How To Change Discord Sounds

If you’re tired of the same old notification pings and want to personalize your experience, learning how to change discord sounds is the first step. This guide walks you through every sound setting, from server join sounds to microphone input alerts.

Discord offers a ton of ways to customize audio, but the menus can be confusing. We’ll break it down so you can tweak each sound exactly how you like.

Let’s start with the basics and move to advanced tricks.

Changing sounds on Discord is done through the User Settings menu. You can adjust notification sounds, voice activity alerts, and even replace default sounds with custom ones.

Here is the quickest way to access these settings:

Open Discord on your desktop or web browser.
Click the gear icon (User Settings) in the bottom-left corner, next to your username.
Scroll down to the “App Settings” section on the left sidebar.
Click on “Notifications” or “Voice & Video” depending on what sound you want to change.

Most sound controls live under the “Notifications” tab. This is where you manage all the pings, dings, and alerts.

Changing Notification Sounds

Notification sounds are the most common thing people want to adjust. Discord lets you pick from several built-in sounds for different events.

To change notification sounds:

Go to User Settings > Notifications.
Scroll to the “Sounds” section.
Click the dropdown menu next to “Sound” (it usually says “Default”).
Select a new sound from the list. Options include “Classic,” “Chirp,” “Ding,” and “Pop.”
Click “Test” to preview the sound before saving.

You can also disable sounds entirely by setting the dropdown to “None.” This is useful if you want silent notifications.

Adjusting Message Sound Volume

Sometimes the sound is too loud or too quiet. You can adjust the volume for notification sounds separately from other audio.

In the same “Notifications” section, find the “Sound Volume” slider.
Drag it left to lower the volume, right to increase it.
You can set it to 0% to mute all notification sounds while keeping other audio.

Changing Voice Activity Sounds

Discord plays sounds when you start or stop speaking in a voice channel. These are called “voice activity” sounds. They include a “ding” when you unmute and a “thud” when you mute.

To change these:

Go to User Settings > Voice & Video.
Scroll down to the “Voice Activity” section.
Look for “Sound When Speaking” or “Sound When Muted.”
Toggle these on or off. You cannot change the actual sound file here—only enable or disable them.

If you want to replace these sounds with custom ones, you’ll need a third-party tool or a client mod (more on that later).

Disabling Join/Leave Sounds

When someone joins or leaves a voice channel, Discord plays a sound. This can be annoying in large servers.

In Voice & Video settings, scroll to “Audio Subsystem.”
Toggle “Play Sound When Someone Joins” and “Play Sound When Someone Leaves” to off.

These settings apply to all servers you are in. There is no per-server option for join/leave sounds.

Changing Server-Specific Notification Sounds

Discord allows you to override global notification sounds for individual servers. This is great if you want a different ping for your gaming server vs. your work server.

To set a custom sound per server:

Right-click the server icon in the left sidebar.
Select “Notification Settings” from the menu.
Under “Notification Settings,” find the “Sound” dropdown.
Choose a different sound from the list. Options are the same as global sounds.
Click “Done” to save.

You can also set the sound to “None” for servers you don’t want to hear. This overrides the global setting.

Suppressing @everyone and @here Sounds

If a server spams @everyone, you can mute those pings without muting the entire server.

In the same server notification settings, toggle “Suppress @everyone and @here” to on.
This stops the notification sound for those pings, but you’ll still see the message.

Using Custom Sound Packs (Desktop Only)

Discord does not natively support custom sound packs. However, you can use a client modification like BetterDiscord or Vencord to replace sounds.

Warning: Client mods violate Discord’s Terms of Service. Use at your own risk. Your account could be banned.

If you choose to proceed, here is the general process:

Install a client mod like BetterDiscord.
Download a sound pack (usually a folder of .mp3 or .wav files).
Place the sound files in the mod’s sound folder (e.g., %appdata%\BetterDiscord\sounds).
Enable the sound pack in the mod’s settings.

Each mod has different steps. Check the mod’s documentation for exact instructions.

Replacing Sounds Manually (Advanced)

Some users replace Discord’s sound files directly in the installation folder. This is risky because updates overwrite the changes.

Navigate to Discord’s resources folder (e.g., C:\Users\YourName\AppData\Local\Discord\app-1.0.9006\resources).
Find the sound files (usually in a .asar archive).
Extract the archive, replace the sound files, and repack it.

This method is not recommended for most users. It’s complex and can break Discord.

