How to Change Microsoft Teams Notifications, Ringtones, and Availability

Category: Microsoft 365
Applies to: Windows 10/11, macOS, iPhone, iPad, Android, and Web Browsers
Difficulty: Beginner
Estimated Time: 3–5 minutes

Overview

Microsoft Teams allows you to customize how you receive notifications, hear incoming calls, and display your availability to coworkers. You can change your ringtone, adjust message notification sounds, enable Do Not Disturb, and control when Teams alerts you about activity. This guide explains how to manage your Microsoft Teams notifications, ringtones, sounds, and availability settings.

Before You Begin:

  • Make sure you are signed into Microsoft Teams using your work or school account.
  • Confirm that your device is connected to the internet.
  • Make sure Microsoft Teams is updated to a supported version.
  • Verify that notifications are permitted by your device’s operating system.

Note: Some settings may vary depending on your operating system, Microsoft Teams version, and your organization’s configuration.

Windows — Change Microsoft Teams Notifications

Step 1: Open Microsoft Teams Settings

  1. Open Microsoft Teams on your Windows computer.
  2. Click the Settings and more button (three dots) near your profile picture.
  3. Select Settings.
  4. Click Notifications and activity.

Step 2: Customize Your Notifications

Under Notifications and activity, you can adjust how Microsoft Teams notifies you about activity.

Depending on your application version, available options may include:

  • Chats: Control notifications for new chat messages.
  • Channels: Customize notifications for channel posts and mentions.
  • Meetings: Manage meeting-related notifications.
  • Sounds: Control audible alerts.
  • Display: Adjust how notifications appear on your screen.
  • Presence: Manage notifications when selected coworkers become available.
  1. Locate the notification category you want to change.
  2. Select your preferred notification behavior.
  3. Repeat for any additional notification categories.

Note: Changes to Microsoft Teams notification settings are generally saved automatically.

Step 3: Change Message Notification Sounds

  1. From Microsoft Teams, open Settings → Notifications and activity.
  2. Locate the Sound settings.
  3. Review the available notification sound options.
  4. If your Teams version provides a sound selection menu, select your preferred notification sound.
  5. Choose when Teams should play notification sounds, if that option is available.
  6. Close Settings when finished.

Note: Microsoft Teams may offer built-in sound choices rather than allowing you to upload a custom audio file. Available notification sounds and controls depend on your Teams version.

Important: Changing a message notification sound is separate from changing the ringtone used for incoming calls.

Step 4: Change Your Microsoft Teams Ringtone

If your Microsoft Teams account supports calling, you may be able to change the ringtone for incoming calls.

  1. Open Microsoft Teams.
  2. Click Settings and more → Settings.
  3. Select Calls.
  4. Locate Call handling and forwarding.
  5. Find Choose a ringtone.
  6. Select your preferred ringtone from the available options.
  7. If available, select a separate ringtone for forwarded calls.
  8. Close Settings when finished.

Note: Call ringtone settings may not be available on accounts without the applicable Teams calling features.

Important: Microsoft Teams uses supported built-in ringtone choices. The standard settings do not provide a supported method for importing arbitrary custom MP3 or WAV ringtone files.

Mac — Change Microsoft Teams Notifications

Step 1: Open Microsoft Teams Settings

  1. Open Microsoft Teams on your Mac.
  2. Click Settings and more (three dots) near your profile picture.
  3. Select Settings.
  4. Navigate to Notifications and activity.

Step 2: Customize Notification Sounds

  1. Locate the Sound section.
  2. Review the available notification sound settings.
  3. If available, enable Use Teams sound for notifications instead of the macOS alert sound to use Teams notification sounds.
  4. Adjust which notifications should play a sound.
  5. Close Settings when finished.

Note: Depending on your macOS and Teams version, some notifications may use the system alert sound instead of a Teams-specific sound.

Step 3: Change Your Microsoft Teams Ringtone

  1. Open Microsoft Teams.
  2. Navigate to Settings and more → Settings → Calls.
  3. Locate Choose a ringtone under Call handling and forwarding.
  4. Select your preferred ringtone.
  5. Configure a separate forwarded-call ringtone if the option is available.

