How to set a custom text tone or notification sound

A short, recognizable sound for messages, made from any song, voice clip or video.

Short answer: cut a 1 to 3 second sound with the Ringtone Maker and add it to your phone like a ringtone. iPhone: Settings → Sounds & Haptics → Text Tone. Android: Settings → Sound & vibration → Default notification sound.

Step 1: Make a short sound

Open the Ringtone Maker and pick your song, voice memo or video.
Select 1 to 3 seconds: a word, a beat, a laugh. Long notification sounds get annoying fast.
Shorten the fades in Effects so the sound starts right away, then download it.

iPhone

Add it to the iPhone: on iOS 26, Files → Share → Use as Ringtone, then switch your ringtone back if you only want it for texts.
Open Settings → Sounds & Haptics → Text Tone and pick your sound at the top of the list.
For one person only: Contacts → the person → Edit → Text Tone.

Android

Open Settings → Sound & vibration → Default notification sound (Samsung: Notification sound).
Tap My sounds or + and pick the file.
Apps like WhatsApp have their own sound settings inside the app as well.

Questions and answers

How long should a text tone be?

1 to 3 seconds. Anything longer is cut off or becomes annoying.

Can I have a different sound for one contact?

Yes. On iPhone set it in the contact under Text Tone. On many Android phones you can set it per conversation in the Messages app.

More guides

Make a song your ringtone

Any song, any phone, in about two minutes.

Ringtone not showing on iPhone? 7 fixes

The usual causes and how to fix each one.

Set a song as your alarm

Wake up to your own song on iPhone or Android.

Make your own voice a ringtone

Your kid, your catchphrase, a funny line.

Change your ringtone back to default

Go back to the original tone, and remove old ones.

Set any song as your iPhone ringtone

No computer needed. The new Files app way and GarageBand.