How to set a ringtone for one contact on Android

Before you start: make the ringtone

You need the ringtone as an audio file on your phone. Open the Android ringtone maker, pick a song or recording, trim it and tap Download. The MP3 lands in your Downloads folder, ready for the steps below.

Where the option is on each brand

• Google Contacts (Pixel, Motorola, Nokia and many others): open the contact → ⋮ (top right) → Set ringtone.
• Samsung: open the contact → Edit → View more → Ringtone. You can also set a vibration pattern for that person here.
• Xiaomi, OnePlus, OPPO, realme, vivo: open the contact and look for Ringtone, either on the contact page or after tapping Edit. If your phone uses Google Contacts, follow the first step instead.

Good to know

• The contact's ringtone overrides your default ringtone only for calls from that person.
• Contacts saved on your SIM card can't have their own ringtone: move the contact to your phone or Google account first.
• A recording of the person's voice makes a fun personal ringtone: see voice to ringtone.
• Most phones set ringtones one contact at a time, not for a whole group or label.

WhatsApp calls and messages

The ringtone you set in Contacts is for normal phone calls. WhatsApp uses its own sounds: open the chat, tap the person's name, then Notifications (or Custom notifications) to choose a message tone and call ringtone just for them. Make a short tone with the WhatsApp notification sound maker.

Ideas for contact ringtones

• A few seconds of a song you both like, starting right on the chorus.
• A voice note saying their name, so you know who it is even with the phone in your bag.
• A different style per group: one tone for family, one for work, one for friends. Set each person one at a time.

Ringtone not showing in the list?

• Open the Files app → Downloads and check the file is there. Some browsers save to a folder called Download.
• If the browser played the file instead of saving it, long-press the download and choose Download.
• Close the ringtone list and open it again. Restarting the phone also makes it show up.
• Rename the ringtone without emoji or special characters and download it again.
• Still missing? Use your Files app's Move option to put the file in the Ringtones folder of your phone's internal storage. Android lists everything in that folder as a ringtone. For notification sounds, use the Notifications folder.

Questions