What format are Android notification sounds?

Notification sounds on Android devices are short audio clips that play when users receive alerts or notifications from apps or the Android operating system. They help notify and grab attention when new notifications come in. The sounds provide feedback to the user that a new notification has arrived and needs attention.
Android notifications can use default system sounds, or apps can provide custom sounds. Users can typically choose different notification sounds for each app. Notification sounds can be combined with vibrations, flashing lights, or other cues for a multi-sensory notification experience.
In this guide we’ll cover the common notification sound formats, where they are stored, how to customize them, and other notification sound settings on Android devices.
Default Notification Sounds
Android comes preloaded with a variety of notification sounds and ringtones that users can choose from. Some of the default notification sounds include:
– Pixie Dust: A magical, sparkly chime sound.
– Chime: A simple ringing chime, similar to an old telephone.
– Crystal: A clear glass-like tone.
– Springy: An upbeat, bouncy notification sound.
– Droplet: The sound of droplets falling.
– Highwire: A digital, synth notification tone.
– Moonbeam: A mystical, echoey chime.
– Pinball: An arcade-style sound, like a pinball machine.
– Puppy: The bark of a cute puppy.
– Sundial: A simple, timely bell tone.
The default sounds in Android vary by device manufacturer. For example, Samsung Galaxy phones tend to have different default sounds than Google Pixel phones. However, users can mix and match sounds between their installed options.
Sound File Formats
Android supports several common audio formats that can be used for notification sounds, including:
MP3: This is the most widely supported audio format on Android. MP3 files use lossy compression, which reduces file size while maintaining good audio quality. Nearly all Android devices can play MP3 notification sounds (source).
WAV: WAV files use uncompressed PCM audio, resulting in high quality but large file sizes. WAV is supported on most Android devices for notification sounds (source).
OGG: The OGG container format with the Vorbis audio codec provides good compression while maintaining quality. OGG support is common but not universal on Android (source).
M4A/AAC: These formats use the advanced AAC codec for efficient compression. Support varies across Android versions and devices (source).
In summary, MP3 and WAV will work on virtually all Android devices, while OGG and M4A/AAC may require testing for compatibility.
Where Notification Sounds are Stored
On Android devices, the default notification sound files are stored in the /system/media/audio/notifications directory. This directory contains the built-in notification sounds that come pre-loaded on Android phones and tablets.
The notification sound files in this directory have the .ogg file extension. Ogg Vorbis is an open standard audio coding format commonly used for notification sounds on Android. The audio files are compressed for optimized size while retaining sound quality. Android Help Center notes that this directory cannot be accessed directly by users without root access, as it is part of the system image.
Third-party apps generally store any custom notification sounds in the /sdcard/media/audio/notifications directory. This allows users to add their own sounds more easily. However, the specific location can vary across manufacturers and Android versions. Some apps may use their own internal storage directories for notification sounds as well.
Custom Notification Sounds
Android allows users to set custom notification sounds for apps instead of using the default tones. To change an app’s notification sound:
- Go to Settings > Apps & notifications > Notifications.
- Select the app you want to customize.
- Tap Sound and select a sound or tap Add ringtone to use any audio file saved on your device as a notification tone.
Supported audio formats for notification sounds include MP3, WAV, OGG, MIDI, and FLAC files. Users can also download notification sound packs from the Google Play Store for more options.
Setting a custom notification sound for an app allows users to easily identify notifications from that app. Unique sounds can be assigned to important contacts as well. Custom sounds must be shorter than 30 seconds as per Android’s notification sound length limit.
To revert to the default notification sound, simply select Default notification sound in the sound selection menu for that app.
Sound Length
The recommended length for notification sounds on Android is quite short. According to a response on Stack Overflow, Android notification sounds get cut off after about 5 seconds. Longer audio files can be used, but only the first 5 seconds will play for the notification.
