Where to find the ringer settings on your iPhone
Your iPhone's ringer volume and sound are controlled through the Settings app, not through the physical buttons on the side of the phone. Open Settings, tap Sounds & Haptics (or Sounds on older models), and you'll see all the options for your incoming call sound, text tone, and notification alerts. The physical buttons on the left side of your iPhone control only the media volume when you're playing music or video—they don't change your ringer.
If you want to adjust your ringer volume without opening Settings, use the Ring/Silent switch on the left edge of your phone. This toggle mutes all incoming calls and notifications when ready, but it doesn't let you pick a new sound. For that, you need to go into Settings.
Key Takeaways
- The Ring/Silent switch on the left side of your iPhone mutes your ringer when ready, but the physical volume buttons do not control ringer volume.
- To change your ringer sound, open Settings, tap Sounds & Haptics, then select Ringtone and choose from the built-in options.
- You can set different notification sounds for text messages, emails, and other alerts in the same Sounds & Haptics menu.
- Haptic feedback (vibration) can be turned on or off separately from your ringer sound in the same settings screen.
Changing your ringtone in four steps
Open the Settings app on your home screen. Scroll down and tap Sounds & Haptics. On the screen that opens, you'll see Ringtone listed near the top. Tap Ringtone to see all available sounds.
A list of built-in ringtones will appear, each with a speaker icon next to it. Tap any sound to hear a preview—it will play through your speaker. When you find one you like, tap it again to confirm your choice. A checkmark will appear next to the selected ringtone, and you'll return to the Sounds & Haptics menu automatically.
Your new ringtone is now active. The next time someone calls you, you'll hear the sound you selected. If you change your mind, return to Settings > Sounds & Haptics > Ringtone and pick a different one.
Adjusting ringer volume with the physical buttons
The volume buttons on the left side of your iPhone control your ringer volume only when you're not playing music, video, or a podcast. Press the upper button to raise the volume and the lower button to lower it. As you adjust, a volume slider will appear on your screen showing you the current level.
If you want to see your current ringer volume without changing it, go to Settings > Sounds & Haptics and look at the Ringer and Alerts slider near the bottom of the screen. You can drag this slider left to lower the volume or right to raise it. This slider controls the same volume as the physical buttons.
Using the Ring/Silent switch to mute your ringer
The Ring/Silent switch is the small toggle on the left edge of your iPhone, above the volume buttons. When the switch is pushed toward the back of the phone, your ringer is on. When it's pulled toward the front, a red dot appears and your ringer is muted—you'll still get vibrations if you have haptic feedback turned on, but you won't hear any sound.
This switch is the fastest way to silence your phone in a meeting or quiet space. It mutes calls, texts, and notifications when ready. When you're ready to hear your ringer again, flip the switch back toward the back of the phone. The red dot will disappear.
Setting different sounds for texts, emails, and other notifications
Your ringtone is just for incoming calls. Text messages, emails, reminders, and other notifications can have their own sounds. Open Settings > Sounds & Haptics and scroll down past the Ringtone option. You'll see separate entries for Text Tone, New Mail, Sent Mail, Calendar Alerts, and others.
Tap any of these to choose a different sound. The process is the same as selecting a ringtone: tap the sound you want to hear, listen to the preview, and tap again to confirm. Each notification type can have its own unique sound, so you can tell at a glance what kind of message just arrived without looking at your phone.
Turning vibration on and off
Below the volume slider in Settings > Sounds & Haptics, you'll see toggles for Vibrate on Ring and Vibrate on Silent. Vibrate on Ring makes your phone buzz when a call comes in, even if you're listening to the ringtone. Vibrate on Silent makes your phone buzz when the Ring/Silent switch is on mute, so you'll feel incoming calls and notifications even though you won't hear them.
You can turn either of these on or off independently. Many people keep both on so they notice calls in noisy environments and in quiet spaces. If you find the vibration distracting, tap the toggle to turn it off.
Troubleshooting when your ringer won't change
If you've selected a new ringtone but you're still hearing the old one, check the Ring/Silent switch first. If it's in the mute position (red dot showing), flip it back to the on position. Your phone won't ring at all while muted, no matter which ringtone you've chosen.
If the switch is in the correct position and you're still not hearing your new sound, restart your iPhone. Hold down the power button and either volume button until the power-off slider appears, then drag it to turn off the phone. Wait a few seconds, then press the power button again to turn it back on. After the restart, test a call to yourself or ask someone to call you to hear the new ringtone.
If you're using Do Not Disturb mode, incoming calls will be silenced. Check Settings > Focus > Do Not Disturb to see if it's currently on. You can turn it off or set it to allow calls from specific contacts.
Frequently Asked Questions
Why don't the volume buttons change my ringer volume?
The volume buttons control media volume when you're playing music, video, or podcasts. To change ringer volume, use the Ringer and Alerts slider in Settings > Sounds & Haptics, or check that you're not in the middle of playing audio. If audio is playing, the buttons will adjust that instead of your ringer.
Can I use a song from my music library as a ringtone?
The built-in ringtones are the easiest option, but you can create custom ringtones using GarageBand or a computer. This process is more involved and requires exporting the file in the correct format. For most people, the selection of built-in ringtones is sufficient.
What's the difference between the Ring/Silent switch and Do Not Disturb?
The Ring/Silent switch mutes all sounds and notifications when ready. Do Not Disturb is a mode you set in Settings that silences calls and texts but can allow calls from favorites or repeated calls. Do Not Disturb is useful for scheduled quiet times, while the Ring/Silent switch is for when ready silence.
Will my phone vibrate if the Ring/Silent switch is on mute?
Only if you have Vibrate on Silent turned on in Settings > Sounds & Haptics. If that toggle is off, your phone will be completely silent and still when muted. You can control vibration and sound independently.
How do I know if my new ringtone is actually saved?
Go back to Settings > Sounds & Haptics > Ringtone and look for the checkmark next to your chosen sound. The checkmark shows which ringtone is currently active. You can also ask someone to call you to hear it in action.