WhatsApp is one of the most popular messaging apps, used by over 2 billion people worldwide. It offers a variety of features like text messaging, voice and video calls, document sharing and more. One of the settings that many WhatsApp users want to customize is the notification tone or text tone that plays when receiving a new message.
What are text tones?
Text tones, also known as notification tones or ring tones, are short audio clips that play when you receive a new message on WhatsApp. By default, WhatsApp uses the same text tone for all incoming messages. But you can customize it to set different tones for different contacts or groups. This allows you to identify who the message is from without having to check your phone.
Can you set custom text tones on WhatsApp?
Yes, WhatsApp does allow you to set custom text tones for incoming messages. There are two ways to do this – you can set a global custom tone that applies to all messages, or set unique tones for individual chats and groups.
Setting a global custom tone
To set a custom tone for all incoming WhatsApp messages:
- Open WhatsApp and go to Settings.
- Tap Notifications > Sound.
- Under New Messages, tap Tone. This will open your phone’s ringtone manager.
- Browse through the available ringtones and notifications tones on your phone and select the one you want to use.
- Tap OK to confirm.
This will set the chosen tone as the default for all new WhatsApp messages. Every time you get a new message, that tone will play.
Setting custom tones for individual chats
You can also set a custom text tone for specific chats and groups in WhatsApp:
- Open the WhatsApp chat for which you want to set a custom tone.
- Tap the contact’s name at the top to open their contact info.
- Tap Custom notifications.
- Select a ringtone or notification tone from your phone’s options.
- Confirm to set the chosen tone for notifications from this chat.
Whenever you receive a new message from this contact/group, it will play the tone you selected instead of the global one. This lets you assign unique tones to important chats so you know who is messaging without checking your phone.
Things to note
Here are some things to note about setting custom text tones on WhatsApp:
- The feature is available on both Android and iOS devices.
- You can use tones loaded on your phone or install new ringtones/notifications via third-party apps.
- If you set a custom tone for a contact, it will override the global tone.
- Make sure your phone volume and WhatsApp notifications are enabled to hear the tones.
- You can use tones like songs, instrument sounds, pop culture references or quotes as custom tones.
- Stick to shorter tones (under 30 seconds) as they repeat for the duration of the notification.
- You can set unique tones for all important chats so you never miss a message.
Advantages of custom tones
Here are some of the advantages of using custom text tones on WhatsApp:
- Identify senders without checking your phone each time.
- Jazz up message notifications by using your favorite music or sounds.
- Set work/personal chats to different tones for quick identification.
- Never miss important messages from family and close friends.
- Get alerted even when your phone is on silent.
- Add a personal touch and fun element to messaging.
- Help distinguish between group conversations.
- Express your personality or interests through different tones.
Popular custom tones used
Some popular choices and ideas for custom WhatsApp tones:
- Short music clips – popular songs, movie/TV show themes, game music
- Funny audio snippets – memes, sound effects, dialogues
- Quotes and speeches
- Nature sounds – animal noises, rain, ocean, birdsong
- Musical instruments – guitar, piano, violin tones
- Custom recordings – your voice, loved ones’ voices
- Partner/kids/pet names recorded
- bell/chime tones
- Famous sound bites – iconic movie lines, branded tones like Intel
You can get really creative with custom WhatsApp tones. Some people even use tones to indicate tone of messages – funny for happy messages, dramatic for serious ones!
How to get new text tones
Don’t limit yourself to the default tones on your phone. You can install new tones in a few ways:
- Download ringtone apps from Google Play Store or Apple App Store. Many offer free tones.
- Search online for “WhatsApp tones” to find downloadable options.
- Use an online ringtone creator to make your own from scratch.
- Convert audio clips from YouTube, SoundCloud etc. into tones using converter apps.
- Record your own using Voice Recorder or other recording apps.
- Ask friends to send you their custom tones via WhatsApp.
Make sure downloaded tones are in .mp3 or .m4r (iOS) format to use on WhatsApp. Get a tone management app to easily import, organize and use the new tones.
Best practices
Follow these tips to choose and use custom tones effectively:
- Pick tones that are pleasant and not jarring.
- Aim for 3-10 seconds long – not too short or too long.
- Use unique tones for priority contacts so you recognize them instantly.
- Sync work and personal chats to different tones to separate notifications.
- Label tones meaningfully for easy selection – ‘Mom’, ‘John work’ etc.
- Change tones occasionally to keep things fresh.
- Make sure tones are audible but not disruptive in social settings.
- Don’t use tones with offensive language or inappropriate content.
Troubleshooting tips
If you face any issues setting or hearing custom tones on WhatsApp, try these troubleshooting tips:
- Confirm WhatsApp notifications are enabled in phone settings.
- Check if Do Not Disturb mode is activated – this mutes all tones.
- Make sure WhatsApp tones are not set to ‘None’ under Settings > Notifications.
- Verify that contact/chat custom tones are properly selected.
- Try setting tones again and reselecting options to confirm changes.
- Check that ringtone volume on your phone is turned up.
- For imported tones, validate tone file format and restart WhatsApp.
- Update WhatsApp to the latest version for bug fixes.
- On iPhone, allow WhatsApp access to Media library to use custom tones.
Still not working? Try uninstalling and reinstalling WhatsApp. Or contact WhatsApp support for assistance on the issue.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I set a song as my WhatsApp tone?
Yes, you can set a song snippet or music clip as your custom WhatsApp notification tone as long as it is in an supported audio format like .mp3. Make sure the song clip is under 30 seconds long.
Do custom tones work in WhatsApp groups?
Yes, unique notification tones can be set for individual WhatsApp groups as well. Go into Group Settings > Custom Notifications to do so.
Can I use custom tones on WhatsApp calls?
Unfortunately no, custom ringtones cannot be set for incoming WhatsApp calls. The default call ringtone will be used.
How many custom tones can I set?
There is no limit, you can set as many custom WhatsApp notification tones as you want – one global tone plus unique tones for all individual chats/groups.
Why can’t I hear new tones I imported?
If imported tones are not audible, ensure they are in .mp3 format for Android. For iPhone, confirm WhatsApp has access to your media library. Also try restarting WhatsApp after importing new tones.
Conclusion
Customizing your WhatsApp notification tones is easy and adds a nice personal touch to your messaging experience. Take advantage of this handy feature to set unique tones for important contacts so you never miss their messages. Get creative and express yourself by using your favorite music, sounds and audio clips as alert tones.
Just follow the steps above to start assigning custom tones on Android and iOS devices. Make sure to use short, non-disruptive tones and tweak volumes for the best experience. With fun new tones for every chat, you can look forward to receiving messages instead of dreading yet another notification!