How do I change the default notification sound for messages?

Most smartphones come with default notification sounds for incoming calls, texts, and app alerts. The default notification sound on iPhones is a short chime, while on many Android devices it is a simple beep or ping. While these generic notification sounds work fine, many users enjoy customizing the various notification sounds on their device.

According to surveys, over 50% of smartphone users set custom notification sounds for texts, calls, or apps. People often choose notification sounds that reflect their personality or interests. Custom sounds help users identify the type of alert without looking at their phone. Unique sounds also make a device feel more personal.

This guide explains how to change the default notification sound on smartphones. We cover customizing sounds for the entire device, individual contacts, and apps.

Locate Sound Settings

To change the default notification sound, you first need to open the Settings app on your device. This is typically found on the home screen or app drawer.

Once in Settings, you’ll need to navigate to the Sounds or Notifications section. On Android devices, look for a “Sounds” or “Sounds & notifications” option. On iPhones, you can find the settings under “Sounds & Haptics.”

For example, on a Samsung Galaxy device, you would open Settings > Sounds and vibration > Notification sounds. On an iPhone, go to Settings > Sounds & Haptics > Sounds to find notification sound options.

The Settings app is the central place to control all system and app notifications on both Android and iOS. Take a moment to explore the different sound and notification options available.

Change Default Sound

To change the default notification sound on your smartphone, you first need to locate the sound or notification settings. On Android devices, go to Settings > Sound & vibration > Default notification sound. On iPhones, go to Settings > Sounds & Haptics > Sounds > Text Tone. Here you can select a default sound option to use for all message notifications.

Both Android and iOS provide a selection of built-in notification sounds to choose from. To pick a new sound, simply tap on one you like to preview it, then select it to set it as the default. If none of the built-in sounds appeal to you, you can add a custom sound instead.

On Android, tap “Add ringtone” at the bottom of the sound list, then select a sound file from your device storage. MP3 files and other audio formats can be used. On an iPhone, you can purchase custom ringtones and text tones from the iTunes Store and sync them to your device. There are also third-party apps that enable you to create and import custom sounds.

According to a recent Reddit thread, some popular custom notification sounds used by smartphone owners include short musical tones, pop culture references, and familiar sounds from movies, TV shows or video games. Just be sure the sound file is an appropriate length and format for a notification.

Assign Sounds to Contacts

You can set custom notification sounds for individual contacts so you can easily identify who is messaging you without having to look at your phone. Both Android and iPhone allow you to assign unique sounds to contacts.

On Android, open your Contacts app and select the contact you want to customize. Tap “Edit contact” and then tap the option for “Ringtone.” You’ll see a list of all notification sounds on your device. Scroll through and select the one you want to be used exclusively for that contact. Tap “OK” to save the change.

On iPhone, open the Contacts app and select the contact. Tap “Edit” and then “Text Tone.” You’ll see your list of options for notification sounds. Pick the one you want to assign to that contact. Tap “Done” to complete the change. Now when that contact messages you, your phone will play the unique sound you set so you know it’s them.

Setting custom notification tones for key contacts is an easy way to add personality and identify callers without having to look at your device. Choose sounds that represent their personality or your relationship. Get creative and have fun making your notifications more personal.

Change App Sounds

You can customize notification sounds for individual apps on your Android device. This allows you to set different notification tones for your most used apps like messaging, email, calendar, and more. Here’s how to change notification sounds for specific apps:

Open the Settings app and go to Apps & Notifications > See all ___ apps. Tap the app you want to customize the notification sound for, such as Gmail, WhatsApp, or Google Calendar.

Tap Notifications and locate the option for Sound. On this screen you can change the default notification sound for this app to one of the built-in tones or a custom sound loaded onto your device. For example, you may want a unique ringtone for new emails from Gmail versus incoming WhatsApp messages.

Many popular Android apps like messaging, social media, and email apps allow you to customize notification alerts. Try setting different sounds for your most important apps to easily identify notifications as they come in without having to check your phone.

Manage Sound Libraries

Android allows you to view and manage all notification sounds available on your device. To access the sound libraries, go to Settings > Sound & vibration > Default notification sound. Here you will see options like Default, Android system, Samsung themes, and any other sound packs you may have installed.

