How do I add a message tone to my Android?
With over 2.5 billion active Android users worldwide, the platform offers users extensive customization options to personalize their devices. One popular way to customize an Android device is to set custom notification tones for messages.
Using custom notification tones for messages has several benefits:
- Lets you assign unique sounds to different contacts so you can identify who is messaging without looking at your phone.
- Allows you to set more pleasant or fun sounds that you enjoy hearing when you get a new message.
- Helps you differentiate between personal messages and other notifications.
- Adds personality to your device and makes it feel more like your own.
With just a few quick settings changes, you can start assigning customized tones to incoming messages on your Android device. This guide will walk through the steps.
Check if Your Android Supports Custom Message Tones
Before you can add custom tones, you need to make sure your Android device supports this feature. The ability to use custom tones was added in Android 4.1 Jelly Bean, so any device running this version or newer will work.
To check your Android version number and model:
- Open your Settings app.
- Scroll down and tap About Phone or About Device. This may be under a System menu.
- Look for Android Version or Android OS Version to see the version number.
- You can also find your model name here, under Model, Model Number, or Device name.
As long as your Android version is 4.1 or higher, your device should support downloading and assigning custom tones. Certain manufacturers may remove this feature, but most Android phones and tablets still include it.
Enable Custom Notification Sounds
To enable custom notification sounds on your Android device, you first need to go into your sound settings. Open the Settings app and go to the “Sound & vibration” or “Sounds” section (this may be named slightly differently depending on your device).
Look for the “Default notification sound” setting. Tap on this and you should see an option to select “My Sounds” or “Custom”. Select this option to enable custom notification sounds 1. Your device may prompt you to give permission for the Settings app to access your media files and storage. Grant this permission so you can use custom sounds.
Once you have enabled custom notification sounds, your Android will allow you to set any sound file as your default notification tone or assign unique tones to individual contacts or apps. The “My Sounds” or “Custom” option essentially overrides the default notification sounds so you can insert your own.
Download Custom Message Tone Files
There are many websites where you can find and download custom ringtones and notification sounds for free. Some top options include:
- Zedge – Zedge has a huge library of free ringtones, notification sounds, alarm tones, and more to personalize your Android. You can search or browse by category.
- Ringtone Maker – Ringtone Maker lets you turn any song into a ringtone. Just upload an MP3 file and trim it to 30 seconds or less.
- Pi Music Player – This music player has a built-in ringtone cutter so you can turn tracks into ringtones.
- MTP Ringtones & Wallpapers – Download ringtones optimized for many Android models from MTP’s library.
You can also find unique notification tones by searching online for “Android notification sounds” or “Android SMS ringtones.” Check discussion forums like Reddit for recommendations. Stick to reputable sites and avoid those with intrusive ads.
Once you’ve downloaded a custom ringtone file, make sure it’s in MP3 or M4R format and under 30-40 seconds for best compatibility. You’ll also want to save the files into a dedicated ringtones folder on your Android’s internal storage or SD card.
Add Custom Tones to Your Device
Once you have downloaded the custom notification tone files you want to use, you need to add them to your Android device. The easiest way is to use a file manager app to copy the audio files into the notifications folder. Here are the steps:
1. Install a file manager app from the Google Play Store, such as Files by Google or Solid Explorer. These allow you to easily browse and manage files on your device.
2. Use the file manager to navigate to the location where you have saved the custom notification tone files on your device. This may be in your Downloads folder or on external storage if you transferred them via USB.
3. Open the internal storage on your device and go to the Notifications folder. On many Android devices, the path is Storage/Notifications.
4. Copy the custom tone files from your Downloads into the Notifications folder. You need to paste them here so your device can access them for notifications.
5. Once copied over, you can safely delete the originals from your Downloads or other folders. The custom tone files only need to exist in the Notifications folder for your device to use them.
Now your Android will be able to set any of these custom audio files as the tone for incoming notifications. The next step is choosing which tones to use as the default or for individual contacts.