Changing Sound On Mobile (IOS And Android)

The mobile app has fewer sound options than desktop. You cannot change individual notification sounds, but you can mute them.

To adjust sounds on mobile:

Open Discord and tap your profile picture in the bottom-right corner.
Tap “Notifications.”
Toggle “Message Notifications” and “Voice Channel Notifications” on or off.
For server-specific sounds, long-press a server icon and tap “Notification Settings.”

Mobile does not have a sound picker. You only get the default sound or silence.

Using Do Not Disturb Mode

If you want to silence all sounds temporarily, use Do Not Disturb (DND) mode.

On desktop: Click your avatar in the bottom-left and select “Do Not Disturb.”
On mobile: Tap your profile picture and toggle “Do Not Disturb.”

DND mutes all notification sounds and pop-ups. You can still hear voice chat audio.

Troubleshooting Sound Issues

Sometimes sounds don’t play even after changing settings. Here are common fixes:

Check your system volume. Discord sounds might be muted in your OS mixer.
Restart Discord. A fresh start often fixes sound glitches.
Update Discord. Outdated versions can have bugs.
Reset sound settings. Go to Notifications and click “Reset to Default.”

If sounds still don’t work, try reinstalling Discord. Backup your settings first.

Audio Output Device Conflicts

If you hear other sounds but not Discord notifications, check your output device.

In Voice & Video settings, ensure “Output Device” is set to your speakers or headphones.
Make sure the device is not set to “Default” if you have multiple audio outputs.

Using Soundboard Features (Nitro Users)

Discord Nitro subscribers get access to a soundboard. This lets you play custom sounds in voice channels.

To use the soundboard:

Join a voice channel.
Click the soundboard icon (a music note) next to the mute button.
Select a sound from the default list or upload your own.
Click the sound to play it for everyone in the channel.

Soundboard sounds are separate from notification sounds. They are for fun, not alerts.

Uploading Custom Soundboard Sounds

Nitro users can upload their own .mp3 or .wav files to the soundboard.

In the soundboard menu, click “Add Sound.”
Choose a file from your computer.
Set a name and an optional emoji.
Click “Save.” The sound is now available in that server.

Sounds must be under 5 seconds and 512 KB. Larger files will be rejected.

Resetting All Sounds To Default

If you’ve changed too many settings and want to start fresh, reset everything.

Go to User Settings > Notifications.
Scroll to the bottom and click “Reset to Default.”
Confirm the reset. All notification sounds will return to the default “Classic” sound.

This does not affect voice activity sounds. You need to reset those separately in Voice & Video settings.

Clearing Sound Cache

Sometimes corrupted cache files cause sound problems. Clearing the cache can help.

Close Discord completely.
Press Windows + R, type %appdata%\discord, and press Enter.
Delete the “Cache” folder.
Restart Discord. Sounds should work normally.

This does not delete your settings or messages. Only temporary files are removed.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I Change Discord Sounds To Custom Mp3 Files?

Discord does not natively support custom sound files for notifications. You need a client mod like BetterDiscord to replace them. This is against Discord’s Terms of Service and may get your account banned.

Why Are My Discord Sounds Not Working After I Changed Them?

Common causes include muted system volume, wrong output device, or a bug. Check your OS mixer, restart Discord, and ensure the output device is correct. If the problem persists, reset sound settings to default.

How Do I Change The Sound For A Specific Server Only?

Right-click the server icon, select “Notification Settings,” and choose a different sound from the dropdown. This overrides the global sound for that server. You can also set it to “None” to mute that server’s sounds.

Can I Change Discord Sounds On Mobile?

Mobile has limited sound options. You can only toggle notification sounds on or off. There is no sound picker for individual events. Use Do Not Disturb mode to silence all sounds temporarily.

Does Changing Discord Sounds Affect Voice Chat Quality?

No. Notification sounds and voice chat audio are separate. Changing notification sounds does not impact voice quality, latency, or echo. Voice settings are controlled in the Voice & Video section.

Now you know how to change discord sounds for every situation. Start with the global settings, then customize per server. If you want custom sounds, consider the risks of client mods. For most users, the built-in options are enough to personalize the experience.

Remember to test each change by clicking “Test” in the settings. This saves you from surprises later. If something goes wrong, resetting to default is always an option.

Discord updates often change menu layouts. If a setting is missing, check for an update or search the official Discord support page. The steps in this guide are accurate as of the latest version.

You can also join Discord’s feedback channels to request new sound features. The community often influences what gets added next.

Enjoy your new sound setup. No more annoying default pings—unless you want them back.