How to Set a Different Notification Sound for Each App

Tap a platform to see how to set it up.

iPhone

Go to Settings > Notifications, select an app, and choose a custom Sound just for that app under its notification settings.

Android

Go to Settings > Apps > (app name) > Notifications β€” on many phones you can set a different sound for each notification category the app has.

Why It's Useful

Giving a work chat app a distinct, attention-grabbing sound and a less urgent app a quieter one lets you gauge how important a notification is just by hearing it.

Resetting to the Default Sound

You can always go back into the same menu and choose Default to restore the app's original notification sound.

Tell Notifications Apart Without Looking at the Screen

When every app makes the exact same sound, you have to pick up your phone every time just to find out what's actually going on. Assigning distinctive sounds to the apps you care about most means you can often decide whether something is worth interrupting what you're doing before you even glance at the screen.

Not Every App Offers the Same Level of Control

System-level notifications generally let you pick a sound freely, but some apps manage sound entirely inside their own in-app settings instead of through your phone's notification menu, so the exact steps β€” and how much choice you get β€” can vary from app to app.

Frequently Asked Questions

Do all apps support a custom notification sound?

Most apps that use standard system notifications do, but some apps handle sound through their own in-app settings menu instead.

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

It depends on the device and OS β€” Android often lets you assign a saved audio file directly, while iOS is generally limited to built-in tones unless you use a third-party app to add custom sounds.