Change notification sounds on Android, Samsung and Pixel

Start with the default

Open the phone’s sound settings and look for Notification sound. Choose a sound and save it if the picker asks. Samsung places this under Sounds and vibration; Pixel’s labels can differ by Android version.

Change one app

On Pixel, Google documents Settings → Notifications → App notifications, then the app, its notification category and Sound. Choose the sound for the category that actually produces the alert. A messaging app may have separate categories for incoming messages, calls and background activity.

On Samsung, inspect the app’s notification settings and available categories. If categories are not exposed, check the phone’s advanced notification settings and the app’s own controls for your One UI version. We do not promise every app exposes the same sound options.

Use a custom file where the picker supports it

Keep the audio locally available and look for the add or personal-sounds option in the picker. A sound file appearing in Ringy does not mean every other app can read it directly. Complete the app’s supported export or installation flow first.

Test one notification

Trigger the exact alert you changed. If you hear the old sound, you may have changed a different category or conversation. If you hear nothing, verify that the category is set to alert rather than silent and that notifications are permitted for that app.

Keep alerts brief. A longer ringtone may be suitable for calls but distracting when a group chat sends several messages. You can use a simpler alert while keeping a musical ringtone for calls.

Related guides

• Ringtones, text tones and alarms: which setting changes what?
• Set a custom ringtone on Android
• A custom ringtone is missing or not playing: what to check