Set a Default Tone for All Contacts
To set a single notification tone to be used for all new messages on your Android device:
1. Open the Settings app and tap Sound & vibration (on some devices this may be under Sounds & vibration or Sound).
2. Tap Default notification sound.
3. Browse the available default tones and select the one you want to use for all new message notifications. Your options may include:
- Notification sounds
- Alarm sounds
- UI sounds
- Ringtones
4. Tap OK to confirm the selected tone.
Now when you receive new messages from any contact, your chosen notification tone will play. This overrides the default messaging tone for all contacts.
If you want to set custom tones for specific contacts or groups, you can do that separately without affecting this default tone setting.
Set Custom Tones for Individual Contacts
You can set unique notification tones for individual contacts on your Android phone. This allows you to identify who is messaging you just by the sound of the notification.
To set a custom tone for a specific contact:
- Open your contacts app and select the contact you want to customize.
- Tap “Edit contact” or the settings icon.
- Tap “Ringtone” or “Text tone.” This is sometimes under “Advanced settings.”
- Select the sound you want to use from the list or tap “Add ringtone” to pick a custom tone stored on your device.
- Tap “OK” or “Save” to set the new tone.
Now when that contact messages you, your phone will play the unique tone you picked so you know it’s them. Repeat this for other important contacts you want to customize. Each one can have their own tone.
On Android 9 Pie or later, you may need to enable custom tones in your messaging app settings first before assigning them (source). Older Android versions usually support per-contact tones by default.
Set Custom Tones for Contact Groups
You can assign unique ringtones to groups of contacts, like family or close friends, to easily identify them when they call or text. Here’s how to do it on Android:
Open the Contacts app and tap the navigation menu in the upper left corner. Select “Groups”.
Tap on the group you want to assign a custom tone to. In the group details, tap “Ringtone” and select the tone you want from your ringtones or notification sounds.
The selected tone will now play when receiving calls or texts from members of that group. You can repeat these steps to set different tones for other contact groups.
Setting group ringtones is useful for identifying priority contacts like family without having to set tones for each person individually. Just add the important contacts to a group and customize its ringtone.
According to Google Support, group ringtones will override individually assigned contact ringtones.
Troubleshooting Tips
If you’re having issues setting up or hearing custom notification tones, here are some troubleshooting tips:
Make sure the notification volume is turned up and not muted. Go to Settings > Sound and check the volume levels.
Check that the custom tone file is in the correct folder location on internal storage. It should be saved in the Ringtones, Notifications, or Alarms folders.
Try renaming the custom tone file or re-adding it. Sometimes the system doesn’t properly detect the file name or type.[1]
For Samsung devices, clear the app cache and data for the Settings app. This can fix issues with new tones not appearing.
Make sure the file is in a compatible format like MP3 or M4R. Other formats may not work.
Check that custom tones are enabled for your Android version and device model. Some phones restrict this feature.
Try rebooting your phone if tones still don’t work. A reboot can clear any system glitches.
As a last resort, perform a factory reset. This will wipe the phone and reset all settings.
Customize Beyond Message Tones
While setting custom message tones is very useful, there are many other sound customization options available on Android devices.
For example, you can set unique ringtones for incoming calls. This lets you identify who is calling without even looking at your phone. The process is similar to adding custom message tones – download ringtone files, add them to your device’s internal storage, and then set them as ringtones for specific contacts.
You can also customize your alarm tones so you wake up to your favorite song or nature sounds. Download alarm tone files and add them just like ringtones and notification sounds.
For media audio like music or videos, go to Settings > Sounds and vibration > Advanced > Media volume limiter to set volume limits so you protect your hearing.
Explore your Android’s Sound settings to uncover other customization options for audio, like setting dial pad tones, screen locking sounds, touch sounds and more.
With all of these customization options, you can truly personalize your device’s sounds and make it your own.