Where to find the charging sound setting on your iPhone

The charging sound plays when you plug your iPhone into power. You can change it to a different sound, turn it off completely, or keep the default. The setting lives in the Sounds & Haptics menu, which is separate from your general notification sounds.

Open Settings, then tap Sounds & Haptics. Scroll down past the ringtone and text tone options until you see Charging. That's where you control what happens when your phone connects to a charger.

Key Takeaways

  • The charging sound setting is in Settings > Sounds & Haptics > Charging, not in notification settings.
  • You can choose from built-in sounds, use a song from your music library, or turn the sound off entirely.
  • If you don't see a Charging option, your iPhone model may not support custom charging sounds.
  • The charging sound plays only when you first plug in the phone, not continuously while charging.
  • Changes take effect when ready and explore every time you connect to power.

Selecting a different built-in sound

When you tap Charging in Sounds & Haptics, you'll see a list of preset sounds. These include tones like Bells, Chimes, Radar, and others that Apple includes on every iPhone. Tap any sound to hear a preview of it.

Once you find one you like, it becomes your new charging sound right away. You don't need to confirm or save—the selection sticks as soon as you tap it. If you change your mind later, come back to this same menu and pick a different one.

Using a song from your music library as the charging sound

You can set any song stored on your iPhone as your charging sound, not just the built-in tones. In the Charging menu, look for an option that says something like "Pick a song" or shows a music note icon. Tap it to open your music library.

Choose the song you want. The iPhone will use only the first few seconds of it as the charging sound, so pick something with a distinctive opening. Once selected, that song plays whenever you plug in, replacing whatever sound was there before.

This feature works only with songs you own or have downloaded to your phone. Streaming songs from Apple Music or Spotify won't work as charging sounds unless they're downloaded for offline listening.

Turning off the charging sound completely

If you don't want any sound when you plug in your phone, the Charging menu includes a "None" or silent option at the top of the list. Tap it, and your iPhone will charge silently from that point on.

You'll still feel haptic feedback (a small vibration) when you connect the charger, so you'll know the phone registered the connection. Only the audio is muted. If you want to turn the sound back on later, return to the same menu and select a different option.

Why you might not see a charging sound option

Older iPhone models, particularly those from iPhone 11 and earlier, don't have a dedicated charging sound setting. If you can't find the Charging option in Sounds & Haptics, your phone model doesn't support this feature.

iPhone 12 and newer models all include charging sound controls. If you have a newer phone but still don't see the option, restart your iPhone and check again—occasionally the menu needs a refresh to display correctly.

Troubleshooting when the charging sound doesn't play

If you've set a charging sound but don't hear it when you plug in, check whether your phone is in Silent mode. The physical mute switch on the side of your iPhone silences the charging sound along with all other audio. Flip the switch so the orange indicator is not visible, and the sound should play next time you charge.

Also check your volume level. Open Control Center by swiping down from the top right corner and make sure the volume slider isn't all the way down. The charging sound respects your overall volume setting, so if your phone is muted or very quiet, you may not hear it.

If you've recently updated iOS, the charging sound setting sometimes resets to the default. Go back to Sounds & Haptics > Charging and reselect your preferred sound.

How the charging sound works with Do Not Disturb

When Do Not Disturb is on, the charging sound still plays—it's not blocked like calls and notifications are. This is by design, so you know your phone has connected to power even when you're in a meeting or sleeping.

If you want the charging sound to be silent during Do Not Disturb hours, you'll need to use the Silent mode switch instead. Or you can set your charging sound to "None" and rely on the haptic vibration to tell you the phone is charging.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I use a voice memo or recording as my charging sound?

No. The charging sound must be either a built-in tone or a full song from your music library. Voice memos and custom recordings don't work. If you want a specific sound, you'd need to add it to your music library first through a computer or music app.

Will the charging sound play if my phone is powered off?

No. The phone must be on and awake to play the charging sound. If your iPhone is completely shut down, you won't hear anything when you plug it in, though the charging process itself will still begin.

Does the charging sound play when I use wireless charging?

Yes. Whether you plug in a cable or place your phone on a wireless charger, the charging sound plays the same way. The sound triggers whenever the phone detects it's connected to power, regardless of the charging method.

What if I want different sounds for different chargers?

The iPhone doesn't support different sounds for different chargers. You can only set one charging sound, and it plays for all charging methods. If you want to change it, you'll need to manually switch it in Sounds & Haptics each time.

Can I make the charging sound louder or quieter?

The charging sound uses your phone's overall volume level. Adjust the volume using the physical buttons on the side of your iPhone or the volume slider in Control Center. The charging sound will play at whatever volume level you've set.