WhatsApp allows users to customize notification sounds on iPhone. By default, WhatsApp uses the default iOS notification sound for all notifications. However, you can add more notification sounds to WhatsApp to customize notifications for individual chats or groups.
Why would you want to customize WhatsApp notification sounds?
Here are some reasons why customizing notification sounds can be useful:
- Assign unique sounds to important chats or groups so you can identify them without looking at your phone.
- Use fun sounds for friends and family to add personality.
- Set longer notification sounds for potentially urgent messages from work contacts.
- Silence bothersome chats by assigning no sound.
- Quickly tell the difference between messages when multiple come in at once.
How to add custom notification sounds for chats
Follow these steps to assign a custom notification sound for an individual chat in WhatsApp for iPhone:
- Open the WhatsApp app and go to the chat you want to customize.
- Tap on the contact’s name at the top of the screen to open their contact info.
- Scroll down and tap “Custom Notifications”.
- Toggle on the “Use custom notifications” option.
- Tap on the “Sound” option.
- Browse through the available sounds and select the one you want.
- Tap “Save” to set the new notification sound.
The steps are the same for regular contacts and groups. The custom sound will now play for notifications from that chat instead of the default.
How to add custom notification sounds for groups
You can also customize notification sounds for entire WhatsApp groups. Here are the steps:
- Open WhatsApp and go to the group you want to customize.
- Tap on the group’s name at the top to open the group info.
- Tap “Custom notifications”.
- Toggle on “Use custom notifications”.
- Select a custom “Sound”.
- Tap “Save” when done.
Now all notifications from that group will play the sound you selected.
How to get more notification sounds
WhatsApp includes several built-in notification sounds you can choose from including tones, tri-tones, and short loops. However, if you want more variety, you can install custom sound packs.
Here are some ways to get new WhatsApp notification sounds:
- Download sound packs from the App Store – Search for “WhatsApp sounds” to find free and paid sound packs.
- Convert audio files from your music library – Import songs or sound clips then convert them to .m4r iPhone ringtone format using iTunes.
- Use Garageband – Open this free iOS app and create your own custom tones or alerts.
- Download online – Search sites like Zedge for “WhatsApp notification sounds” and download files to your computer. Then sync them to your iPhone.
- Android to iPhone – If you switch from Android, copy over your notification sound files from your old device.
How to import new sounds into WhatsApp
Once you have new sound files, here is how to add them to WhatsApp for iOS:
- Open iTunes on your computer and connect your iPhone.
- Under Tones, drag and drop the new .m4r sound files onto your iPhone icon.
- Open WhatsApp Settings > Notifications > Sounds on your iPhone.
- Scroll down and you’ll now see your new sounds available to select.
The maximum file size for notification sounds in WhatsApp is 300KB. And remember, always make sure you have the rights to any custom sounds you add.
Troubleshooting tips
If you are having issues setting custom notification sounds for WhatsApp chats, try these troubleshooting tips:
- Confirm the sound file is in the correct .m4r format for iPhone ringtones.
- Double check that the sound file was successfully copied to your iPhone.
- Make sure Notifications are enabled for the chat in WhatsApp settings.
- Toggle the “Use custom notifications” setting off and back on again.
- Force close and restart the WhatsApp app.
- Update to the latest version of WhatsApp.
- Check if Do Not Disturb is enabled in your iPhone settings.
Set notifications to vibrate only
If you don’t want any sound but still want to know when a WhatsApp message arrives, you can set custom vibrations instead:
- Go to the chat you want to customize.
- Tap Custom Notifications > Sounds.
- Select the “None” option to mute sounds.
- Scroll down to Vibration and select your desired pattern.
This will mute the notification sound but still vibrate your phone when a new message comes in.
Disable message previews
You can also disable message previews in WhatsApp notifications for more privacy. This prevents the content of messages from appearing on your lock screen.
To turn off previews:
- Open WhatsApp Settings.
- Tap Notifications.
- Toggle off Show Preview.
With this setting disabled, your notifications will only show the sender’s name or group name, not the message text.
Get creative with custom notifications
With the ability to assign unique notification sounds for chats and groups, you can really customize your WhatsApp experience. Get creative with the sounds you choose.
For important contacts, use longer notification tones so they stand out. For fun friends and family members, assign silly sounds or music clips. Or try random sounds like bike horns, animals noises, or sci-fi tones.
Just remember to keep notifications respectful if you have shared devices. With endless sound customization possibilities on WhatsApp for iPhone, you can make your messaging experience more useful, more organized, and more fun.
Frequently Asked Questions
Does WhatsApp have default notification sounds?
Yes, WhatsApp has several built-in notification sound options you can choose from including tones, tri-tones, and short loops. To access them, go to Settings > Notifications > Sounds on your iPhone.
Can I use any sound file as a custom notification?
No, WhatsApp only supports sounds in the .m4r format which is the standard ringtone format for iPhones. You’ll need to convert sound files like MP3s to the .m4r format before importing them.
How do I assign notification sounds for WhatsApp groups?
In the WhatsApp group, tap on the group name > Custom Notifications > Sounds and choose your custom sound. This will change the notification sound for the entire group.
Can I set custom vibration patterns?
Yes, along with custom sounds you can also choose from several preset vibration patterns or create your own pattern under the Vibration settings.
How do I disable message previews in notifications?
To disable message previews, go to WhatsApp Settings > Notifications and toggle off the Show Previews option. This prevents message content from appearing on your lock screen.
How many custom WhatsApp sounds can I add?
There is no set limit on how many custom notification sounds you can add to WhatsApp. You can add as many as you want by importing .m4r files into iTunes and syncing them to your iPhone.
Can I set custom LED light colors for WhatsApp notifications?
Unfortunately, custom LED light colors are not possible in WhatsApp for iPhone. This feature is only available on Android devices.
How do I disable all notifications for a chat?
Open the chat, tap Custom Notifications and turn off “Use high priority notifications” to disable all notifications and banner previews for that chat.
Summary
Customizing notification sounds in WhatsApp for iPhone is easy to do. Simply access Custom Notifications for any chat or group, and assign a unique sound.
To add new sounds, download additional sound packs, convert audio files, or download tones online. Then import the .m4r sound files into iTunes and sync to your iPhone.
Custom sounds allow you to identify important contacts without looking at your phone, while also adding personality to chats through fun tones. You can also set custom vibrations instead of sounds.
So explore all the possibilities with WhatsApp notification customization on iPhone. And be sure to disable message previews for more privacy if needed.