Note: Ringtone selections are saved for the device where you configure them.

Step 4: Check macOS Notification Settings

If notifications are not appearing or making a sound:

  1. Open System Settings on your Mac.
  2. Select Notifications.
  3. Locate Microsoft Teams.
  4. Confirm that Allow notifications is enabled.
  5. Enable notification sounds if the option is available.
  6. Review your notification display preferences.

Note: macOS Focus modes can silence Microsoft Teams notifications even when notifications are enabled.

iPhone or iPad — Change Microsoft Teams Notifications

Step 1: Open Teams Notification Settings

  1. Open the Microsoft Teams application.
  2. Tap your profile picture in the upper-left corner.
  3. Select Notifications.
  4. Review the available notification settings.

Step 2: Customize Your Notifications

  1. Open the notification category you want to adjust.
  2. Choose which Teams activity should generate notifications.
  3. Adjust notifications for messages, calls, mentions, and meetings as available.
  4. Review any available quiet time or notification-blocking settings.
  5. Return to the main Teams screen when finished.

Note: Microsoft Teams may reduce mobile notifications while you are actively using Teams on another device, depending on your settings.

Step 3: Change Your Teams Ringtone

  1. Open Microsoft Teams.
  2. Tap your profile picture.
  3. Open Settings.
  4. Select Calling or Calls, if available.
  5. Locate the ringtone setting.
  6. Choose your preferred available ringtone.

Note: Microsoft provides ringtone selection for supported Teams calling configurations. The exact location and available options can vary by application version and account configuration.

Step 4: Manage Notification Sounds on iPhone or iPad

  1. Open the Settings application on your iPhone or iPad.
  2. Select Notifications.
  3. Locate Teams.
  4. Make sure Allow Notifications is enabled.
  5. Enable Sounds if you want audible notifications.
  6. Configure banners, Lock Screen notifications, and Notification Center alerts as desired.

Important: iOS does not necessarily allow you to choose a different custom sound for every third-party application. Microsoft Teams controls which in-app sound choices are available, and custom notification tone selection may not be supported.

Android — Change Microsoft Teams Notifications

Step 1: Open Microsoft Teams Notification Settings

  1. Open Microsoft Teams on your Android device.
  2. Tap your profile picture.
  3. Select Notifications.
  4. Review the available notification categories.

Step 2: Customize Teams Notifications

  1. Select the notification category you want to change.
  2. Enable or disable notifications as desired.
  3. Review notification preferences for chats, meetings, mentions, and calls.
  4. Save your changes if prompted.

Step 3: Change Your Teams Ringtone

  1. Open Microsoft Teams.
  2. Tap your profile picture.
  3. Open Settings.
  4. Select Calling or Calls, if available.
  5. Locate the ringtone options.
  6. Choose an available ringtone for incoming calls.

Note: Ringtone availability depends on your Microsoft Teams configuration and application version.

Step 4: Change Notification Sounds Through Android

Android may allow you to assign different notification sounds to individual application notification categories.

  1. Open Settings on your Android device.
  2. Navigate to Apps → Teams → Notifications.
  3. Locate the available Teams notification categories.
  4. Select a category, such as messages or calls, if displayed.
  5. Tap Sound or the available alert sound setting.
  6. Choose your preferred sound.
  7. Return to Settings to save your selection.

Note: Android notification settings vary by manufacturer and operating system version. Some devices allow individual notification sounds for different apps, while others provide fewer customization options.

Important: Your device’s available sound settings do not guarantee that Microsoft Teams supports every custom notification sound or ringtone.

Windows or Mac — Change Your Availability Status

Microsoft Teams allows you to change your availability status so coworkers can see whether you are available, busy, or away.

Step 1: Open Your Profile

  1. Open Microsoft Teams.
  2. Click your profile picture in the upper-right corner.
  3. Select your current availability status.

Step 2: Choose Your Availability

Select one of the available status options:

  • Available: Indicates that you are available to communicate.
  • Busy: Indicates that you are occupied but may still receive notifications.
  • Do not disturb: Helps reduce interruptions and notifications.
  • Be right back: Indicates that you are temporarily away.
  • Appear away: Displays your status as away.
  • Appear offline: Makes you appear offline to other users.

