We’ve recently covered in detail how to make custom ringtones for use on Android smartphones and tablets, and further below we’ll explain how to set these ringtones for specific contacts. Instead of using a single ringtone for all incoming calls, you can set unique ringtones or music for each user to personalize your device and better organize your contacts.
Fortunately with Android, it’s pretty easy to create new ringtones and add custom ringtones for your notifications, but with different manufacturers, Android versions, and manufacturer skins, the process is not the same on all devices.
Recently, we’ve been getting questions about adding custom ringtones to your device for each person or specific friends and family. We’ll quickly explain how easy this is below. Our images below are from stock Android 5.0 Lollipop, so the instructions may be slightly different on other devices like the Samsung Galaxy S5 or HTC One M8.
First, you’ll want to add specific songs or MP3s you want to use to your device, and the tutorial at the top of the page will teach you how to create ringtones from your own music collection. Once you’ve done that, the new ringtones will already be in place thanks to the apps in the tutorial and then go to any contact you want to customize and set a custom ringtone to make things more personal.
This actually hasn’t been as easy as we thought, because every manufacturer does it a little differently. With Samsung devices you just go to your contacts, select any contact and hit the “edit” button and you can add a custom personal ringtone to any contact in seconds. But with stock Android, this was more discreet than we expected.
Instructions
With Android 4.4 and Android 5.0 Lollipop, the contacts app is a little different from most. Adding a unique ringtone to individual contacts is not very visible at first glance. When you enter a contact to edit, the option is not shown, but is listed in an additional menu.
Tap “Phone” or the dialer app to enter your contacts, scroll to the contact you want and tap the image to open the contact (or long press to edit). Instead of tapping to call, open the contact. At the top of the contact popup are your icons. A star to add the contact to favorites, a “pen” with the edit button we’ll be using today, and 3 dots for additional menu options.
Go to your contact, hit the pencil-shaped icon to “edit” and that’s where you can see and change the contact photo, add a new number, email address and more, and of course set a custom ringtone. Once you get to the contact edit screen, tap the three dots in the top right corner of the page and select “Set ringtone” as shown below.
This will take you to the regular ringtone selection list of all pre-installed ringtones as well as any additional ringtones you have created yourself or downloaded from apps like below. Zedge.
Select the song or sound you want and press OK. That’s all, you’re done. Now you have successfully added a unique song or ringtone to your contact. This should only ring when that person calls and your normal settings > sounds & notifications > and your phone ringtone selection will ring as usual for all other contacts.
This is a nice way to make your device more personal, or to know exactly who is calling and if some incoming calls are worth taking up. Give it a try today and feel free to check Zedge for tons of unique ringtones.
