How To Change An Android Notification Sound In An App

Every Android phone comes with its own set of default notification sounds, but if you've grown quite bored with them over time, you'll be interested to know that it's possible to change them. It's quite a straightforward process.

Whether you're craving some variety or just want to differentiate your phone's sounds from other similar models, we detailed below a series of methods to change the notification sound on your Android phone and make it stand out.

Change Default Global Notification Sounds on Android

One of the major advantages of using Android is that you can tweak almost everything about it, including the device's default global notification sounds. These are the sounds you hear when you receive a text message on your phone or an alert from an app. If you have a phone running Android 8.0 Oreo or above, follow these steps to jazz up your notification sounds.

How To Change Notification Sounds Global Default

1. Open Settings on your handset.

2. Scroll down until you find "Apps & Notifications."

3. Tap on Notifications.

4. Scroll down until you find Advanced.

5. Tap on "Default notification sounds" towards the bottom.

Here you have access to a library of sounds from which you can pick your favorite. Note that these options will vary based on the device you own.

Change Notification Sounds by App

The majority of apps don't have an in-app option for changing their notification sounds, and most make use of the default alert tone of your device. Luckily ', you are able to customize the notification sound for individual apps from the Notifications settings.

Note: this method applies to apps like Instagram, Spotify, 9Gag, or any other app you might have on your phone.

How To Change Notification Sounds Instagram

1. Open Settings on your handset.

2. Scroll down until you find "Apps & Notifications."

3. Check the "Recently Opened Apps." If Messages is not there, tap on the "See All Apps" option until you find it and tap on it.

4. Tap on "Notifications -> Instagram direct -> Advanced -> Sound." (We are using Instagram as an example here.)

5. Go to the default sound library, and from here you can select which notification sound to assign to Instagram.

Since Instagram sends different kinds of alerts (not only for Instagram direct messages), including Direct Video Chat, First Posts, and Stories, it's possible to set different notification sounds for each in the Notifications section.

Apps with built-in notification sound option

Some apps offer built-in options for changing their notification sounds. You will be able to change the notification sound from within the app. For example, to set new notification sounds for Facebook:

How To Change Notification Sounds Facebook App

1. Open the Facebook app on your phone.

2. Tap on the hamburger menu located in the top-right corner.

3. Scroll down until you find "Settings & Privacy."

4. Choose Settings. from the drop-down menu.

5. Scroll down to the Notifications section.

6. Select "Notification Settings."

7. Find the "Where You Receive Notifications" section at the bottom.

8. Tap on "Push -> Tone."

9. Choose your favorite notification sound from the list that appears.

How to Add Custom Notification Sounds

What if you can't find a notification sound that truly suits you? In that case, you may want to give custom notification sounds a try.

You can do this in one of two ways: you can either use an app like Zedge, or you can create a custom notification sound from an audio file you have on your phone, which can be your favorite song or a short recording you've made.

Change Notification Sounds with Zedge

Before you install Zedge, keep in mind that the app is only free to use for a period of three days. After that you are invited to select between the two paid plans to continue to enjoy the features. Also, in the free version, you won't be able to take advantage of the app's full sound library. Nevertheless, you can still use the trial to figure out if the app is a good match for you.

How To Change Notification Sounds Custom Zedge

1. Open the Zedge app on your phone.

2. Tap on the hamburger menu in the upper-left corner of the screen.

3. Select "Notification sounds."

4. Browse the library and try out the various notification sounds.

5. When you find one you like, tap on it.

6. Click on the "Set Notification" button. The tune will become your global notification sound, meaning you won't be able to associate it to a specific app. You can also set it as a contact ringtone, ringtone, or alarm sound.

Note: Zedge requests permission to modify your system's settings. If you're not comfortable doing that, you may want to use the alternative to set your custom notification sounds.

Set a Custom Notification Sound Using Media Files

If you'd like to use something you've recorded or an audio file as your custom notification sound, you can. It's possible to set it directly from Settings.

Note: if you're looking to use a larger audio file, it's recommended that you cut the track and use the resulting sample as your new notification sound.

How To Change Notification Sounds Upload Custom Audio

1. Connect your phone to your laptop or desktop computer via USB cable.

2. Double-click to access your phone's Internal Storage.

3. Find the Notifications folder and open it.

4. Drag and drop your media file to this folder to copy it.

5. When you're done uploading the media file, go back to your phone and set the new global notification sound.

How To Change Notification Sounds Custom Media File

6. Open Settings on your phone.

7. Scroll down until you find "Apps & Notifications."

8. Tap on Notifications.

9. Scroll down until you find Advanced.

10. Tap on "Default notification sound" and select "Ringtone from internal storage."

11. The media file you just added should be at the top of the list.

12. Tap on it to set it.

You can also set the audio track as notification sounds for individual apps via your handset's Notification Settings.

Now that you know how to change the notification sound on your Android phone, you can refine your notification experience, connect your phone with your computer and receive notifications on your Windows PC or learn how to access your notification history on your phone.

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Alexandra Arici

Alexandra is passionate about mobile tech and can be often found fiddling with a smartphone from some obscure company. She kick-started her career in tech journalism in 2013, after working a few years as a middle-school teacher. Constantly driven by curiosity, Alexandra likes to know how things work and to share that knowledge with everyone.