Where to find Instagram notification settings on your iPhone
Instagram notification sounds are controlled through your iPhone's Settings app, not through Instagram itself. Open Settings, scroll down and tap Instagram, then tap Notifications. From here you can see every type of notification Instagram sends — messages, likes, comments, and others — and each one has its own sound control.
The reason Instagram doesn't let you change sounds from inside the app is that Apple requires all iPhone apps to route notification sounds through the system settings. This keeps your phone's notification behavior consistent and gives you one central place to manage everything.
Key Takeaways
- Instagram notification sounds are changed in Settings > Instagram > Notifications, not in the Instagram app itself.
- Each notification type — messages, likes, comments, follows — can have a different sound or be silenced completely.
- You can turn off sound for specific notification types while keeping others on, or silence all Instagram notifications at once.
- If you don't see an Instagram entry in Settings, you may need to open the Instagram app first so your phone recognizes it.
Changing the sound for a specific notification type
Once you're in Settings > Instagram > Notifications, you'll see a list of notification categories. Tap on the one you want to change — for example, Direct Messages or Likes. A new screen opens showing options for that notification type.
Look for the Sound option. Tap it to hear a preview of the current sound and see other sounds available on your phone. Choose the one you want, and it takes effect immediately. If you want no sound at all for that notification type, look for a None option at the top of the sound list.
You can repeat this for every notification type Instagram offers. This means you could have message notifications make a sound while like notifications stay silent, for example.
Turning off all Instagram notification sounds at once
If you want Instagram notifications to appear on your screen but make no sound, go to Settings > Instagram > Notifications and look for a toggle labeled Allow Notifications or Sounds at the top of the screen. Turning this off silences every Instagram notification without removing them from your lock screen or notification center.
This is different from turning off notifications entirely. Your notifications will still arrive and you'll still see them when you unlock your phone — they just won't make a sound or vibrate. This is useful if you want to stay aware of Instagram activity without the audio interruption.
What to do if Instagram isn't showing up in Settings
Sometimes Instagram doesn't appear in your Settings app notification list until you've opened the app at least once. If you don't see it, open the Instagram app, let it load completely, then close it and go back to Settings. Instagram should now appear in the list.
If it still doesn't show up, restart your iPhone. Hold down the side button and either volume button until the power-off slider appears, drag it to turn off your phone, wait a few seconds, then press the side button again to turn it back on. After the restart, check Settings again.
Using Do Not Disturb to silence Instagram without changing settings
If you want Instagram notifications to be silent during certain hours without permanently changing the sound, use your iPhone's Focus feature (called Do Not Disturb on older iPhones). Go to Settings > Focus > Do Not Disturb, set the times you want it active, and choose which apps can still notify you during those hours.
This is faster than changing individual notification sounds if you only need temporary silence — for example, during work hours or while sleeping. When the scheduled time ends, notifications return to their normal sound.
Checking if vibration is also on
Some iPhone users change the notification sound but forget that vibration is still active. If Instagram notifications are still interrupting you, go back to Settings > Instagram > Notifications and look for a Vibration toggle. You can turn vibration off separately from the sound, or turn both off.
You can also control vibration system-wide by going to Settings > Sounds & Haptics and toggling Vibration on or off. This affects all apps, not just Instagram.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I have different notification sounds for different Instagram accounts?
No. If you have multiple Instagram accounts on the same iPhone, they all share the same notification settings. The sound you set applies to notifications from any of your accounts. You would need separate iPhones or devices to have different sounds per account.
Why can't I find the sound option in Instagram settings?
Sound controls are in your iPhone Settings app, not in Instagram itself. Go to Settings > Instagram > Notifications and tap the notification type you want to change. If you see only toggle switches and no Sound option, your iPhone may be running an older version of iOS — update to the latest version in Settings > General > Software Update.
What happens if I turn off Allow Notifications for Instagram?
Turning off Allow Notifications removes all Instagram notifications from your lock screen, notification center, and banners. You won't see them anywhere. If you only want to silence the sound, keep Allow Notifications on and change the sound to None instead.
Can I make Instagram notifications silent but keep other apps loud?
Yes. Change only Instagram's notification sound to None in Settings > Instagram > Notifications. Other apps keep their own sounds. This way Instagram notifications still appear visually but make no noise.