How to Set a Custom Text Tone on Android

Tired of the same default text message sound? Android makes it easy to set any MP3 file as your notification tone for text messages and other apps. This guide works for Samsung Galaxy, Google Pixel, OnePlus, and all other Android phones.

Step 1: Download a Notification Sound

Short, crisp sounds work best for text notifications. Browse our message tones collection or sound effects for tones designed specifically as notification alerts.

For text notifications, look for tones that are 1-3 seconds long. Our Message Tones category is curated specifically for this purpose.

Step 2: Set as Default Notification Sound

The path depends on your phone manufacturer:

Samsung Galaxy

  1. Settings > Sounds and vibration > Notification sound
  2. Tap "+" in the top right corner
  3. Navigate to your Downloads folder and select the MP3 file
  4. Tap "Done"

Google Pixel

  1. Settings > Sound & vibration > Default notification sound
  2. Scroll down and tap "Add a notification"
  3. Select your downloaded MP3 file
  4. Tap "OK"

Other Android Phones

  1. Settings > Sound > Default notification sound
  2. Look for "Add" or "Custom" option
  3. Browse to your MP3 file and select it

Setting Notification Sound Per Messaging App

Most messaging apps let you set a custom notification sound within the app itself:

Google Messages

  1. Open Messages and tap your profile picture (top right)
  2. Tap "Messages settings"
  3. Tap "Notifications"
  4. Tap "Incoming messages" > "Sound"
  5. Choose your custom notification tone

WhatsApp

  1. Open WhatsApp > Settings > Notifications
  2. Tap "Notification tone" under Message notifications
  3. Select your custom tone

Setting Different Tones for Different Contacts

On Samsung phones, you can assign unique notification sounds to specific contacts:

  1. Open the Contacts app
  2. Select a contact and tap "Edit"
  3. Tap "View more" to see all fields
  4. Look for "Ringtone" and "Message tone" options
  5. Set a custom tone for that contact

Alternative: Copy to Notifications Folder

If your phone does not show custom files in the sound picker, manually copy the file:

  1. Open your File Manager app
  2. Navigate to Internal Storage
  3. Create a folder called "Notifications" if it does not exist
  4. Copy your MP3 file into this folder
  5. Restart your phone
  6. The tone should now appear in your notification sound settings

Find the perfect notification sound from our Message Tones or Sound Effects collections.