Where notification sounds live on your device

Your notification sound is stored in your device's settings, not in the app that sends the notification. This means you can change it once and it will affect notifications from every app — or you can set different sounds for different apps if you want. The location of these settings differs between iPhone, Android, Windows, and Mac, but the principle is the same: you're telling your device which audio file to play when a notification arrives.

Before you start, know that some apps override your device settings and use their own notification sounds. Gmail, Slack, and Microsoft Teams are common examples. If you change your device sound and a particular app still uses its old sound, you'll need to change that app's settings separately.

Key Takeaways

  • Notification sounds are controlled in your device settings, not in individual apps, though some apps override this and have their own sound settings.
  • On iPhone, go to Settings > Sounds & Haptics > Notification Sounds; on Android, go to Settings > Apps & Notifications > Notifications > Advanced > Default Notification Sound.
  • On Windows, go to Settings > System > Notifications & Actions; on Mac, go to System Settings > Notifications.
  • You can assign different notification sounds to different apps on all platforms, which is useful if you want to know at a glance which app is trying to reach you.
  • If an app's notification still uses the old sound after you change your device settings, that app has its own sound settings you need to change separately.

Changing notification sounds on iPhone

Open Settings and tap Sounds & Haptics. Scroll down to the Sounds and Vibration Patterns section. You'll see Ringtone, Text Tone, New Mail, Sent Mail, Calendar Alerts, Reminder Alerts, and other notification types. Tap Notification Sounds to see the full list of sounds your phone has built in. Tap any sound to hear it play, then tap it again to select it.

If you want a different sound for a specific app, open that app's settings instead. For example, open Gmail, tap your profile picture, tap Manage Your Google Account, tap the Notifications tab, and look for Sound. Not every app has this option — many use whatever you set as your default. If you've changed your device notification sound and an app still plays the old sound, that app is overriding your settings and you'll need to change it in the app itself.

Changing notification sounds on Android

Open Settings and tap Apps & Notifications. Tap Notifications. Tap Advanced. Tap Default Notification Sound. You'll see a list of sounds built into your phone. Tap any sound to hear it, then tap OK to confirm your choice. This sets the sound for all notifications unless an individual app overrides it.

To change the notification sound for a single app, go back to Settings > Apps & Notifications, find the app in the list, tap it, tap Notifications, and look for a Sound or Notification Sound option. Not all apps have this setting. If you don't see it, the app uses your device default. Some Android phones organize these settings slightly differently depending on the manufacturer — Samsung, Google Pixel, and others may have the settings in different locations, but the names are usually the same.

Changing notification sounds on Windows

Open Settings and go to System > Notifications & Actions. Scroll down to the Advanced section. You'll see an option for Default Notification Sound. Click the dropdown and choose from the list of built-in sounds. Click the speaker icon next to any sound to hear it before you select it.

Windows also lets you change notification sounds for specific apps. In the same Notifications & Actions screen, scroll up to see the list of installed apps. Click any app and you'll see options for how that app's notifications behave. Some apps have a Sound option; others do not. If an app doesn't have its own sound setting, it will use your Windows default.

Changing notification sounds on Mac

Click the Apple menu and go to System Settings. Click Notifications in the sidebar. You'll see a list of apps on the left. Click any app to see its notification settings on the right. Look for a Sound dropdown and select from the list of available sounds. Click the play button next to any sound to hear it.

If you want to change the sound for all notifications at once, you'll need to do this app by app — Mac doesn't have a single global notification sound setting the way Windows and Android do. This takes longer but gives you more control. You can set Mail to one sound, Messages to another, and Calendar to a third, so you know which app is notifying you without looking at your screen.

Using custom notification sounds

All four platforms let you add your own audio files as notification sounds, though the process is different on each. On iPhone, you can use GarageBand or a third-party app to create a sound file, then use it in Settings. On Android, you can place an audio file in your phone's Notifications folder and it will appear in your notification sound list. On Windows, you can add custom sounds to the Sounds folder in your system files. On Mac, you can place audio files in the Library > Sounds folder.

The easiest approach is to use a short audio clip — between one and three seconds. Longer sounds are annoying because they play every time a notification arrives. Make sure your custom sound is in a common format like MP3 or WAV. If you're not comfortable navigating system folders, stick with the sounds your device came with.

When your notification sound doesn't change

If you've changed your device notification sound and some apps still use the old sound, those apps have their own sound settings. Open the app, look for Settings or Preferences, and search for Notification Sound or Alert Sound. Gmail, Slack, Teams, WhatsApp, and Facebook Messenger are common culprits. Some apps let you turn off sound entirely and rely on your device default; others force you to choose from their own list.

If an app doesn't have a notification sound setting, you can usually turn off notifications from that app entirely and rely on visual alerts instead. Go to your device's notification settings, find the app, and toggle off Sound or Alerts. You'll still see the notification on your screen — you just won't hear it.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I set different notification sounds for different apps?

Yes, on all platforms. Go to that app's notification settings and look for a Sound option. Not every app has this feature, but most do. This is useful if you want to know which app is trying to reach you without looking at your phone.

Why does my notification sound keep reverting to the default?

Some apps reset your notification sound when they update. Check the app's settings after an update to see if the sound changed. You can also turn off notifications from that app and rely on visual alerts instead if the sound keeps changing.

What if I don't want any notification sound at all?

On all platforms, you can set your notification sound to Silent or None. On iPhone and Android, you can also turn on Do Not Disturb mode to silence all notifications. On Windows and Mac, you can mute individual apps in their notification settings.

Can I use a song as my notification sound?

Technically yes, but it's not recommended. Songs are usually too long — notification sounds should be one to three seconds so they don't play for half a minute every time you get a message. Use a short audio clip instead, or trim a song using a free audio editor.

Why do some apps ignore my device notification sound?

Some apps are designed to use their own notification sounds instead of your device default. This is common with communication apps like Gmail, Teams, and Slack. You'll need to change the sound in that app's settings, not in your device settings.