How to change the ringtone on a Samsung phone: all methods

The ringtone is the first thing your interlocutor hears when he calls your Samsung Galaxy. Standard signals quickly become boring, and a poorly chosen ringtone can even confuse you in a public place. Fortunately, smartphones based Android with a proprietary shell One UI offer flexible sound settings - from built-in melodies to downloading your own tracks.

In this article you will find step-by-step guide for all current firmware versions (including One UI 5/6), learn how to install melody from Spotify or YouTube Music as a ringtone without third-party applications, and also deal with typical problems - why new sounds are not displayed in the menu or are reset after the update. We will pay special attention to the nuances for flagship models (Galaxy S23 Ultra, Z Fold 5) and budget lines (Galaxy A14, M34).

Ways to change the ringtone on Samsung

There is 4 main methods change the ringtone on devices Samsung:

• 📱 Through standard phone settings (One UI)
• 🎵 Using music from applications (Spotify, YouTube Music)
• 📁 Setting custom sounds (MP3, M4A) from the file manager
• 🛠️ Using third-party applications (for advanced functions)

Each method has its advantages and limitations. For example, built-in melodies work stably, but their selection is limited, and downloading your own tracks requires knowledge of file formats and storage paths.

Method 1: Change through One UI settings

This is the most simple and safe method that works on all devices Samsung s Android 10 and later. The interface may vary slightly depending on the version. One UIbut the general logic remains the same.

To change the melody:

1. Open the application Settings (gear icon).
2. Go to section Sounds and vibration.
3. Click Ringtone.
4. Select one of the proposed categories:
   • 🎶 Standard — built-in Samsung ringtones
   • 📱 Device - sounds from the phone memory
   • ☁️ Samsung Cloud - synchronized ringtones (if the function is enabled)

Touch the track you like and press Done.

On models Galaxy S22/S23 s One UI 5.1+ it is now possible to preview the melody without saving - just click on the track and hold your finger for 1-2 seconds.

⚠️ Attention: Some devices with Android 13 and One UI 5.0 may not have the preview option. This is not a bug - the feature returns in future updates.

Method 2: Install your own MP3 files

If If you don’t like the built-in melodies, you can download any audio file in MP3, M4A, WAV or OGGformats. The main condition is that the duration of the track should not exceed 30 seconds (otherwise the system will cut it off automatically).

Instructions for adding a custom ringtone:

1. Download or transfer the audio file to your phone (for example, via Bluetooth, USB or cloud storage).
2. Open the file manager (My files) and move the track to the folder:

   /Ringtones/

   If there is no folder, create it in the root directory of the internal memory.

3. Go to Settings → Sounds and vibration → Ringtone → Device.
4. Your file will appear in the list - select it and save the changes.

For models Galaxy A54 and newer there is a restriction: files must weigh no more than 5 MB. Otherwise, they will not be displayed. in the selection menu.

File format	Max. size	Supports One UI 5.0	Supports One UI 6.0
MP3	5 MB	✅ Yes	✅ Yes
M4A (AAC)	5 MB	✅ Yes	✅ Yes
WAV	3 MB	⚠️ Only up to 16 bits	✅ No restrictions
OGG	4 MB	✅ Yes	✅ Yes
FLAC	—	❌ No	❌ No

💡

If your file is not displayed in the list of ringtones, try renaming it to Latin (without Cyrillic and special characters) or converting to MP3 through online services.

Method 3: Using music from Spotify/YouTube Music

C One UI 4.0 Samsung has added integration with popular music services, which allows you to install tracks from Spotify or YouTube Music as ringtones. However, there are nuances:

• 🎧 Required premium subscription for the service (free accounts are not supported).
• 🔄 Music must be loaded into offline mode on the device.
• ⏱️ The track length is automatically trimmed to 30 seconds.

How to set a melody from Spotify:

1. Open the application Spotify and find the track.
2. Click on the three dots next to the song and select Add to playlist → Ringtones (the playlist is created automatically the first time you use it).
3. Go to Settings → Sounds and vibration → Ringtone → Spotify.
4. Select a track from the downloaded list.

⚠️ Attention: After canceling your subscription to Spotify Premium or deleting a track from the offline storage, the ringtone will stop working. The system will return to the standard melody.

Why are not all tracks from Spotify displayed in ringtones?

