Where notification sounds live on your device

The path to change a notification sound depends on which device you use and which app is making the noise. On most phones and computers, notification sounds are buried in settings rather than sitting in an obvious menu — which is why people often assume they cannot be changed at all.

The fastest route is usually to find the app itself, open its settings, and look for a "Notifications" or "Sound" section. If that does not work, your device's main settings menu has a master notification panel where you can control sounds across all apps at once. Both paths work; the app-level route gives you more control over individual sounds, while the device-level route is faster if you want to silence everything.

Key Takeaways

  • Most apps let you change their notification sound by opening the app, finding Settings or Preferences, and looking for a Notifications section with a Sound option.
  • On Android phones, you can also go to Settings > Apps > [app name] > Notifications > Sound to change individual app sounds without opening the app itself.
  • On iPhones, notification sounds are set inside each app's settings, not in the main iPhone settings — the iPhone settings menu controls only whether notifications appear at all.
  • On Windows computers, the Settings app under System > Notifications & Actions lets you turn notification sounds on or off for all apps, but individual sound choices usually live in each app.
  • If you cannot find a sound option in an app, the app may not support custom notification sounds, and you may need to mute it entirely or use your device's Do Not Disturb mode instead.

Changing notification sounds on Android phones

Android gives you two ways to change a notification sound: through the app itself, or through your phone's Settings app. The app method usually offers more choices, so start there.

Open the app that is making the sound you want to change. Tap the three horizontal lines (menu icon) or look for a gear icon labeled Settings or Preferences. Scroll down until you see "Notifications" or "Sound and vibration". Tap it. You should see an option that says "Notification sound" or "Sound" — tap that, and your phone will show you a list of available sounds to choose from. Select the one you want and tap back to save.

If the app does not have a notifications section, or if you want to change the sound without opening the app, use your phone's main Settings. Go to Settings > Apps (or Applications), find the app name in the list, tap it, then tap Notifications. Look for "Sound" or "Notification sound" and tap it to pick a new sound. This method works on most Android phones, though the exact wording and location can shift slightly between manufacturers like Samsung, Google Pixel, and others.

Changing notification sounds on iPhones

iPhones handle notification sounds differently than Android phones. The iPhone's main Settings app does not control which sound plays — it only controls whether notifications appear at all. To change the actual sound, you must go into the app itself.

Open the app and look for Settings, Preferences, or a gear icon. Scroll down and tap Notifications. You should see an option for "Sound" or "Notification Sound". Tap it and choose from the list of available sounds. Some apps offer only a few sounds, while others let you pick from all the sounds on your iPhone. If an app does not have a sound option in its settings, it uses whatever default sound your iPhone is set to play — and you cannot change that per-app on iPhone the way you can on Android.

If you want to silence all notifications across your entire phone, use Do Not Disturb mode instead. Swipe down from the top right corner of your screen, find the Do Not Disturb icon (a moon), and tap it. This silences all notifications until you turn it off, without changing any individual app sounds.

Changing notification sounds on Windows computers

Windows computers store notification sounds in the Settings app, but the control is less granular than on phones. Go to Settings > System > Notifications & Actions. Scroll down to "Get notifications from these senders" and you will see a list of apps. Each app has a toggle next to it — turn it off to silence that app entirely, or leave it on to keep notifications.

Unfortunately, Windows does not let you pick a different sound for individual apps the way phones do. If you want to change the sound that plays for all notifications, that setting lives in a different place: Settings > System > Sound > Volume and device preferences. Scroll down to "Advanced" and look for "App volume and device preferences" — but even there, you can only control volume, not the actual sound file.

For more control over individual app sounds on Windows, you have to go into each app's own settings. Open the app, find Preferences or Settings, and look for a Notifications section. Some apps (like Slack, Discord, or Outlook) let you pick custom sounds there, while others do not offer that option at all.

Changing notification sounds on Mac computers

On a Mac, go to System Settings > Notifications. You will see a list of all your apps on the left side. Click the app whose notification sound you want to change. On the right side, look for "Sound" in the notification options. Click the dropdown menu next to it and choose from the available sounds.

Not all apps appear in this list — only apps that use macOS's built-in notification system. If an app is not listed, it handles its own notifications and you need to change the sound inside the app itself. Open the app, find Preferences or Settings, look for Notifications, and see if there is a Sound option there.

What to do if you cannot find a sound option

Some apps do not let you change their notification sound at all. This is especially common with older apps or apps designed for simplicity. If you have looked in the app's settings and your device's notification settings and found no sound option, the app probably does not support custom notification sounds.

Your options then are to mute the app entirely, use your device's Do Not Disturb or Focus mode to silence all notifications during certain hours, or switch to a different app that offers more control. On Android, you can also set a custom notification sound for an entire category of apps (like messaging apps) by going to Settings > Apps > Permissions > Notifications and adjusting the default sound there, though this affects all apps in that category at once.

Why some notification sounds do not change

If you have changed a notification sound but your phone or computer still plays the old sound, the change may not have saved. Go back into the settings, confirm the new sound is selected, and tap Save or Done explicitly — some apps require you to confirm the change before it takes effect.

Another reason is that you changed the sound in the wrong place. For example, on iPhone, changing the sound in the main Settings app does not work — you have to change it inside the app itself. On Android, if you changed it in the app but the app is not the one sending the notification (for example, if a messaging app is using your phone's default notification sound instead of its own), you may need to change the sound at the device level instead.

If you have confirmed the sound is selected and saved, but it still does not play, restart your device. Sometimes notification sounds get stuck in the old setting until you restart, especially after a software update.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I use my own audio file as a notification sound?

On Android, yes — some apps let you browse your phone's music library and pick any song or audio file as a notification sound. On iPhone, it is more limited; most apps only let you choose from Apple's built-in sounds, though some apps like Slack do let you upload custom audio. On computers, it depends on the app — check the app's settings to see if it offers a "Browse" or "Custom" option.

Why do my notifications still make noise even though I turned off the sound?

Check whether you turned off the sound in the app's settings or in your device's settings — they are different things. Also check whether Do Not Disturb or Focus mode is turned on; if it is, notifications may be silenced even if the sound setting is on. On Android, also check whether the app has permission to send notifications at all — go to Settings > Apps > [app name] > Permissions > Notifications and make sure it is allowed.

Can I set different notification sounds for different types of messages in the same app?

Some apps support this, but most do not. Messaging apps like Slack and Discord often let you set different sounds for direct messages versus channel messages, but you have to look in the app's notification settings to see if that option exists. Most other apps only let you pick one sound for all notifications from that app.

Will changing my notification sound affect my ringtone?

No. Notification sounds and ringtones are separate settings on phones. Changing a notification sound does not change which sound plays when someone calls you. Your ringtone is usually set in Settings > Sound or Settings > Sounds and Vibration, in a section labeled "Ringtone" or "Phone ringtone".

What if an app does not appear in my notification settings at all?

The app may not have sent a notification yet — some apps only appear in the notification settings list after they send their first notification. Send yourself a test notification from the app (or have someone message you through it), then check the settings again. If it still does not appear, the app may not support the notification system your device uses, and you may need to change the sound inside the app itself or mute it entirely.