howtosimply.com/guides/how-to-set-a-different-text-tone-for-one-contact-on-a-samsung-galaxy/ · Checked October 2026 · SM-A576B), One UI 9, Android 17 (build A576BXXU6BZIE · Samsung Galaxy A57

In this guide

Check the contact first
Tap Change ringtone/vibration
No message tone here
In Messages, open the chat and tap Details
Tap Notifications
Tap Sound
Pick a tone
If you do not see this option
If this does not work
Good to know
Sources

Quick answer

Not in Contacts: on One UI 9 a contact only has Ringtone and Call vibration. Open the chat in Google Messages, tap the three dots, Details, Notifications, then Sound, and pick a tone for that person.

7 of 7 steps with real screenshots · 2 official sources below

Device: Android
Shown on: Samsung Galaxy A57 (SM-A576B), One UI 9, Android 17 (build A576BXXU6BZIE)
App: Messages
Real screenshots: 7 of 7 steps
Checked: October 2026
Sources: 2 official, linked below

Step by step

Check the contact first
In Contacts, open the person and tap More at the bottom.
Done
Tap Change ringtone/vibration
It is the last item in the More menu.
Done
No message tone here
Only Ringtone and Call vibration: both are for calls.
Done
In Messages, open the chat and tap Details
Open the conversation, tap the three dots at the top right, then Details.
Done
Tap Notifications
Below Chat theme and Snooze chat.
Done
Tap Sound
Ours said Default notification sound (Brightline).
Done
Pick a tone
Galaxy brand sound Brightline (the default on ours) and the other Galaxy sounds are listed below Default notification sound and Silent.
Done

If you do not see this option

Using Samsung Messages? Our A57 came with Google Messages only; Samsung Messages was not installed, so the route above is Google's. Google says per-conversation notifications are in the conversation's details. Source: Change Messages notifications & settings
Want a ringtone for calls instead? That one is in Contacts: More, Change ringtone/vibration, Ringtone. Ours then showed Ringtone: Over the Horizon 2026 on the contact. Source: Manage your contacts with ease on your Galaxy phone and tablet
Want the chat to stand out more? The same Notifications page has Priority, Alert or Silent for that conversation.

If this does not work

No tone at all for that chat? Check the conversation is on Alert or Priority, not Silent, on the same Notifications page, and that the phone is not on silent.
No sound for any message? Google says to open Messages settings, Notifications, and make sure Incoming messages is turned on. Source: Change Messages notifications & settings

About this guide

Samsung Contacts sets ringtones for calls only, so a per-person message tone lives in the Messages app. Our phone used Google Messages.

The screenshots are from our Samsung Galaxy A57 (SM-A576B) with One UI 9 and Android 17, in Dark mode, taken on 25 October 2026. We used a test contact. For one shot we set its call ringtone to Over the Horizon 2026, then set it back; no message tone was changed.