On Reddit, one user asked how to increase the length of notification sounds for an iOS app up to 20-25 seconds in this thread. However, the responses indicated that Apple has strict limits on notification sound lengths and anything over 30 seconds would get rejected.
An article on Android custom ringtones and notification sounds recommends keeping notification sounds short, around 2-3 seconds according to this source. Very short audio clips are best for notifications so they don’t become intrusive or annoying.
In summary, the recommended length for Android notification sounds is around 2-5 seconds. Anything longer may get cut off or rejected by the mobile OS. Brief sound effects or clips are ideal for notifications.
Volume and Vibration
Android allows users to control the volume and vibration intensity of notifications separately from ringtones and media. You can adjust notification volume and vibration intensity in the Sound & vibration or Sounds and vibration settings.
To change notification volume, open Settings and go to Sound & vibration > Volume or Sounds and vibration > Volume. Drag the “Notification” slider to your desired volume level. You can mute notifications entirely by dragging the slider all the way to the left.
To adjust vibration intensity for notifications, go to Sound & vibration > Vibration & haptics or Sounds and vibration > Vibration intensity. Move the “Notification” slider to control the vibration strength when receiving notifications.
By customizing notification volume and vibration intensity, you can control how intrusive or subtle notifications are. For example, you may prefer to have notification sounds and vibrations minimized during certain times of day.
Per App Notification Sounds
You can customize notification sounds for each individual app on Android. This allows you to set different notification sounds for your most important apps so you can easily identify them. Here’s how to set custom sounds for each app on Android:
First, open the Settings app and go to Apps & Notifications > Notifications. Tap on the app you want to customize. In the app settings, tap Sound and select a sound from the available options or tap Add ringtone to use any audio file saved on your phone as the notification sound for that app. Repeat this for each app you want to set a custom notification sound for.
On Samsung Galaxy devices, you can also long press on a notification, tap Details and then tap the gear icon to access an app’s notification settings where you can change the sound (Samsung). You can also go to Settings > Sounds and vibration > Notification sounds and tap on an app to customize its alert sound.
Android 13 introduced a feature that allows changing an app’s notification sound right from the notification shade. When you receive a notification, long press on it, tap the gear icon, then select Sound to set a custom sound for that app.
Setting unique notification sounds for apps allows you to identify important alerts without even having to look at your phone. Choose sounds that stand out to you for your most used apps.
Muting Notifications
There are a few ways to mute or turn off notification sounds on Android devices:
In the Settings app, go to Sound & vibration > Do not disturb preferences. Here you can toggle “Do not disturb” on to disable sounds and vibrations for notifications. You can customize when and which notifications are muted.
In the Settings app, go to Apps & notifications > Notifications. Here you can control notification settings for each individual app – toggle off Sounds and Vibrations to mute that app’s notifications. You can also long press on a notification and choose to mute that specific app.
For individual notifications, you can long press on them and select “Turn off alerts” or mute. This mutes only that notification.
On Samsung devices, open the Notification Panel and tap the settings icon. Toggle off “Sounds and vibrations” to mute notifications.
You can also use Do Not Disturb modes or Focus Modes on Android to automatically mute notifications during certain times or when using certain apps. These allow more customization for muting notifications.
Some apps like Facebook Messenger also have in-app settings to disable sounds and vibrations for notifications.
Conclusion
In summary, Android allows users to customize notification sounds in a variety of ways. The default notification sounds are short audio files in .ogg or .mp3 format stored in the /system/media/audio/notifications folder. However, users can replace these with custom sounds of their own choosing, as long as the audio files meet length and format requirements.
Being able to customize notification sounds on a per app basis is an important feature for many Android users. Unique notification sounds allow users to identify which app is triggering the notification without having to look at their device. Custom sounds also allow users to reflect their personality or tastes. For these reasons, users are advised to explore the notification sound settings on their Android device and choose sounds that are pleasant, recognizable, and appropriate for each app’s notifications.