etc.

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