Set different notification sounds for different apps

• You can change the notification sound on your iPhone for phone calls, text messages, emails, calendar alerts, and more. 
• You can also enable notification sounds for all of your third-party apps — but you will only be able to use the default iPhone notification sound for these apps. 
• Visit Business Insider's homepage for more stories.

If you've ever been in a public place and heard the distinctive trill of an iPhone ringtone, looked down at your phone and realized the call wasn't for you — you're not alone.

But it doesn't have to be that way. Apple allows its iPhone users to customize notification sounds, from phone calls, text messages, and even calendar reminders — so next time you'll know when to pick up your phone. 

Default notification sounds for Apple's built-in iOS apps can be changed regardless of what iOS version you have, and can be done in a few easy steps. 

Here's how to do it. 

Check out the products mentioned in this article:

iPhone Xs (from $999.99 at Best Buy)

How to change notification sounds on an iPhone

1. Open the Settings app on your iPhone. 

2. Scroll down the Settings menu to find Sounds & Haptics. Select it. 

3. Under the sub-menu Sounds and Vibration Patterns, select the type of notification you want to change the sound for — let's use Text Tone as an example. 

4. You can select from dozens of different sounds. To hear the sound, tap on it. 

5. Once you've tapped on a sound, a blue check mark will appear on the left designating your selection — so make sure you've selected the sound you want before tapping Back. 

6. To change the notification for ringtone, voicemail, calendar alerts, reminder alerts, and AirDrop, repeat the steps above. 

How to enable notification sounds for other apps on an iPhone

1. Open Settings. 

2. Scroll to find Notifications. Select it. 

3. Under the sub-menu Notification Style, select the app you wish to enable notifications for — we'll use Find Friends as an example. 

4. To allow notifications, tap the button to turn it green. 

5. A list will appear and notification sounds will be turned on by default. However, you won't be able to change the notification sound for third-party apps — you will just hear the default iPhone notification sound. 

How to disable notification sounds for other apps on an iPhone 

1. Open Settings. 

2. Click on Notifications.

3. Under the sub-menu Notification Style, select the app you wish to disable notification sounds for. 

4. To turn off notification sounds, tap the green icon until it turns white. You will still receive notifications from this app, but will no longer hear the notification sound.

Related coverage from How To Do Everything: Tech:

• 'Why won't my iPhone ring?': 7 ways to fix an iPhone when its sound isn't working properly

• How to make custom ringtones for your iPhone

• How to mute the sound on your iPhone by turning on silent mode and lowering the volume

• How to turn off vibration on your iPhone in 3 steps, or choose when you want your iPhone to vibrate

Meira Gebel is a freelance reporter based in Portland, Oregon. She writes about business, culture, and technology for Insider. Her work has been featured in Digital Trends, Willamette Week, USA Today, and more. She is a graduate of Columbia Journalism School and San Francisco State University.  Feel free to reach out to her on Twitter, where she can be found most of the time, @MeiraGebel.

Read more Read less

You can set a notification tone for certain apps by performing the following:

1. Go to .

2. Select an app (such as Notepad).

3. Go to .

4. You can then perform the following operations:

   • Set a notification tone

     Select a preset tone, or touch Music on device to select a locally saved song.

   • Set a vibration pattern

     Touch Vibration and select your preferred type of vibration.

     When Synchronized (default) or Synchronized is selected(depending on your device model), your phone will vibrate based on the rhythm of the tone.

     For other options, the vibration pattern of your phone is fixed.