One of the best features of Android is the ability to deeply customize your device, including assigning unique ringtones to specific contacts. This allows you to know exactly who is calling before you even look at your phone—a perfect solution for prioritizing calls from family members or screening calls from your boss during the weekend.
How to Set a Custom Ringtone on Android
While the exact steps might vary slightly depending on your phone’s manufacturer (e.g., Samsung Galaxy vs. Google Pixel), the general process using the default Google Contacts app is straightforward.
- Open the Contacts app on your Android smartphone.
- Scroll through your list and tap on the name of the person you want to assign a custom ringtone to.
- Tap the three vertical dots (menu icon) located in the top-right corner of the contact’s profile.
- Select Set ringtone from the dropdown menu.
- A list of available ringtones will appear. This menu will look different depending on your phone (Samsung users will see the Samsung sound picker, while Pixel users will see the Google Sounds app).
- Browse the categories and tap on a ringtone to hear a preview.
- Once you have selected the perfect tone, tap Save or OK in the top corner.
If you want to use a downloaded song or audio file, you will usually find a “+” button or an “Add ringtone” option at the top or bottom of the ringtone selection screen. Tapping this will allow you to browse your phone’s internal storage for MP3 or WAV files.
How to Remove a Custom Ringtone
If you decide you no longer want a specific contact to have a unique sound, you can easily revert them back to the global default.
- Open their profile in the Contacts app.
- Tap the three vertical dots and select Set ringtone.
- Scroll to the very top of the list and select Default ringtone.
- Tap Save.