How to Change Notification Sounds on Android

Step by step

1. 15 sec

   Open system settings

   Unlock your device and swipe down from the top of the screen twice to reveal the Quick Settings panel. Tap the gear icon to launch the Settings application.

2. 30 sec

   Access sound settings

   Scroll down and select Sound & vibration from the settings menu. Tap on Default notification sound to choose a global alert tone for your device.

   Note: Selecting a new sound here updates the alert tone for all apps using the default system setting.
3. 30 sec

   Assign app-specific sounds

   Navigate to Settings, then select Apps. Tap See all apps, choose the application you wish to customize, and tap Notifications.

4. 45 sec

   Modify notification categories

   Tap Notification categories or Notification channels to view different alert types. Tap the text label of the category you want to change, not the toggle switch.

   Note: Some modern Android versions require you to ensure notification categories are enabled in developer settings if the menu is hidden.
5. 30 sec

   Choose a custom audio file

   Tap Sound and browse through the list of available system tones. If you want to use a custom file, tap the + icon or Add notification to select an audio file from your internal storage.

   Note: Ensure your custom file is in an supported format like .mp3, .wav, or .ogg.
6. 15 sec

   Save your changes

   After selecting the desired tone, tap Save or the back arrow to exit. Your device will now play the selected sound whenever a notification from that specific category triggers.