diff --git a/app/src/main/java/org/schabi/newpipe/player/Player.java b/app/src/main/java/org/schabi/newpipe/player/Player.java
index b07b15a4585..ef4f86b2a2a 100644
--- a/app/src/main/java/org/schabi/newpipe/player/Player.java
+++ b/app/src/main/java/org/schabi/newpipe/player/Player.java
@@ -641,6 +641,15 @@ private void initPlayer(final boolean playOnReady) {
         simpleExoPlayer.setWakeMode(C.WAKE_MODE_NETWORK);
         simpleExoPlayer.setHandleAudioBecomingNoisy(true);
 
+        // Enable automatic audio focus management - let Android handle ducking automatically
+        simpleExoPlayer.setAudioAttributes(
+            new com.google.android.exoplayer2.audio.AudioAttributes.Builder()
+                .setUsage(C.USAGE_MEDIA)
+                .setContentType(C.AUDIO_CONTENT_TYPE_MUSIC)
+                .build(),
+            true  // handleAudioFocus = true for automatic management
+        );
+
         audioReactor = new AudioReactor(context, simpleExoPlayer);
 
         registerBroadcastReceiver();
@@ -1190,10 +1199,6 @@ private void onPrepared(final boolean playWhenReady) {
         }
 
         UIs.call(PlayerUi::onPrepared);
-
-        if (playWhenReady && !isMuted()) {
-            audioReactor.requestAudioFocus();
-        }
     }
 
     private void onBlocked() {
@@ -1340,10 +1345,32 @@ public void toggleShuffleModeEnabled() {
 
     public void toggleMute() {
         final boolean wasMuted = isMuted();
+        final boolean wasPlaying = simpleExoPlayer.isPlaying();
+        Log.d(TAG, "toggleMute: wasMuted=" + wasMuted + ", wasPlaying=" + wasPlaying);
         simpleExoPlayer.setVolume(wasMuted ? 1 : 0);
         if (wasMuted) {
-            audioReactor.requestAudioFocus();
+            Log.d(TAG, "toggleMute: enabling audio focus, willPlay=" + wasPlaying);
+            simpleExoPlayer.setAudioAttributes(
+                new com.google.android.exoplayer2.audio.AudioAttributes.Builder()
+                    .setUsage(C.USAGE_MEDIA)
+                    .setContentType(C.AUDIO_CONTENT_TYPE_MUSIC)
+                    .build(),
+                true  // handleAudioFocus = true - ExoPlayer handles focus automatically
+            );
+            if (wasPlaying) {
+                Log.d(TAG, "toggleMute: calling play(), isPlaying=" + simpleExoPlayer.isPlaying());
+                simpleExoPlayer.play();
+                Log.d(TAG, "toggleMute: after play(), isPlaying=" + simpleExoPlayer.isPlaying());
+            }
         } else {
+            Log.d(TAG, "toggleMute: disabling audio focus, abandoning focus");
+            simpleExoPlayer.setAudioAttributes(
+                new com.google.android.exoplayer2.audio.AudioAttributes.Builder()
+                    .setUsage(C.USAGE_MEDIA)
+                    .setContentType(C.AUDIO_CONTENT_TYPE_MUSIC)
+                    .build(),
+                false  // handleAudioFocus = false
+            );
             audioReactor.abandonAudioFocus();
         }
         UIs.call(playerUi -> playerUi.onMuteUnmuteChanged(!wasMuted));
@@ -1757,10 +1784,6 @@ public void play() {
             return;
         }
 
-        if (!isMuted()) {
-            audioReactor.requestAudioFocus();
-        }
-
         if (currentState == STATE_COMPLETED) {
             if (playQueue.getIndex() == 0) {
                 seekToDefault();
@@ -1781,7 +1804,6 @@ public void pause() {
             return;
         }
 
-        audioReactor.abandonAudioFocus();
         simpleExoPlayer.pause();
         saveStreamProgressState();
     }
diff --git a/app/src/main/java/org/schabi/newpipe/player/helper/AudioReactor.java b/app/src/main/java/org/schabi/newpipe/player/helper/AudioReactor.java
index 084336d5483..a0cfea2c457 100644
--- a/app/src/main/java/org/schabi/newpipe/player/helper/AudioReactor.java
+++ b/app/src/main/java/org/schabi/newpipe/player/helper/AudioReactor.java
@@ -1,8 +1,5 @@
 package org.schabi.newpipe.player.helper;
 
-import android.animation.Animator;
-import android.animation.AnimatorListenerAdapter;
-import android.animation.ValueAnimator;
 import android.content.Context;
 import android.content.Intent;
 import android.media.AudioManager;
@@ -17,20 +14,16 @@
 import com.google.android.exoplayer2.ExoPlayer;
 import com.google.android.exoplayer2.analytics.AnalyticsListener;
 