Note: Microsoft Teams may automatically update your status based on your calendar, meetings, calls, and computer activity.

Step 3: Set an Availability Duration

  1. Click your profile picture.
  2. Select your current status.
  3. Click Duration.
  4. Choose the status you want to display.
  5. Under Reset status after, select how long the status should remain active.
  6. Click Done.

Note: Teams will automatically reset your status after the selected duration, based on its availability rules.

iPhone or Android — Change Your Availability Status

Step 1: Open Your Profile

  1. Open Microsoft Teams on your mobile device.
  2. Tap your profile picture.
  3. Tap your current availability status.

Step 2: Select Your Status

  1. Choose your preferred availability status.
  2. If desired, select Duration to control how long the status remains active.
  3. Choose when your status should reset.
  4. Save your changes.

Note: Your availability generally synchronizes across devices signed into the same Microsoft Teams account.

How to Enable Do Not Disturb

Do Not Disturb is helpful when you are attending an important meeting or working on something that requires your full attention.

Step 1: Enable Do Not Disturb

  1. Open Microsoft Teams.
  2. Select your profile picture.
  3. Click or tap your current availability status.
  4. Select Do not disturb.

Your status will change to Do Not Disturb.

Step 2: Return to Available

  1. Open your Teams profile.
  2. Select your current status.
  3. Choose Available or another preferred status.

Important: Do Not Disturb may suppress notifications for incoming messages and calls. Avoid using it when you are responsible for answering time-sensitive communications unless you understand how it affects your notifications.

Troubleshooting

Microsoft Teams Is Not Making Notification Sounds

If notifications appear but do not make a sound:

  1. Open Microsoft Teams.
  2. Navigate to Settings → Notifications and activity on desktop, or the available notification settings on mobile.
  3. Confirm that notification sounds are enabled.
  4. Check your device’s volume settings.
  5. Confirm that Do Not Disturb or Focus mode is not enabled.
  6. Verify that your operating system allows Teams to play notification sounds.

If the issue continues, close and reopen Microsoft Teams.

I Cannot Change My Teams Ringtone

If the ringtone option is missing:

  1. Confirm that you are signed into the correct Microsoft 365 account.
  2. Open the Teams calling settings.
  3. Verify that the applicable calling features are available to your account.
  4. Make sure Microsoft Teams is up to date.
  5. Check whether ringtone options are available on another supported device.

Note: Some Microsoft Teams accounts do not have the same calling features. If the ringtone settings remain unavailable, contact True Synergy Networks.

I Am Not Receiving Notifications on My Phone

If Teams notifications are not appearing on your mobile device:

  1. Open Microsoft Teams and verify that notifications are enabled.
  2. Check the notification permissions in your phone’s Settings.
  3. Confirm that your phone is connected to the internet.
  4. Check whether Focus, Do Not Disturb, or Battery Saver is restricting notifications.
  5. Review Teams settings that may suppress mobile notifications while you are active on another device.
  6. Close and reopen Microsoft Teams.

If the issue continues, contact True Synergy Networks.

My Status Keeps Changing to Away

Microsoft Teams may automatically change your availability when your computer is inactive, locked, or asleep.

  1. Open Microsoft Teams.
  2. Select your profile picture.
  3. Review your current availability status.
  4. Choose your preferred status.
  5. If needed, set a duration for your status.

Note: Microsoft Teams uses device activity and calendar information to determine availability. Manually setting your status does not guarantee it will remain unchanged indefinitely.

Additional Information

  • Notification settings can differ between desktop and mobile devices.
  • Ringtone selections are configured separately on supported devices.
  • Some Microsoft Teams notification sounds are built into the application.
  • Android may provide additional system-level notification sound customization.
  • iPhone and iPad notification sound customization is more limited.
  • Your availability status can automatically change based on activity and calendar events.
  • Some notification and calling settings depend on organizational policies or licensing.

Security Reminder: Never install unofficial Microsoft Teams modifications or third-party software that claims to unlock restricted notification sounds or ringtones. Only adjust settings through Microsoft Teams or your device’s operating system. If your organization restricts certain features, contact True Synergy Networks rather than attempting to bypass those restrictions.