Where to find notification sound settings on your iPhone

Notification sounds live in the Settings app under Sounds & Haptics (or just Sounds on older iPhones). You reach them by opening Settings, scrolling down to find Sounds & Haptics, and tapping it. From there you can change the sound for incoming calls, text messages, emails, reminders, and dozens of other app notifications — each one has its own sound control.

The exact path depends on your iOS version, but the principle is the same: Settings > Sounds & Haptics > [the notification type you want to change]. Once you tap a notification type, you see a list of available sounds. Tap any sound to preview it, then tap it again to confirm the choice.

Key Takeaways

  • Open Settings, tap Sounds & Haptics, then select the notification type (Messages, Mail, Calendar, etc.) to change its sound.
  • Each app notification type has its own sound setting, so you can make text messages sound different from emails or reminders.
  • You can preview a sound before saving it by tapping it once; tap again to confirm the change.
  • Some third-party apps manage their own notification sounds inside their own settings rather than through the iPhone Sounds menu.
  • If you do not see a sound option for a particular app, check that app's own settings first before assuming it cannot be changed.

Changing sounds for built-in iPhone notifications

Built-in notifications — text messages, calls, emails, reminders, calendar alerts — all live in one place. Open Settings, tap Sounds & Haptics, and you see a list of notification types. Tap Messages, Mail, Calendar, or whichever one you want to change. A new screen shows all available sounds; tap any sound to hear it play through your speaker.

Once you hear a sound you like, tap it a second time to lock in the choice. The checkmark appears next to the selected sound. You can go back and change it as many times as you want — there is no limit to how often you switch.

The built-in sounds include options like Bells, Chimes, Radar, Sonar, and dozens of others. Apple also includes a Vibration option at the top of some notification lists, so you can choose vibration patterns separately from sound.

Changing notification sounds for third-party apps

Apps like WhatsApp, Slack, Discord, or banking apps often manage their own notification sounds instead of using the iPhone system settings. To change these, open the app itself, look for Settings or Preferences (usually a gear icon or three horizontal lines), and search for Notifications or Sound.

Some apps let you choose from the same iPhone system sounds, while others have their own sound library built in. A few apps do not offer sound customization at all — they use a single fixed sound or vibration. If you cannot find a notification sound option in an app's settings, that app likely does not support changing it.

The advantage of app-level control is that you can set different sounds for different types of alerts within the same app. For example, Slack might let you choose one sound for direct messages and a different sound for channel mentions.

Turning off notification sounds without silencing your phone

If you want to keep notifications but remove the sound, go to Settings > Sounds & Haptics and look for the notification type. At the top of the sound list, you usually see an option called None or Silent. Tap that to turn off the sound while keeping the visual notification and vibration.

This is different from putting your phone on silent mode (using the physical mute switch on the side). Silent mode mutes all sounds including calls and alarms. Choosing None for a specific notification sound only affects that one notification type, so your phone can still ring for calls while text messages arrive silently.

Using Do Not Disturb to manage when notifications sound

If you want notification sounds to work normally during the day but stay quiet at night, Do Not Disturb is faster than changing individual sounds. Open Settings > Focus (or Do Not Disturb on older iPhones), tap the + button, and create a new focus. Set the schedule — for example, 10 PM to 7 AM — and choose which contacts and apps can break through with sound.

When your Do Not Disturb schedule is active, notifications still arrive, but they do not make sounds or vibrate unless they come from people or apps you have allowed. You can have multiple Do Not Disturb schedules — one for sleep, one for work, one for exercise — and switch between them manually or let them set up automatically by time of day.

Restoring default notification sounds

If you have changed many notification sounds and want to start over, there is no single reset button. Instead, go back to Settings > Sounds & Haptics, tap each notification type, and manually select the default sound for that type. For most notifications, the default is a sound called Tri-tone or Bell.

If you cannot remember which sound was the original default for a particular notification, try Tri-tone first — it is the most common factory setting. You can always change it again if that is not the one you remember.

Troubleshooting when notification sounds do not work

If you have set a notification sound but your phone stays silent, check three things first. One: make sure your phone is not on silent mode — look at the physical mute switch on the left side of the phone. Two: open Settings > Sounds & Haptics and confirm the volume slider for Ringer and Alerts is turned up, not all the way down. Three: check whether Do Not Disturb is active — swipe down from the top right corner to see your Control Center.

If all three are fine, the app itself might be blocking notifications. Open Settings > Notifications, find the app, and make sure Allow Notifications is turned on. Some apps also have their own notification settings inside the app — check there too. If a specific app's notifications are not sounding, restart the app or restart your phone.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I use a custom sound I recorded myself as a notification?

Not directly through Settings. iPhone only lets you choose from Apple's built-in sounds in the Sounds & Haptics menu. Some third-party apps let you upload custom sounds, but the system notifications (calls, texts, emails) are limited to Apple's library. You can use a custom ringtone for calls if you create it in GarageBand or another app and sync it through iTunes, but that is a more complex process.

Why does my notification sound work for some apps but not others?

Apps like Messages and Mail use the iPhone system sounds from Settings > Sounds & Haptics. Other apps like WhatsApp or Slack manage their own sounds in their own settings. Check the app's own settings menu first. If the app has no sound option there, it may not support sound customization at all.

Does changing notification sounds affect my alarm sound?

No. Alarms are separate from notifications. Changing notification sounds in Settings > Sounds & Haptics does not change your alarm sound. Alarms are managed in the Clock app itself — open Clock, tap the alarm, and tap Edit to change its sound.

Can I set different notification sounds for different people texting me?

Not through the built-in Messages settings — all text messages use the same sound. However, you can create a contact-specific notification by using Focus modes. Set up a Focus for a specific person, allow only their notifications through, and pair it with a different Do Not Disturb schedule. This is more complex than a straightforward sound change.

What happens to notification sounds when I update iOS?

Your custom notification sound choices stay the same after an iOS update. Apple does not reset your sound settings. However, if Apple adds new sounds in the update, you will see them in the list the next time you open Sounds & Haptics.