Being able to hear notification sounds on your Android device is important so that you don’t miss incoming calls, messages, calendar events, and other alerts. However, sometimes notification sounds stop working on Android due to various reasons. The good news is that turning notification sounds back on is easy to do through your device’s Settings app.
Why Would Notification Sounds Stop Working on Android?
Here are some common reasons why you may no longer hear notification sounds on your Android device:
- Your device is set to silent or vibrate mode – This disables all sounds, including notification sounds.
- The notification volume is turned down – Check to see if the volume for notifications is lowered or muted.
- Do Not Disturb mode is on – When enabled, Do Not Disturb mutes sounds and vibrations from notifications.
- A specific app’s notifications are muted – You can mute notifications from individual apps.
- Your ringtone or notification sound is set to none – Your selected sound may have been changed to no sound.
- Your phone’s speaker is broken – Hardware damage can prevent sounds from working.
- Your Android version is buggy – Bugs in the Android OS sometimes affect notification sounds.
- Your phone is incompatible with the app – Notification features may not work properly on unsupported devices.
As you can see, there are a number of different settings that can cause notification sounds to stop working properly. The solution is adjusting these settings correctly.
How to Turn Notification Sounds Back On
Here are step-by-step instructions to turn notification sounds back on for your apps and system alerts:
Check Do Not Disturb Settings
Do Not Disturb is a feature that mutes all sounds when enabled. To check if it’s blocking notification sounds:
- Open your device’s Settings app.
- Tap on Sound or Notifications.
- Look for Do Not Disturb and make sure it’s turned off.
- Tap on Do Not Disturb to customize when it’s enabled, like overnight hours.
With Do Not Disturb disabled, notification sounds should play normally again.
Adjust Android System Volume
If your Android device’s volume is lowered or muted, no notification sounds will play. Here’s how to adjust it:
- Locate your device’s volume buttons, usually on the side.
- Press the Volume Up button a few times to increase the ringer and notification volume.
- Alternatively, go into Settings > Sound and drag the volume sliders up.
Setting higher volume levels will allow notification sounds to be audible.
Check Individual App Notifications
You can selectively mute notifications from certain apps. To ensure important apps aren’t muted:
- Go into Settings > Apps & notifications > Notifications.
- Tap the app and make sure the toggle for “Allow notifications” is enabled.
- You can also customize the notification sound for each app here.
Enabling notifications for important apps will let their notification sounds play.
Set Default Notification Sound
If your default notification sound is set to the “None” option, no sound will play for alerts. To change it:
- Go into Settings > Sound > Default notification sound.
- Select one of the ringtones or notification sounds.
- Tap OK to save the setting.
With an actual sound selected, you’ll hear a noise for notifications again.
Restart Your Android Device
As a last resort, restart your Android device by powering it off and back on. This will reload the operating system and settings, potentially resolving any glitches affecting notification sounds.
To restart:
- Hold down the Power button for a few seconds.
- Tap Restart or Power off.
- Wait for your phone to shut down, then power it back on.
After restarting, check if notifications sounds are now working. Apps may also need to be restarted for notification sounds to work properly again.
Customizing Notification Sounds
Once you get notification sounds working again on Android, you may want to customize them to your liking. Here are some options:
- Set a unique ringtone for specific contacts.
- Choose fun sounds for apps like games and social media.
- Add custom sound files as notification tones.
- Adjust notification volume levels for certain apps.
- Set vibrate, flashing light, or popup options along with sounds.
- Enable notification sounds when Do Not Disturb is on for priority apps.
Take advantage of Android’s extensive notification settings to get alert sounds tailored to your needs and preferences.
Troubleshooting Notification Sound Problems
If adjusting settings doesn’t restore notification sounds, here are some troubleshooting tips:
- Check for physical damage to speakers or the audio jack.
- Try using headphones to isolate hardware issues.
- Test sound on media like music and videos.
- Update your Android version for bug fixes.
- Factory reset your device if all else fails.
Severe notification sound problems typically require professional hardware repair. Contact your device manufacturer for support if you can’t get sounds working again.
Third-Party Apps for Customizing Notification Sounds
In addition to the built-in Android settings, third-party apps can provide greater control over notification sounds:
Zedge Ringtones & Wallpapers
Popular app for downloading ringtones, notification sounds, alarm tones, and more from a huge community library.
Ringtone Maker Pro
Allows creating custom notification sounds by mixing audio clips and adding effects.
Volume Scheduler
Automate volume and sound settings based on time of day or calendar events.
Notification Saver
Lets you preview and backup notification sounds for various Android apps.
Notification History
Tracks all notifications and lets you replay notification sounds.
These apps provide advanced tools for managing notification audio beyond the Android OS settings.
Conclusion
Hearing notification sounds on your Android device is vital for not missing important alerts throughout the day. If these sounds stop working, it’s usually due to a change in system settings or app notifications. By adjusting the right options in Sounds, Apps, and Do Not Disturb, you can get notification audio working again.
Customizing notification tones also helps set up the perfect mix of sounds for your apps. Troubleshoot any hardware issues as well for a flawless notification experience. With the right settings, you’ll stay on top of incoming calls, messages, events, and everything else with helpful sounds.