Where to find notification sound settings

Notification sounds on Android live in two places depending on what you're changing. For most apps, you'll go to Settings > Apps (or Applications), find the app you want to adjust, then tap Notifications. From there you can usually change the sound for that specific app. For system notifications — things like alarms, text messages, or your default ringtone — you'll go to Settings > Sound (sometimes called Sound and Vibration) instead.

The exact names of these menus vary slightly by manufacturer. Samsung phones call it Sounds and Vibration, while Google Pixel phones use Sound. The path is usually the same, but if you can't find it, search for "notification" in your Settings app — Android will show you the right menu.

Key Takeaways

  • App-specific notification sounds are changed in Settings > Apps > [app name] > Notifications, then look for a Sound option.
  • System notification sounds like text messages and alarms are changed in Settings > Sound (or Sound and Vibration), where you'll see separate options for each type.
  • Some apps don't let you change their notification sound — they use whatever default you set in the Sound menu, and you can only mute them entirely.
  • If you don't see a Sound option in an app's notification settings, that app uses your system default and cannot be customized individually.

Changing sounds for individual apps

Open Settings and go to Apps. Scroll through the list and tap the app whose notification sound you want to change — for example, Gmail or WhatsApp. Tap Notifications. You should see a list of notification categories for that app (like "Messages" or "Alerts"). Tap the category you want to change, and look for an option labeled Sound or Notification Sound.

Tap that option and you'll see a list of available sounds. These are usually the system sounds that came with your phone, plus any custom sounds you've added to your device. Select the one you want. Some phones let you preview the sound by tapping a play icon next to it. If the app doesn't have a Sound option in its notification settings, it means that app uses your system default notification sound and cannot be customized on its own.

Changing system notification sounds

Go to Settings > Sound (or Sound and Vibration). You'll see several options here, each controlling a different type of notification. Notification Sound is the default sound for most app notifications. Ringtone is for incoming calls. Alarm is for alarms you set in the Clock app. Some phones also have separate options for text messages or email.

Tap whichever one you want to change. A list of sounds will appear — these are the built-in sounds on your phone. Select the one you prefer. You can usually preview it before confirming. This setting becomes the default for any app that doesn't have its own custom notification sound.

Adding your own notification sounds

Android lets you use custom audio files as notification sounds, but the process requires putting a file in the right folder on your phone. You'll need an audio file in MP3 or OGG format — these are the formats Android recognizes. The file should be short, ideally under 30 seconds, since notification sounds play in full every time.

Connect your phone to a computer and open your phone's file system. Navigate to Internal Storage > Notifications (create this folder if it doesn't exist). Copy your audio file into this folder. Disconnect your phone. The next time you open a notification sound menu, your custom sound should appear in the list. Some phones also let you use sounds from your Music app, though this varies by manufacturer.

Why some apps ignore your sound settings

Some apps override your notification settings entirely and use their own sound, or no sound at all. This usually happens with messaging apps like WhatsApp or Telegram, which often have their own notification system. If you've set a custom sound in an app's settings but it's still using a different sound, check whether that app has a separate notification settings menu within the app itself — not in Android Settings.

Open the app, go to its own Settings or Preferences (usually found by tapping a menu icon or your profile picture), and look for Notifications. You may find additional options there that override what you set in Android Settings. If an app is making noise when you've turned notifications off entirely, it may be using a different notification channel — some apps have separate channels for messages, calls, and alerts, each with their own sound setting.

Silencing notifications without changing the sound

If you want to keep a notification sound but make it quieter or turn it off temporarily, you have several options. Do Not Disturb mode silences most notifications entirely while still allowing calls from your favorites. Go to Settings > Do Not Disturb and turn it on. You can set a schedule so it activates automatically at certain times.

Vibration is another option. In the same notification settings where you change the sound, you'll usually see a toggle for vibration. You can turn vibration on while keeping the sound off, or vice versa. Some people prefer vibration-only notifications so their phone doesn't make noise in meetings or quiet spaces. You can also mute individual apps by going to their notification settings and toggling off the notification channel entirely.

Troubleshooting when sounds won't change

If you've changed a notification sound but your phone is still using the old one, restart your phone first — sometimes the change doesn't take effect until you do. If that doesn't work, go back to the notification settings and make sure you actually tapped the sound option and selected a different one. It's easy to open the menu and close it without making a change.

If an app's notification sound won't change no matter what you do, check whether that app has its own notification settings inside the app itself. Some apps like Slack or Discord have notification controls in their own menus that override Android Settings. If you've looked there and still can't find it, the app may not support custom notification sounds — in that case, you can only mute the app entirely or use Do Not Disturb mode.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I use a song from my music library as a notification sound?

Some phones let you select songs directly from your Music app as notification sounds, but this varies by manufacturer. If your phone doesn't support it, you can copy a short clip of the song to your Notifications folder as an MP3 file and use that instead. Keep it under 30 seconds so it doesn't play for too long each time.

Why does my notification sound keep reverting to the default?

This usually happens when an app updates and resets its notification settings. Some apps also reset their sounds if you clear the app's cache. If it keeps happening with one specific app, check that app's own settings menu — it may have an option to use a custom sound that's separate from Android Settings.

How do I make notifications silent but still see them on my screen?

Go to the app's notification settings and turn off the sound toggle while leaving notifications turned on. You can also turn off vibration at the same time. The notification will still appear on your lock screen and in your notification panel, but your phone won't make any noise or vibrate.

Can I have different notification sounds for different people texting me?

This depends on your messaging app. Some apps like Google Messages let you set custom notifications per contact, but you have to do it within the app itself, not in Android Settings. Open the app, find the contact, and look for a notification settings option. Not all messaging apps support this feature.

What if I deleted a notification sound and now I can't find it?

If you deleted a custom sound file from your Notifications folder, it's gone from the list. You'll need to add it back by copying the audio file to that folder again. If you deleted a built-in system sound, it should still be available — try restarting your phone or checking a different notification menu to see if it reappears.