How to Change WhatsApp Notification Sounds in 2025

Customize Sounds for Individual Chats

You don’t have to use the same sound for every single chat. Setting unique sounds for people or groups you care about helps you prioritize messages without checking your phone every time. Here are two ways I’ve found works best:

For One-on-One Friends or Family

This is perfect for that one person whose messages you never want to miss. Let’s walk through it step by step:

Open chat settings: Go to the conversation with the person you want to customize. Tap the three little dots in the top right corner—you know, the ones that open the menu. From there, pick “Chat Settings” (or just “Settings” on some versions). This takes you to a page where you can change everything from their profile picture to notification sounds.

Pick notification sound: Scroll down until you see the “Notifications” section. Tap on “Notification Sound” (it might say “Alert Tone” on iOS). You’ll get a list of sounds—your phone’s default ones plus any you’ve downloaded. I like to test each one by tapping it; most devices let you preview the sound right there.

Save your choice: Once you find the sound you love, hit “Save” (Android) or “Done” (iOS). That’s it! Next time they message you, you’ll hear your unique sound instead of the default ping. I did this for my mom last month, and now I know instantly when she’s texting—no more guessing.

On Android, you can even add custom sounds from your phone’s music library. Just tap “Add” or “Browse” in the sound list and pick a song clip (keep it short—10-15 seconds is ideal). I tried this for my hiking group last week; used a clip of a bird chirping, and it’s so fun to hear when they plan a trip. On iOS, you might need to download a sound app first if you want custom sounds beyond Apple’s default ones—apps like “Ringtone Maker” work well, and they’re free. Just make sure the sound is saved to your device’s “Sounds” folder before you try to select it in WhatsApp.

For Groups You’re Part Of

Groups can get noisy, but setting a distinct sound for your work group vs. your book club group helps you decide if you need to respond right away. Here’s how:

Go to group settings: Open the group chat, tap the group name at the top (on iOS) or the three dots (Android) to get to settings. Look for the “Notifications” option—this is where all the sound magic happens for groups.

Choose group sound: Tap “Notification Sound” (or “Group Alert Tone”). You can pick from the same list as individual chats, but I recommend picking something a bit louder for important work groups so you don’t miss time-sensitive messages. For casual groups, a fun, light sound works great.

Turn on vibrate (optional): While you’re here, you can also adjust the vibrate pattern if you want. Some people prefer a long vibrate for groups so they feel it even if their phone is on silent. I usually keep this on for my project team group—helps me stay on top of updates.

I’ve found that groups with unique sounds are less likely to get ignored. For example, my weekly trivia group has a sound of a bell ringing, so when it goes off, I know it’s time to join the fun—no more scrolling past group messages by accident.

Adjust Global Notification Sounds

If you don’t want to customize every chat individually, changing the global sound will set one default for all new chats and groups. This is great if you’re tired of the default sound and want a fresh start. Let’s cover both Android and iOS:

On Android Devices

Android gives you a lot of flexibility here. Here’s how I do it:

Open WhatsApp settings: Tap the three dots in the top right corner of your WhatsApp home screen, then select “Settings”. This is the main settings page where you can change your profile, privacy, and notifications.

Go to notifications: Tap “Notifications” (it’s usually the second option after “Account”). Scroll down to the “Messages” section—this is where global sound settings live.

Select new sound: Tap “Notification Sound” under the Messages heading. You can choose from any of your phone’s sounds, including custom ones you’ve added. I recently changed mine to a soft bell sound; it’s less distracting than the default beep. Don’t forget to tap “Save” when you’re done!

For Android, you can also adjust the notification volume here—just move the slider next to “Notification Volume” to your preferred level. I keep mine a bit low during work hours and turn it up in the evening when I’m not busy. Another tip: if you want to turn off sounds for all chats temporarily, you can toggle the “Mute Notifications” switch, but that’s only for 8 hours, 1 week, or 1 year—so don’t forget to turn it back on!

On iOS Devices

iOS is a bit different, but still easy. Here’s what you need to do:

Open WhatsApp settings: Tap the “Settings” tab at the bottom right of your screen (it looks like a gear). Then tap “Notifications” from the list—this is where all your alert settings are.

Change message sound: Under the “Messages” section, tap “Sound”. You’ll see a list of Apple’s default sounds; if you want a custom sound, you’ll need to download one first (like I mentioned earlier with the Ringtone Maker app). Pick the sound you want, then tap “Back” to save it.

Adjust alert style: While you’re here, you can also change the alert style—banners, alerts, or none. I prefer banners because they pop up at the top of the screen and go away on their own, so they don’t interrupt what I’m doing. You can also turn on “Show Preview” if you want to see a snippet of the message without opening WhatsApp.

I’ve used both Android and iOS, and I think Android is a bit more flexible for custom sounds, but iOS is simpler if you just want to use default options. Either way, the process takes less than a minute—you don’t have to be a tech expert to do it.

WhatsApp Notification Sounds: Frequently Asked Questions

Why aren’t my WhatsApp notification sounds working even after I changed them?

Oh, this is a common issue I’ve run into too. First, check if your phone is on silent or Do Not Disturb mode—sometimes that’s the obvious fix we miss. If not, make sure WhatsApp has permission to access your phone’s speakers. On Android, go to Settings > Apps > WhatsApp > Permissions > Microphone/Speaker (depending on your device) and make sure it’s turned on. On iOS, go to Settings > WhatsApp > Notifications > Allow Notifications—toggle that on if it’s off. Another thing: if you’re using a custom sound, did you save it correctly? Sometimes custom sounds get deleted if you clear your phone’s cache, so you might need to re-add it. I had this problem last month after clearing my Android cache; I just re-downloaded the sound and set it again, and it worked fine.

Can I set different notification sounds for WhatsApp calls vs. messages?

Yes, you absolutely can! On Android, go to WhatsApp Settings > Notifications > Calls > Ringtone—pick a sound different from your message sound. On iOS, go to WhatsApp Settings > Notifications > Calls > Ringtone. This is super useful if you want to know instantly if someone’s calling vs. texting. I set my call sound to a louder ringtone so I don’t miss important calls when I’m in another room. It’s a small tweak but makes a big difference.

Do custom notification sounds sync across my phone and WhatsApp web?

Great question! Unfortunately, custom sounds don’t sync perfectly between your phone and WhatsApp web. When you’re using WhatsApp web, you’ll hear the default desktop notification sound (usually a soft ping) regardless of what you set on your phone. But if you mute a chat on your phone, it will stay muted on WhatsApp web too—so that part syncs. I use WhatsApp web for work every day, and I’ve learned to recognize the desktop sound as my work chats, so it’s not a big issue. If you want to change the desktop sound, you can do it through your computer’s settings: on Windows, go to Settings > System > Notifications > WhatsApp > Sound; on Mac, go to System Settings > Notifications > WhatsApp > Sound. That’s a workaround I found last week, and it works pretty well.

If you try any of these tips, let me know how it goes—I’m always curious to hear about small app tweaks that make people’s lives easier! And if you have other WhatsApp sound questions, feel free to drop them in the comments below.