How Can I Change Notification Sounds for Specific Apps?
How Can I Change Notification Sounds for Specific Apps?
3 Answers

To change individual app notification sounds on your Android device, especially if you’re rocking a Samsung Galaxy phone, just follow these steps. While your device might have its own quirks depending on the Android version and model, this should be in the right ballpark.
First things first, check if your phone’s software is all caught up. This could save you a headache later. Here’s the drill:
- Dive into the Settings.
- Scroll to Software update.
- Hit Download and install, and let the update do its thing if there’s one available.
Once you’re all updated, open up the Settings app again:
- Head to Apps.
- Pick out the app that’s getting on your nerves with its notification sound.
Next up, make sure notifications are greenlit:
- Open the app’s info page and tap on Notifications.
- See that the switch for Allow notifications is flicked on.
Now let’s dive deep into the specific notification tone:
- In the Notifications settings, you might see different categories like messages or alerts. Choose the one you want to tweak.
- If categories aren’t front and center, hunt down something like Notification categories.
Time to change the sound!
- Check out the category you picked and scroll till you spot Sound or something similar.
- Tap on it, and boom—you should see a list of sounds.
- Pick your fave sound, or go custom if your device lets you.
If custom tunes are your jam:
- Make sure your audio file is chilling in the Notifications folder in the internal storage.
- You can shuffle files around using a file manager app—move them from Music to Notifications.
- Return to the Sound settings from earlier; your custom track should be in the list now.
A couple of extra tips for the road:
- If you’re on Android 14 or later (One UI 6), you might want to check out the advanced settings under Settings > Notifications > Advanced settings. They might need a little nudge to show up.
- Thinking about more bells and whistles like text-to-speech? Try downloading extra apps from the Google Play Store, like Notification Sound Manager.
Pretty cool, right? With these steps, you should be golden with personalizing your app sounds on your Galaxy or other Android phones. Enjoy your new vibe!

Hey there! Looking to change up your notification sounds so you know exactly which app is vying for your attention? It’s a pretty neat way to keep things organized and personalized. Let’s dive right into the how-to for different devices.
Android Devices
Let’s start with native system settings:
- Pop open your Settings, head over to Apps, and then tap the app you want to jazz up (think WhatsApp, Messenger).
- Hit Notifications, and then Notification Categories to select something like “Messages” or “Default” if you want.
- Click on Sound and pick something from the list, or tap + to upload your own tune. Quick tip: Your custom sounds should be in MP3, AAC, or OGG format and live in the
/Notifications/
folder.
Some brands do their own thing:
- Samsung folks can go from Settings → Notifications → App Settings → [App Name].
- Xiaomi users might need to poke around in developer options under “Show notification channels” first.
Now, what if your app doesn’t play nice with customization?
You might check out apps like Notification Channels for Android. Here’s what you do:
- Get it from the Play Store.
- Let it have permission to tweak notification channels.
- Go wild adjusting those sound settings per app!
iOS Devices
Trying it the built-in way:
- Open up Settings and scroll down to your chosen app, like Slack or something.
- Tap Notifications, then choose your notification type (banner, alert, etc.).
- Hit Sounds and grab your pick from the tones available. Bummer alert: iOS doesn’t let third-party apps run wild with custom sounds.
Check if the app itself lets you tweak sounds:
Some apps like Telegram and Discord have that option built-in. Here’s how:
- Dive into the app, and head over to Settings/Preferences.
- Navigate to Notifications and then to Sound.
- Choose or upload audio, if the app lets you.
For custom vibes, try this workaround:
- Convert your audio file to a .caf format with the help of macOS or online tools.
- Import the sound via iTunes or Finder (post-macOS Catalina) under Tones.
- Assign your sound to the apps that let you.
Troubleshooting the bumps on the road
No sound option?
- Maybe the app’s stuck with system channels or it’s just plain rigid. You can:
- Look for updates that might change things up.
- Use third-party apps like BuzzKill on Android.
- Shoot a feature request to the developer on iOS.
Sound not coming through?
- Probably a format issue (iOS groans at anything that’s not .m4r for ringtones) or maybe you didn’t put it in the right spot (Android:
/Notifications/
). - Fix it by double-checking your files and using apps like Zedge for tones that are more user-friendly.
Older OS letting you down?
- If you’re on Android 7.0 or earlier, the lack of per-app notification channels is the issue. Try Light Flow Legacy to work around this.
- iOS versions below 15 won’t give you much leeway either, sticking mostly to Apple’s defined sounds.
Extra tips for the eager
- Want to customize a bunch at once? Use MacroDroid on Android to automate sound settings.
- Make sure essential apps don’t get silenced during “Do Not Disturb” with Priority Settings.
- Back up your settings with Swift Backup if you’re on Android; iOS, unfortunately, demands you to set them again manually.
Customizing your notifications isn’t just cool—it can make your daily life a whole lot easier
It’s about cutting out the guesswork and prioritizing what really matters, like work alerts over social media pings. Distinct sounds help reduce notification overload and can be a lifesaver for folks with hearing challenges. If these tips don’t sort you out, the developers or community forums are just a click away!
Happy personalizing!

Changing the notification sound for specific apps can really spice up your phone experience. Let’s dive into how you can tweak those sounds on both Android and iPhone!
For Android Users:
- Get into Settings: You’ll want to head to the Settings app on your phone.
- Apps & Notifications: Find and tap on ‘Apps & Notifications.’ You might have to select ‘See all apps’ to view everything you’ve got installed.
- Pick Your App: Scroll through and choose the app you want to change the sound for.
- Hit Notifications: Depending on your phone, this might be ‘Notifications’ or ‘App notifications.’
- Select Notification Type: Find the specific category you want to switch up—maybe it’s messages or alerts.
- Adjust Sound Settings: Go into the ‘Sound’ or ‘Advanced’ area and pick your new sound. You can even add your own custom sound if you like!
For iPhone Folks:
- Pop into Settings: Open up your Settings app.
- Notifications: Scroll until you hit ‘Notifications.’
- Choose Your App: Tap on the app where you’d like to change the sound.
- Sounds: Under ‘Sounds,’ pick what you fancy from the list.
- Use Custom Sounds: If you’ve got custom tunes downloaded, they’ll show up here too.
Now, here’s the catch: Depending on your device and software version, things might be a tad different. And if your phone doesn’t play nice with changing sounds for individual apps, you can always hunt down third-party apps that do the job better.
Switching notification sounds isn’t rocket science, but it sure makes your phone feel more like yours!