How to change notification sounds on Android phone

Every Android phone comes with its own set of default notification sounds, but if you've gotten completely bored with them over time, you'll be interested to know that it's possible to change them. It's a straightforward process. Whether you're looking for some variety or just want to set your phone's sounds apart from other similar models, we've detailed below a series of ways to change the notification sounds on your Android phone and make it stand out.

Change the default general notification sound on Android 12

If your phone is running Google's latest mobile operating system, Android 12, the following instructions show you how to change your phone's default notification sound.

1. Open an app Settings on your device.
2. Locate Sound and vibration.
3. Scroll down and up the option Default notification sound.
4. Browse the available folders and choose your favorite sound.
5. You can also select a folder. “My Sounds” Where you can find songs you've downloaded or transferred to your smartphone. They can also be set as notification sounds.

Change the default general notification sound on older Android versions

One of the main advantages of using Android is that you can modify almost everything, including the device's default general notification sounds. These are the sounds you hear when you receive a text message on your phone or an alert from an app. If you have a phone running Android 8.0 to 11, follow these steps to enable notification sounds.

1. Open Settings on your mobile phone.
2. Scroll down until you find “Apps and Notifications”.
3. Click on "Notifications".
4. Scroll down until you find "Advanced Options".
5. Click on Default notification sounds Downwards.

You can access the sound library here and choose your favorites. Note that these options will vary depending on the device you own.

Change the alarm sound via the app

Most apps don't have an in-app option to change notification sounds, and most utilize your device's default alert tone. Fortunately, you can customize the notification sound for individual apps from the Notifications settings (applies to Android 8 and later).

Note: This method works with the majority of apps on your phone, including Instagram, Spotify, and 9Gag.

1. Open Settings on your mobile phone.
2. Scroll down until you find “Apps and Notifications”.
3. Verify Recently opened appsIf you are not "Messages" Existing, click on the option “See All Apps” Until you find it and click on it.
4. tap on “Notifications -> Instagram Direct -> Advanced Options -> Sound.” (We're using Instagram as an example here.)
5. Go to the default sound library, where you can select the notification sound you want to assign to Instagram.

Since Instagram sends different types of notifications (not just for Instagram Direct Messages), including direct video chat, first posts, and stories, it's possible to set different notification sounds for each one in the Notifications section.

Apps with built-in notification sound option

Some apps offer built-in options to change notification sounds. You'll be able to change the notification sound directly from within the app. Here's how to do it in select apps.

gmail

Follow these instructions to easily change your Facebook app notification sound without going through the settings.

1. Open an app gmail on your phone.
2. Tap the hamburger menu in the upper left corner of the screen.
3. Locate "Settings" at the bottom.
4. Click on your Gmail account.
5. Locate Notification sounds then on Notification sounds once again.
6. You will be taken to the app notifications dashboard.
7. Click on "the sound" To set a new notification sound for your app.

Facebook

The Facebook app provides direct access to your default library of notification sounds and adds a few of its own for good measure. Follow these steps to change them.

1. Open an app Facebook on your phone.
2. Click on the hamburger menu in the upper right corner.
3. Scroll down until you find "Settings and Privacy".
4. Choose "Settings" from the dropdown menu.
5. Scroll down to the section “Notifications”.
6. Locate Notification Settings.
7. Search for a department “Where to receive notifications” At the bottom.
8. Click on “Push -> Tone”.
9. Choose your preferred notification sound from the list that appears.

Google Messages app

If you use Google Messages for your messaging needs, follow these steps to quickly change the app's notification sounds.

1. Open an app Google Messages on your device.
2. Click on the three dots in the upper right corner of the screen.
3. Locate Settings -> Notifications.
4. Scroll down, then tap Incoming messages.
5. Tap Sound and select the new tone you want to hear when a new message arrives.

How to add custom notification sounds

What if you can't find a notification sound that really suits you? In that case, you might want to try custom notification sounds.

You can do this in one of two ways: You can either use an app like Zedge Or create a custom notification sound from an audio file you have on your phone, which could be your favorite song or a short recording you've created.

Change notification sounds with Zedge

Before installing Zedge, keep in mind that the app is only free to use for three days. After that, you'll be invited to choose between two paid plans to continue enjoying the features. Also, in the free version, you won't be able to take advantage of the app's full audio library. However, you can still use the trial version to see if the app is right for you.

1. Open an app Zedge on your phone.
2. Tap the hamburger menu in the upper left corner of the screen.
3. Locate Notification sounds.
4. Browse the library and try different notification sounds.
5. When you find one you like, tap it.
6. Click the button Set notification. The tone will become your universal notification sound, meaning you won't be able to associate it with a specific app. You can also set it as your ringtone, notification tone, or alarm sound.

Note: Zedge asks for permission to modify your system settings. If you're not comfortable doing this, you may want to use an alternative to set custom notification sounds.

Set a custom notification sound using media files

If you want to use something you've recorded or an audio file as your custom notification sound, you can do so. You can set it directly from the settings.

Note: If you are looking to use a larger audio file, it is recommended to trim the track and use the resulting sample as a new notification sound.

1. Connect your phone to your laptop or desktop computer via USB cable.
2. Double click to access Internal storage unit for the phone.
3. Find a folder Notices And open it.
4. Pull media file And drop it into this folder to copy it.
5. When the media file is finished uploading, go back to your phone and set the new global notification sound.
6. Open Settings on your phone.
7. Scroll down until you find “Apps and Notifications”.
8. Click on "Notifications".
9. Scroll down until you find "Advanced Options".
10. tap on Default notification sound and select Ringtone from internal storage.
11. The media file you just added should be at the top of the list.
12. Click on it to set it.

You can also set the audio track as a notification sound for individual apps via your mobile device's notification settings.

Connect your phone to your computer and receive notifications on your Windows PC or learn more about Reasons why you miss notifications on your phone.

Frequently Asked Questions

Q1. Can I temporarily turn off the notification sound?
answer. Yes, you can. Android has designed a solution to help you focus and reduce distractions from notification sounds. It's called Do Not Disturb Mode And you can learn how to take advantage of it by following this tutorial here.

Q2. I'm getting delayed notifications. What should I do?
answer. If you are having trouble getting your notifications to show up on time on your Android device, Try this fix To get rid of the problem.

Q3. How can I hide notifications from my lock screen?
answer. Don't want your notifications to be visible to anyone who picks up your phone? This tutorial will walk you through the steps. To hide your notifications from the lock screen.