iOS 17’s new notification sound is quieter and there’s no way to reset it

In addition to the dozens of new iPhone features in iOS 17, Apple also took the opportunity to update its collection of ringtones and notification sounds. There are a bunch of new tones to choose from in the Sounds setting for incoming alerts, text message alerts, and more.

The default app notification sounds have also changed. The classic ‘Tri-tone’ has been replaced by ‘Rebound’. However, not everyone is a fan of the new notification sound… and iOS doesn’t offer a way to reset it.

Since iOS 17 came out, iPhone customers have been sharing their thoughts on the new sound on social media. While some people express enthusiasm for the new tone, others are not happy with the change.

Of course, some of this just comes down to personal preference as to what sounds people prefer. However, there is a tangible, concrete complaint. Many users say the new ‘Rebound’ sound is just too soft. Where ‘Tri-tone’ was a relatively loud thing, Rebound is a more subtle combination of two softer tones, with some reverb echo.

Especially when the phone is in a pocket or bag, the muffled sound is harder to hear than ‘Tri-tone’. Users say this causes them to miss incoming notifications. The associated haptic vibration is also weaker and harder to feel.

Unfortunately for critics, Apple currently doesn’t offer a way to select a different alert sound for app notifications, or change the volume level of these sounds.

In Settings -> Sounds you can choose your own ringtone, text tone and notification sounds for voicemail and system apps like email and calendar alerts. But these options don’t affect the alert sounds from third-party apps. As of iOS 17.0, the Settings app simply doesn’t offer any controls to change the sounds that third-party apps make.

Third-party apps that use their own custom sounds for push notifications will continue to do so. But many apps, including social media apps like Twitter and Facebook, do not include custom sound and depend on the system default. For those apps, iPhone users will now hear “Rebound” whether they like it or not.