To add your own custom sound files as notification tones, tap on the Add option (plus icon). This will let you select audio files from your phone’s internal storage or SD card. Make sure the files are in .mp3 or .ogg format. After selecting a custom audio file, it will be available in your sound libraries for assigning as notification tones.

You can also download additional sound packs from the Google Play Store. These will appear in your sound libraries once installed. Manage your libraries by deleting any unwanted sounds. This provides control over the available selection of notification tones.

Automation Options

You can set up automation rules to change notification sounds based on certain triggers like time of day, calendar events, or location. This allows you to customize sounds for different contexts.

For example, you could set notification sounds to be silent during nighttime hours when you are sleeping. Or have certain sounds assigned to notifications during work hours versus evenings and weekends.

Location-based automation can change sounds when you are at home, work, the gym, or other frequently visited places. When your phone detects you are at certain locations, notification sounds can switch automatically.

Calendar integration allows unique sounds for notifications during events like meetings, appointments, trips, and more. Any calendar event can potentially trigger a different sound.

Automation rules provide endless options for customizing notification sounds by time, location, calendar, and other contextual triggers. Check your phone’s settings to see available automation options.

For example, Android phones have an option called “Adaptive Notifications” that will change notification behavior based on how you interact with them. This allows notification sounds to adapt to your habits and preferences automatically over time.

On the iPhone, Siri suggestions can learn locations, relationships, and user patterns to automate certain settings like notification sounds in different contexts.

Accessibility Considerations

When changing notification sounds, it’s important to consider accessibility for users with vision or hearing impairments. Smartphones provide various options to enhance alerts through sound, vibration, and visual notifications.

For users with limited vision, increasing vibration feedback and enabling flash alerts for notifications can help make them more perceivable (https://www.nytimes.com/2022/09/21/technology/personaltech/smartphone-accessibility-features.html). Most smartphones allow you to adjust vibration intensity and pattern to create distinct alerts for messages, calls, and other notifications. Flashing the camera LED or screen can also notify visually impaired users of incoming alerts.

Users with hearing difficulties can enable audible cues like ring tones, alarms, and notification sounds. Checking the sound settings and increasing the volume can help make notification sounds louder and more distinct (https://support.google.com/accessibility/android/answer/9078941?hl=en). Customizing distinct ringtones for frequent contacts also allows users to identify callers without needing to look at the screen.

Taking advantage of a smartphone’s accessibility features allows users with disabilities to perceive notifications and customize alerts to match their needs. Adjusting sound, vibration, and visual settings can make notifications more accessible.

Troubleshooting

There are some common troubleshooting steps to try if you are having issues with notification sounds not working properly on your Android device:

First, make sure the overall volume on your device is turned up and that your phone is not in silent or vibrate mode. You can adjust the volume using the volume buttons on the side of the phone or in the Settings app.

Next, check the notification settings for the specific app that is having sound issues. Open the app’s settings and make sure notifications are enabled and the sound is set to your desired notification sound.

If a particular app’s notifications are silent, try clearing the app’s cache and data by going to Settings > Apps & Notifications. This will reset the app and often resolve sound problems.

You can also try updating the problem app or your Android system software. App and system updates frequently include bug fixes for notification audio issues.

For persistent notification sound problems, you may need to reboot your Android device to fully reset the system audio. Turn your phone completely off and then back on.

Some users have also resolved notification sound problems by toggling Airplane mode on and off. This resets all connections which can fix inconsistent audio.

As a last resort, you can try resetting your device to factory default settings. Back up data first, then go to Settings > System > Reset options > Erase all data (factory reset).

If none of these troubleshooting tips fix your notification sound issues, you may need to contact the device manufacturer for further support.

Summary

In summary, there are a few key steps to customizing notification sounds on your device:

• Go to Settings > Sounds to access the main sound settings
• Tap Default Notification Sound to change the default for all apps
• Tap Sounds from Apps to customize sounds for specific apps
• Go to Contacts to assign unique sounds to individual contacts

Custom notification sounds allow you to personalize alerts and identify notifications without looking at your device. Choose sounds that are pleasant but still noticeable. For accessibility, use distinct sounds that are easy to differentiate.

For further customization, explore downloading additional sound packs from your device’s app store. Automation apps can also help schedule different sounds based on time of day or location.

If you have any trouble setting custom sounds, check app notifications settings, sound file formats, and system software updates. With a few simple taps, you can make notification sounds that fit your style and needs.