Notifications can be helpful for keeping us informed about new messages, appointments, and other events. However, the default notification sounds on our devices can sometimes be too loud, distracting, or irritating. Whether you’re trying to concentrate, avoid bothering others around you, or simply want notification sounds that are more pleasant, there are several ways to make them quieter on both iOS and Android devices.
In this article, we’ll go over the different methods you can use to turn down the volume for notifications sounds on an iPhone, iPad, or Android device. We’ll cover adjusting notification sound volume in the Settings app, customizing sounds and vibration patterns for individual apps, using Do Not Disturb modes to silence notifications, downloading third-party sound packs, and more.
Checking Notification Volume in Settings
The first place to start is by checking the overall notification volume set on your device. This controls the maximum volume level that notification sounds will play at.
On an iPhone or iPad:
1. Open the Settings app.
2. Scroll down and tap on Sounds & Haptics.
3. Under the Ringer and Alerts section, you’ll see the volume sliders for Ringtone and Alerts. The Alerts volume controls notification sounds. Drag the slider to the left to make the volume quieter.
4. Below the sliders, toggle off the “Change with Buttons” option. This will prevent the volume from accidently being turned up by the physical volume buttons on your device.
On Android:
1. Open the Settings app.
2. Tap on Sound.
3. Drag the Media volume and Notifications volume sliders to the left to reduce the maximum volume.
4. Below the sliders, uncheck the box next to “Also vibrate for calls”. This will turn off vibration so only the quieter notification sound plays.
Adjusting these overall volume sliders in Settings is the quickest way to turn down notification sounds on your device without having to customize each app individually.
Customizing Individual App Sounds
For finer control, you can customize the notification sounds and vibration patterns for individual apps on your device.
On iPhone/iPad:
1. Go to Settings > Notifications.
2. Select the app you want to customize.
3. Tap Sounds.
4. Select a quieter sound tone or vibration pattern.
5. You can toggle off the Sounds and Vibrations if you only want a visual alert.
On Android:
1. Long press on the app icon.
2. Tap the (i) icon in the upper right corner.
3. Tap Notifications.
4. Tap Sound.
5. Select a quieter notification sound or vibration pattern.
6. Uncheck “Also vibrate” if you only want the sound.
Doing this for frequently used apps like messaging, email, or social media will let you target the most distracting notification sounds. You can also reduce sounds for apps you check less frequently.
Using Do Not Disturb
Both iOS and Android have Do Not Disturb modes that can silence notifications for set periods of time.
On an iPhone or iPad, enable Do Not Disturb to mute all notification sounds and calls. You can schedule it for certain times like overnight, or turn it on manually when needed.
On Android, enable Do Not Disturb to mute sounds and visual notifications. Schedule it or choose to mute notifications from specific apps.
Using Do Not Disturb is an easy way to temporarily reduce notification noise during important tasks, events, or times of day. Just don’t forget to turn it back off when you want to receive notifications again.
Downloading New Notification Sounds
If you want to customize your notification sounds further, you can download additional sound packs from the App Store or Google Play Store. Here are some top options:
iOS:
– Melodify: Custom notification sounds and ringtones
– BBEdit Ringtones: Quiet chimes and tones
– Mixmax Notification Sounds: Professional, subtle tones
Android:
– Voluum Notification Sounds: Mix of quiet chimes and tones
– Notification Studio: Customize every aspect of sounds
– Noti Vibes: Huge library of sounds, loops, and vibrations
These apps provide loads of high quality and modern notification sounds to choose from. You can find options that are much quieter and more pleasant than your device’s default sounds.
Using Your Phone’s Equalizer
Another way to make notifications quieter is to adjust the EQ settings on your iPhone or Android device. This lets you specifically reduce the low, mid, and high frequency levels that notification sounds play at.
On iPhone/iPad:
1. Go to Settings > Music.
2. Tap EQ.
3. Drag the slider bars downward to reduce the decibel levels in the low, mid, and high end.
4. Switch on the Late Night EQ preset which optimizes sound for quiet listening.
On Android:
1. Open your Music or Audio player app.
2. Tap on Sound effects or Equalizer.
3. Drag the frequency sliders downward or select a Quiet, Acoustic, or Soft preset.
4. Tap on Global to apply the adjusted EQ to notification sounds.
With EQ adjustment, you can target and decrease the frequencies that make notification sounds seem sharp or loud. Use with headphones for the most effective quieting.
Using Sound Profiles
Some Android devices have sound profiles that alter audio output settings. These may include a Quiet or Silent profile that lowers notification volume.
To use them:
1. Pull down the Quick Settings panel from the top of your screen.
2. Long press on the Sound icon.
3. Select a sound profile designed for quieter audio.
Profiles like Silent or Meeting will mute notification sounds or switch them to vibrate only. This offers a quick way to briefly reduce noise when needed.
Troubleshooting Quieter Notifications
If you’re having trouble getting notifications to be quieter after adjusting settings, here are some things to check:
– Make sure the phone isn’t in Ring or vibrate only mode. This overrides volume sliders.
– Check that individual app sound settings haven’t been changed or customized.
– Try force quitting and relaunching an app if sound adjustments aren’t taking effect.
– On iPhone, enable Notifications on Lock Screen to preview volume changes.
– Check that any accessibility services related to audio aren’t overriding adjustments.
– Make sure there aren’t any media sounds or music playing in the background from other apps.
– On Android, check that Do Not Disturb permissions haven’t blocked volume changes for important apps.
– Confirm that your device isn’t connected to a Bluetooth device or speaker that might be controlling volume.
– If needed, restart your phone to clear out any glitches preventing quieter notification sounds.
Alternative Notification Options
If adjusting notification sound volume and tones isn’t working, consider these alternative options for less disruptive alerts:
– Use banner or popup notifications instead of sounds.
– Enable the LED light flash alert instead of sound.
– Switch app notifications to silent.
– Route notifications to your smartwatch instead.
– Keep notifications visible on the lock screen.
– Use a vibrating smartwatch or fitness band for alerts.
– Check notifications only when you manually open apps.
Depending on your needs, you may be able to rely on visual, tactile, or scheduled notification options for certain apps instead of sounds.
Conclusion
With the various settings for volume, individual app sounds, and profiles on iOS and Android devices, you have lots of options for toning down noisy notifications. Take some time to customize notifications from frequent apps, set overall volume limits, and enable Do Not Disturb when you need more quiet time.
With the right adjustments, you can keep getting helpful alerts while keeping notification sounds from being overly loud and disruptive. Pay attention to which sounds are most bothersome and target your sound settings accordingly. Achieving the right balance takes some experimentation, but the payoff of reducing notification fatigue is worth it.