How to change notification's sound on Android device with OneSignal and Flutter

3 min read 19-09-2024

How to change notification's sound on Android device with OneSignal and Flutter

When it comes to mobile application development, ensuring that your users have a pleasant experience with notifications is crucial. One aspect that developers often overlook is the customization of notification sounds. In this article, we will explore how to change the notification sound for your Flutter app using the OneSignal push notification service.

Problem Scenario

In your Flutter application, you want to provide users with an option to change the notification sound whenever they receive a push notification from OneSignal. Here’s an overview of the problem you may encounter:

OneSignal.shared.setNotificationReceivedHandler((OSNotification notification) {
  // The existing code you have for handling notifications
});

Revised Problem Statement

You want to modify the notification sound for incoming push notifications in your Flutter app that uses OneSignal, allowing users to choose their preferred sound.

Step-by-Step Guide to Changing Notification Sound

Set Up OneSignal in Your Flutter Project

Make sure you've integrated the OneSignal SDK into your Flutter project. You can do this by following the official OneSignal Flutter SDK documentation.
Add Sound Files to Your Project

To change the notification sound, you need to have the sound files ready. Here’s how you can add sound files to your Android project:
- Place the desired audio file (e.g., notification_sound.mp3) in the android/app/src/main/res/raw directory of your Flutter project. If the raw directory does not exist, create it.

Update the OneSignal Notification Settings

You can specify a default sound for all notifications within the OneSignal dashboard. However, if you want to dynamically change the sound based on user preferences, you can do so in your code:

import 'package:onesignal_flutter/onesignal_flutter.dart';

void initOneSignal() {
  OneSignal.shared.setAppId("YOUR_ONESIGNAL_APP_ID");

  OneSignal.shared.setNotificationReceivedHandler((OSNotification notification) {
    // Your custom logic for notification handling
  });

  // Set custom notification sound
  OneSignal.shared.setNotificationOpenedHandler((OSNotificationOpenedResult result) {
    // Handle notification tap
  });

  // Example: changing sound per notification
  OneSignal.shared.sendNotification(
    OSCreateNotification(
      playerIds: ["USER_ID"], // User ID to send notification
      content: "New message!",
      headings: {"en": "Hello!"},
      buttons: [
        {"id": "id1", "text": "Read", "icon": "ic_menu_share"},
        {"id": "id2", "text": "Ignore", "icon": "ic_menu_gallery"}
      ],
      androidSound: "notification_sound" // Specify the sound file name without extension
    ),
  );
}

Test Your Implementation

Once you have updated your Flutter app with the new notification sound settings, test your application to ensure that the notifications are sent with the specified sound. Use a physical Android device for better results, as emulators may not always support audio.

Additional Considerations

User Preferences: It’s a good practice to allow users to choose their preferred notification sound within the app settings. You can store this preference locally using Flutter’s shared preferences.
Permissions: Ensure that you handle the necessary permissions for notifications in your Android AndroidManifest.xml file.
Troubleshooting: If the custom sound does not play, make sure the sound file is compatible (MP3 or WAV) and the file path is correctly specified.

Conclusion

Customizing the notification sound in your Flutter app using OneSignal not only enhances user experience but also gives users the flexibility they crave. By following the outlined steps, you can easily implement this feature in your application.

Additional Resources

Implementing notification sound customization can greatly enhance the overall user experience in your app. Don’t hesitate to experiment with different sounds to find what resonates best with your users!