-public class AudioReactor implements AudioManager.OnAudioFocusChangeListener, AnalyticsListener {
+public class AudioReactor implements AnalyticsListener {
 
     private static final String TAG = "AudioFocusReactor";
 
-    private static final int DUCK_DURATION = 1500;
-    private static final float DUCK_AUDIO_TO = .2f;
-
     private static final int FOCUS_GAIN_TYPE = AudioManagerCompat.AUDIOFOCUS_GAIN;
     private static final int STREAM_TYPE = AudioManager.STREAM_MUSIC;
 
     private final ExoPlayer player;
     private final Context context;
     private final AudioManager audioManager;
-
     private final AudioFocusRequestCompat request;
 
     public AudioReactor(@NonNull final Context context,
@@ -41,9 +34,9 @@ public AudioReactor(@NonNull final Context context,
         player.addAnalyticsListener(this);
 
         request = new AudioFocusRequestCompat.Builder(FOCUS_GAIN_TYPE)
-                //.setAcceptsDelayedFocusGain(true)
                 .setWillPauseWhenDucked(true)
-                .setOnAudioFocusChangeListener(this)
+                .setOnAudioFocusChangeListener(focusChange -> {
+                })
                 .build();
     }
 
@@ -54,17 +47,23 @@ public void dispose() {
     }
 
     /*//////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////
-    // Audio Manager
+    // Audio Focus
     //////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////*/
 
     public void requestAudioFocus() {
+        Log.d(TAG, "requestAudioFocus() called");
         AudioManagerCompat.requestAudioFocus(audioManager, request);
     }
 
     public void abandonAudioFocus() {
+        Log.d(TAG, "abandonAudioFocus() called");
         AudioManagerCompat.abandonAudioFocusRequest(audioManager, request);
     }
 
+    /*//////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////
+    // Audio Manager
+    //////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////*/
+
     public int getVolume() {
         return audioManager.getStreamVolume(STREAM_TYPE);
     }
@@ -77,73 +76,6 @@ public int getMaxVolume() {
         return AudioManagerCompat.getStreamMaxVolume(audioManager, STREAM_TYPE);
     }
 
-    /*//////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////
-    // AudioFocus
-    //////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////*/
-
-    @Override
-    public void onAudioFocusChange(final int focusChange) {
-        Log.d(TAG, "onAudioFocusChange() called with: focusChange = [" + focusChange + "]");
-        switch (focusChange) {
-            case AudioManager.AUDIOFOCUS_GAIN:
-                onAudioFocusGain();
-                break;
-            case AudioManager.AUDIOFOCUS_LOSS_TRANSIENT_CAN_DUCK:
-                onAudioFocusLossCanDuck();
-                break;
-            case AudioManager.AUDIOFOCUS_LOSS:
-            case AudioManager.AUDIOFOCUS_LOSS_TRANSIENT:
-                onAudioFocusLoss();
-                break;
-        }
-    }
-
-    private void onAudioFocusGain() {
-        Log.d(TAG, "onAudioFocusGain() called");
-        player.setVolume(DUCK_AUDIO_TO);
-        animateAudio(DUCK_AUDIO_TO, 1.0f);
-
-        if (PlayerHelper.isResumeAfterAudioFocusGain(context)) {
-            player.play();
-        }
-    }
-
-    private void onAudioFocusLoss() {
-        Log.d(TAG, "onAudioFocusLoss() called");
-        player.pause();
-    }
-
-    private void onAudioFocusLossCanDuck() {
-        Log.d(TAG, "onAudioFocusLossCanDuck() called");
-        // Set the volume to 1/10 on ducking
-        player.setVolume(DUCK_AUDIO_TO);
-    }
-
-    private void animateAudio(final float from, final float to) {
-        final ValueAnimator valueAnimator = new ValueAnimator();
-        valueAnimator.setFloatValues(from, to);
-        valueAnimator.setDuration(AudioReactor.DUCK_DURATION);
-        valueAnimator.addListener(new AnimatorListenerAdapter() {
-            @Override
-            public void onAnimationStart(final Animator animation) {
-                player.setVolume(from);
-            }
-
-            @Override
-            public void onAnimationCancel(final Animator animation) {
-                player.setVolume(to);
-            }
-
-            @Override
-            public void onAnimationEnd(final Animator animation) {
-                player.setVolume(to);
-            }
-        });
-        valueAnimator.addUpdateListener(animation ->
-                player.setVolume(((float) animation.getAnimatedValue())));
-        valueAnimator.start();
-    }
-
     /*//////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////
     // Audio Processing
     //////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////*/