WhatsApp allows users to customize notifications for individual chats and groups. This allows you to set custom notification tones, vibration patterns, and popup notifications for specific conversations.
Why use custom notifications?
Custom notifications allow you to easily identify which chat a new message is coming from without needing to check your phone. For example, you could set a specific tone for your best friend, a work group chat, or an important family group.
Other reasons to use custom notifications include:
- Quickly identify priority conversations
- Separate work and personal chats
- Never miss messages from important contacts
- Mute unnecessary group chats
- Customize your notification experience
How to set custom notifications in WhatsApp
Setting up custom WhatsApp notifications is easy and can be done right from the chat info screen. Here are the steps:
- Open the WhatsApp chat you want to customize notifications for
- Tap the contact or group name at the top to open chat info
- On Android: Tap Custom Notifications and select your preferences
- On iPhone: Scroll down and tap Custom Tones, then select your preferences
From here you can customize the following notification settings:
Notification Tone
Choose a custom ringtone from your phone’s selection when receiving messages from this chat. This makes it easy to identify who is messaging without looking at your phone.
Vibration Pattern
Set a custom vibration pattern for this chat. Useful for discretely identifying chats or adding a secondary notification cue.
Popup Notification
Enable popup chat heads to display new messages over your current app. This lets you quickly glance at messages without switching apps.
Light Color
Customize the LED light color used for notifications from this chat. Makes it easy to see who is messaging from across the room.
Notification Exceptions
Control whether this chat shows notifications when your phone is set to Do Not Disturb, allowing priority conversations to bypass DND.
Custom notification ideas
Here are some creative ways to use WhatsApp custom notifications for individual chats or groups:
Set notification tones by contact
Use a unique tone for your best friends, family members, coworkers, or other priority contacts so you always know who is messaging.
Theme tones by group
Customize notification tones by group themes like work colleagues, hobby groups, or family chats.
Make your own tones
Record custom notification sounds to really personalize chats.
Use vibrate patterns
Set unique vibration pulses for different chats so you can discretely identify incoming messages.
Popups for priority
Enable popups only for your most important chats so you never miss a message.
Light colors for rooms
Match LED light colors to different rooms in your house so you know where your phone is at a glance.
Bypass DND
Let VIP chats like family or work groups notify even when your phone is on Do Not Disturb.
Group chat notifications
Custom notifications are especially useful for busy group conversations. Here are some group customization ideas:
- Mute noisy groups
- Highlight priority groups
- Set group themes by topic
- Never miss important updates
You can customize group notifications the same way as individual chats. Some specific group settings include:
Group tones
Pick unique notification sounds for each group chat or theme by chat purpose.
Mute groups
Disable all notifications from hectic groups that spam constant updates.
Keywords
Get notified by specific keywords like your name or important phrases.
@mentions
Only get notifications from groups when you are directly @mentioned.
Unread counts
View the number of unread messages easily for muted groups.
Troubleshooting WhatsApp notifications
If your custom notifications aren’t working correctly, here are some troubleshooting tips:
- Check Do Not Disturb settings are not blocking notifications
- Make sure WhatsApp has notification access enabled
- Force close and reopen the WhatsApp app
- Double check that custom notifications are enabled for the chat
- Confirm your device volume and Do Not Disturb settings are correct
- Try setting notifications again or selecting a different tone
- Restart your phone to refresh notification systems
Conclusion
Customizing WhatsApp notifications allows you to personalize communication and never miss important messages. Prioritize chats from family, friends, work, and groups by using unique ringtones, vibrations, lights, and popups.
With creative notification customization for individual and group conversations, you can streamline your WhatsApp experience. Avoid notification noise from spammy groups, while making sure you don’t miss a message from your inner circle.