How do I add notification sounds?

Adding custom notification sounds to your device is a great way to personalize your experience. The default notification sounds can get tedious after a while, so setting unique ringtones and alert tones for various apps helps spice things up. This article will walk you through everything you need to know about adding notification sounds on both Android and iOS devices.

What types of notification sounds can I customize?

There are a few main notification sounds you can customize on your smartphone:

• Ringtone – The sound when you receive a phone call.
• Text message tone – The sound when you get a new text message.
• App notifications – Sounds when you receive notifications from apps like email, calendar, social media, etc.
• Alarm sounds – The sound used for alarm clocks.

The specific customization options vary across device models and OS versions, but most phones let you set unique sounds for at least ringtones, text tones, and app alerts these days. Keep in mind you may need to enable the custom sound option in your phone’s settings first.

Customizing notification sounds on Android

Here are the steps to add custom notification sounds on an Android phone or tablet:

1. Download a custom notification sound (MP3, WAV, etc) you want to use. You can find free sound effects and ringtones to download online.
2. Open the Settings app and tap Sounds & vibration (or Sounds & notification depending on your Android version).
3. Tap Ringtone or Default notification sound.
4. Tap Add ringtone or Add notification.
5. Select the custom sound file you downloaded.
6. You will see the sound available as a new option to set as either your ringtone or notification sound.

To set custom sounds for specific apps:

1. Go into the app’s individual settings.
2. Look for notifications settings.
3. You should see an option to use a custom sound for that app’s notifications.
4. Select the sound you want.

For example, in Gmail you would go to Settings > Tap your account > Tap Notifications > Tap notification sound and select your custom sound.

Other Android customization tips

• You may need to allow custom sounds in your global phone settings first before you can set them.
• Try downloading a ringtone app like ZEdge for more options to browse and preview sounds.
• On Samsung devices, the sound settings may be under Sounds and Vibration in Settings.
• You can assign custom sounds for specific contacts in your address book app.
• Some launchers like Nova Launcher also let you customize sounds.

Customizing notification sounds on iPhone

Here is how to change notification sounds on an iPhone or iPad running iOS:

1. Go to Settings > Sounds (or Sounds & Haptics on newer iOS versions).
2. Tap Ringtone or Text Tone to change those alert sounds.
3. For app notifications, scroll down to the Sounds and Haptics section of settings and select individual apps.
4. Tap the app and select a custom sound under Sound.
5. For alarms, go to the Clock app > select a specific alarm > Custom.

As with Android, you’ll need to first download any custom iPhone ringtones, text tones, or alarm sounds you want to use.

Other iPhone customization tips

• You can buy ringtones and text tones from the iTunes Store on your device.
• Use Garageband or other editing software to create your own custom sounds and export as M4R files.
• Some apps like Pocket Casts have an option for custom sounds for that app only.
• Vibrate options and haptics can also be customized for extra personalization.

Choosing notification sounds

When selecting custom notification sounds, you’ll want to consider:

• Length – Pick short sounds so they don’t become annoying.
• Type – Funny sounds, musical tones, sound effects, something uplifting or relaxing, etc.
• Volume – Make sure it’s loud enough to hear, but not overly jarring.
• Meaning – Choose sounds that represent the app or make you smile.

Here are some popular types of custom notification sounds:

Short musical tones

• Chimes, dings, plucks, etc. These melodic tones are simple but add flair.
• Short music snippets from songs, movie soundtracks, TV shows, etc.
• Single musical instrument notes like a piano or guitar riff.

Nature and ambient sounds

• Ocean waves, bird chirping, rainforest sounds.
• Thunder, wind chimes, crickets.
• Waterfalls, streams, fireplace ambiance.

Funny voiced words or sounds

• “You’ve got mail” in a silly voice.
• Cartoon character phrases like Homer Simpson’s “Doh!”
• Custom text-to-speech words like your own name.

Sound effects

• Sci-fi beams and blasters for games.
• DJ scratching sounds.
• Drum riffs.
• Laughter, cheering crowd, applause.

Get creative and set sounds that spark joy and make you smile! But keep it polite for rings and alerts in public.

How to add notification sounds on Windows

Here are some quick steps for customizing notification sounds in Windows:

1. Open Settings and go to System > Notifications & actions.
2. Under Sound, choose your desired sound for default notifications.
3. Scroll down to Get notifications from these senders and select apps.
4. Choose a custom sound for notifications from specific apps.
5. For ringtones, right-click an audio file and Set as default ringtone.

Additional Windows 10 tips

• MP3 files work best for custom sounds.
• To add new custom options, save MP3s in a folder like Music > Ringtones.
• Adjust the notification sound volume in Sound settings.
• Enable vibrate options for extra sensory cues.

How to set notification sounds on Mac

Follow these steps to change alert tones on a Mac:

1. Open System Preferences > Sound.
2. Click the Sound Effects tab.
3. Select an audio file for each system sound alert.
4. Click the Outputs tab to set external speaker sound settings.
5. Open an individual app’s Preferences to customize its alerts.
6. For third-party apps, look in the app’s settings for sound options.

Additional Mac notification tips

• The most common sound file formats are .wav, .aiff, and .mp3.
• Look in Library > Sounds for options to choose from.
• Preview sounds to test them out.
• Organize custom sound files into categorized folders.

Troubleshooting tips

If you’re having trouble setting a custom notification sound, try these troubleshooting tips:

• Double check the sound file format is supported by your phone OS (MP3, WAV, M4R, etc).
• Confirm the custom sound file was saved in the proper folder location.
• Check that the custom sound option is enabled in your global phone settings.
• Try restarting your device or the specific app.
• Make sure the sound file is not corrupted or too large.
• Check if your phone has any storage space constraints.
• On iPhone, validate the custom tone via iTunes on a computer.
• Make sure the sound is not already assigned as another ringtone.
• Try setting a default system sound first before customizing specific apps.

As a last resort, you can try resetting all settings back to default and starting over. Back up any files you want to keep first though.

Conclusion

Customizing your ringtones, message tones, and notification sounds is an easy way to personalize your mobile device or computer. Following the steps for your specific operating system, you can set custom sounds for incoming calls, text messages, email, calendar events, social apps, games, and more. Get creative and choose fun sounds that spark joy each time you get an alert. Just keep audio files in supported formats and saved in the proper folders. With a few simple settings adjustments, you’ll be enjoying your unique notification sounds in no time!