Only songs added to the special “Ringtones” playlist and downloaded in offline mode are available for selection. Also check that the track is not. is protected by DRM (usually this applies to exclusive releases).

Method 4: Third-party applications for advanced functions

If you need dynamic ringtones (varying depending on the contact), gradient sounds or support for rare formats, you should pay attention to third-party utilities. Popular options:

• 🎛️ Zedge —the largest database of ringtones and wallpapers with editing capabilities.
• 🔊 Ringtone Maker —trimming tracks and creating unique melodies.
• 📱 MP3 Cutter and Ringtone Maker —to fine-tune the beginning and end of a fragment.

Example of setup via Zedge:

1. Install the application from Galaxy Store or Google Play.
2. Open Zedge and find the ringtone you like (use filter Samsung for optimized sounds).
3. Click Set → select Ringtone.
4. Confirm the replacement in the system window.

The advantage of third-party applications is access to millions of free ringtones, including thematic ones (from movies, games) and adapted for specific models. SamsungHowever, be careful: some utilities request excessive permissions (for example, access to contacts).

Solving typical problems

Sometimes after changing the ringtone, crashes occur. Here The most common errors and ways to eliminate them:

Problem	Possible cause	Solution
New ringtone is not saved	Application cache failure Settings	Go to Settings → Applications → Settings → Storage → Clear cache
The melody is reset after reboot	The file is stored on the SD card (the system loses access)	Move the file to the internal memory in a folder /Ringtones/
MP3 files are not displayed in the list	Incorrect format or storage path	Check the file extension and folder (should be /Ringtones/, not /Music/)
Ringtone plays with a delay	Battery optimization for the application Phone	Disable optimization in Settings → Device maintenance → Battery → Application optimization

If the problem persists, try reset the sound settings:

1. Go in Settings → General → Reset → Reset sound settings.
2. Confirm the action (this will not delete your files, it will only return the system sounds to the factory ones).
3. Repeat the ringtone setting again.

⚠️ Attention: On devices with One UI 6.0 and Android 14 the path to resetting the sound may be different: Settings → Device maintenance → Advanced → Reset sound settings.

Features for different Samsung models

Flagship and budget models Samsung may have different restrictions opportunities when changing ringtones. Below are the key differences:

• 📱 Galaxy S23 Ultra / Z Fold 5:
  • Support for ringtones (only in headphones). Spatial sound data-i="228">Limitation on ringtone duration - spatial sound for ringtones (headphones only).
  • Possibility to assign different ringtones for SIM1 and SIM2.
• 💰 Galaxy A14 / M34:
  • Limitation on ringtone duration - 20 seconds (instead of 30).
  • No integration with Spotify in the sound menu (only through third-party applications).
• ⏳ Galaxy Note 20 / S20 FE (with One UI 3.1):
  • Required manual folder creation /Ringtones/ —by default it is not there.
  • Format support WMA (removed in new versions).

On Galaxy Watch 5/6 the ringtone is synchronized with the phone, but it can be changed separately through the app Galaxy Wearable (section Notifications → Sounds).

FAQ: Frequent questions

Can I set my own melody to the alarm clock?

Yes, but not through the ringtone menu. For the alarm clock:

1. Open the application Clock → Alarm clock.
2. Create or select an alarm clock → Melody.
3. Click Add sound and select a file from memory.

Limitation: track duration - up to 1 minute.

Why does my melody play quieter than the standard one?

This is due to normalize the volume v One UI. To eliminate:

1. Open the file in any audio editor (for example, Lexis Audio Editor).
2. Increase the volume by 3-6 dB and save.
3. Re-set the edited file as a ringtone.

Is it possible to assign different ringtones to different contacts?

Yes, for this:

1. Open the application Contact.
2. Select a contact → Edit → Ringtone.
3. Specify an individual sound.

Limitation: works only for contacts saved on device (not in Google Account).

How to return the standard Samsung melody?

Go to Settings → Sounds and vibration → Ringtone → Standard and select Over the Horizon (classic melody Samsung) or Default.

Why were all the ringtones reset after the update?

This is a known problem One UI with major keys updates (for example, from Android 12 to 13). You can restore the settings:

1. Via a backup copy Samsung Cloud (if synchronization was enabled).
2. Manually reassigning ringtones for each contact.

In the future, avoid resetting by disabling automatic sound optimization in Settings → Device maintenance → Automation.