How to Vary Your Notifications: Set a Unique Sound for Each Type of Message

August 5, 2010 | by Lars Aronsson

The same notification sound is usually played for all incoming messages on Android by default. When you receive a message, this prevents you from hearing where it came from. When you know whether you just got an email, an SMS, an instant message on Google Talk or a couple of new tweets, you can act accordingly.

The simple solution is to set a unique notification sound for each type of message, and you can even change the ringtone for individual contacts. It can be a bit tedious to find all these settings, however, so here they all are for your convenience. Please note that this guide is made with an HTC Sense device running Froyo, but the menu descriptions should apply to most Android phones.

Set your standard notification sound from Settings > Sound > Notification.

Change the Gmail ringtone from Gmail > Menu > More > Settings > Select ringtone.

Select the Google Talk ringtone from Talk > Settings > Select ringtone. If your version of Google Talk doesn’t have a notification setting, the only way to confirm its notification sound is unique, is to make sure no other apps use the default ringtone.

Select the sound for incoming text and multimedia messages from Messaging > Menu > Settings > Notification sound.

Handcent SMS is a popular replacement for the standard Messaging app. If you use it as well, you can change its notification sound from Handcent SMS > Menu > Settings > Notification settings > Notification settings > Notification sound.

The application also lets you set an individual SMS tone for each of your contacts, if you’re so inclined. Just tap on a contact in the list of conversations, and press the icon in the upper-right corner of the screen. Select Notification settings from the resulting pop-up menu, and then finally select Notification sound and choose a unique ringtone from the list.

In Facebook for Android, you can change the notification sound from Facebook > Menu > Settings > Notification ringtone.

If you set a unique ringtone for your favorite contacts, you can even hear who is calling. On HTC Sense phones, this can be done by opening the People app, tapping on a contact and selecting Ringtone in the Information category.

You can obviously change the default ringtone for incoming calls as well (just to include everything) from Settings > Sound > Phone ringtone.

For Phones with HTC Sense

Set the Calendar notification sound from Calendar > Menu > More > Settings > Reminder settings > Select ringtone.

If you use HTC’s own Twitter app, you can set its ringtone from Peep > Menu > More > Settings > Notification settings > Notification tone.

Do you know how to diversify Android’s notifications even further? Let me know and I’ll add it to the list.

Diversify, gmail, Google Talk, messages, messaging, Notfication sound, Notifications, Ringtones, settings, sms, Unique sound, Vary

11 Comments

Zed said: On August 5, 2010

gr8 article…very helpful
My recent post Review Vault- HTC Droid Incredible

Mardy said: On August 5, 2010

Great idea but will people remember the various assigned sounds with each app. I would prefer a voice speaking announcing the app label.

- larsega said: On August 6, 2010
  
  Good point. My ringtone for Gmail actually says "You got an email!" to avoid any confusion.
  
Ken said: On August 10, 2010

Great article, now if only I could get my custom contact/people ringtone to be used as the notification tone for SMS messages from that contact/person, the picture would be complete.

- vone1974 said: On August 10, 2012
  
  u can add custom notifications for diff contacts if u use a messaging application from Google play ( different from the stock message application that comes built in) u can use Go SMS Pro or ChompSMS. These messaging applications are good and take the sms/sms experience to entirely different level . just a advise if u use these application then disable the notifications in the stock application .
  U can also use application ( download from Google Play) called Ringo . it can assign custom notification tone to different contacts . and it can be used with the stock application as well .
  
Ratheesh Valamchuzhy said: On August 11, 2010

hai very help ful ..plse tell me how to join a group in andronica

Derek said: On May 27, 2011

Odd, when I open facebook on my Desire Z, click menu the only thing there is refresh! I just going to remove it.

JCB said: On October 26, 2011

“Select ringtone” doesn’t exist in Gmail settings. (I have Gmail on LG Optimus Black, running Froyo.)

- Cindi said: On August 20, 2012
  
  Yes it does. Menu-Label Settings-Ringtone
  
- Cindi said: On August 20, 2012
  
  Yes it does. Menu-Label Settings-Ringtone
  
luke said: On January 31, 2012

the gmail app has no Select Ringtone option

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