How do I disable all sound effects?

Overview

Sound effects are audio clips that are played by devices and applications to enhance the user experience. They can include system notification sounds, app sound effects, media playback sounds, and hardware noises like click or beep tones.

While sound effects can provide useful alerts or make games and videos more immersive, some users may find them annoying, distracting, or overly stimulating. Those with sensory processing disorders, misophonia, or sound sensitivity may want to disable sounds across their device for comfort, focus, or accessibility reasons.

Check Sound Settings

To check your sound settings in Windows 10 or 11, right-click on the speaker icon in the bottom-right corner of your taskbar and select Open Sound settings. This will open the Sound control panel where you can view and adjust the volume and other settings for playback and recording devices (Source).

Alternatively, you can open the Sound settings screen by going to Start > Settings > System > Sound (Source). Here you can adjust the master volume level, as well as the volume for specific apps playing sound.

To mute system notification sounds in Windows, scroll to the bottom of the Sound Settings screen and toggle “Play Windows Startup sound” and “Play sound when I open the Action Center” off. This will disable the chime noises for notifications.

Disable System Sounds

Windows 10/11 allows you to control system sounds and other audio alerts through the Settings app. Here’s how to turn off notification sounds:

1. Open the Settings app and go to the System > Notifications & actions page.
2. Locate the Get notifications from apps and other senders section. Toggle the master switch for Get notifications from apps and other senders to the Off position to disable sounds for all apps.
3. Scroll down further to individually disable notification sounds for system features like USB connections, power & sleep, and more. Set any individual toggle switches you see to the Off position.
4. Restart your PC for the changes to fully take effect.

This will silence most system notification sounds, like new message pings or USB device connection noises. However, some apps may have their own separate sound controls. To customize notifications per app, go to Settings > Apps > Notifications & actions and choose each app.

For other system sound effects, go to Control Panel > Sound and mute/lower volume for program events like Windows Startup sound and Default Beep. You can also go to Settings > Ease of Access > Audio and toggle off other system sounds here.

Sources:

https://www.windowscentral.com/how-turn-sound-notifications-windows-10

https://www.windowscentral.com/how-disable-sound-all-notifications-windows-10-november-2019-update

Disable App Sounds

You can mute or lower the volume for individual apps on your device. This allows you to selectively disable sounds for specific apps like games, media players, or browsers.

On iPhone, go to Settings > Sounds & Haptics and toggle off “Play Sound Effects.” You can also go to Settings > Notifications and disable sounds for individual apps. According to Apple Discussions, “If it is a notification, you always have the option to go to Settings>Notifications, select that app, and turn off sounds for notifications.”

On Android, go to Settings > Notifications then select an app to customize alerts and whether or not they make a sound. As mentioned on Reddit, Samsung devices have a Sound Assistant feature under Sounds and Vibration with an “Individual App Volumes” setting to mute specific apps.

For apps like games and media players, look in their individual settings for audio controls to mute sound effects and music. Browsers also tend to have separate alert preferences to disable audio notifications.

If you are still hearing sounds from an app after muting, check if other accessibility services may be overriding the audio settings.

Disable Hardware Sounds

Most modern keyboards, mice, and computers have built-in hardware that can make sound effects. These sounds can be distracting and you may want to disable them for a quieter computing experience.

For keyboards, many gaming and RGB keyboards have software that lets you control lighting effects. Open this software and look for audio or sound effect settings to disable keyboard noises and sounds.

Similarly, gaming mice often come with customization software where you can mute mouse click sounds. If your mouse didn’t come with configuration software, check if there is a physical mute switch underneath to toggle sound effects on or off.

For desktop computers, system fans and liquid cooling pumps can generate unwanted noise. Use your computer’s BIOS settings to reduce fan speeds or set fan profiles to quiet mode. Some third party fan control software like SpeedFan also let you customize system fan speeds to minimize noise.

Disabling hardware sounds can greatly reduce ambient noise coming from your desktop setup. Just be careful not to completely mute system fans as this can lead to dangerous overheating. Find a balance between quietness and sufficient airflow.

Try Do Not Disturb Mode

Do Not Disturb Mode is available on both iOS and Android devices to mute sounds, stop vibration, and block visual disturbances from incoming notifications. When enabled, Do Not Disturb will silence phone calls, texts, app notifications and other interruptions

You can configure Do Not Disturb to block sounds during certain times, events or activities. For example, on an iPhone you can set up scheduled quiet hours each night from 10pm to 7am where all alerts and notifications will be muted ^[1]. Or enable Do Not Disturb just for a few hours in the afternoon while you take a nap.

When using Do Not Disturb, you can customize what types of notifications and phone calls to block. For instance, calls or messages from favorites may still come through while silencing everything else. You can also allow emergency notifications and alarms to ensure you don’t miss anything urgent.

Use Third-Party Tools

Some third-party software is available to help you customize and control sound settings on your system. For example:

• FxSound – An audio enhancer and sound control tool for Windows that allows you to control volume levels, mute or disable sounds, configure audio profiles for different situations (e.g. gaming, movie watching, work), and more.
• Quiet Hours – An app that allows you to schedule times when system sound effects are muted or disabled, while still allowing other sounds like music or calls.

These third-party tools offer advanced controls for sound management beyond what is available in the Windows settings. They can help you customize volumes, mute system sounds, automate profiles for different activities, and more. However, some tools may come at an additional cost.

Adjust Accessibility Settings

For those with hearing impairments or sound sensitivities, adjusting the accessibility settings on your device can help manage or disable sounds.

Go to Settings > Accessibility and look for options related to audio and sounds. There may be a dedicated section called “Sound Notifications” or “Hearing enhancements.”

Android devices have a feature called Sound Notifications that allows you to customize sounds for visual alerts andnotifications. You can select specific notification sounds to keep enabled while disabling all other sounds.

There are also third party apps like Sound Amplifier that can boost quiet sounds or reduce loud sounds. This helps those with some hearing make notifications and alerts more discernible.

Testing different combinations of sound settings can help pinpoint what works best for your hearing needs and sensitivities. The accessibility settings give you granular control.

Test and Troubleshoot

To ensure all sounds are properly disabled, do some thorough testing:

– Try playing media files, videos, and music to see if any sound effects are audible.

– Open and close apps to check for launch and exit sounds.

– Adjust volume levels through keyboard shortcuts, buttons or slider bars to check for audible feedback beeps.

If any sounds persist, here are some troubleshooting tips:

– Check if a specific app has its own sound settings that need adjusting.

– Try updating audio and sound drivers in case of a software/hardware conflict (source).

– For hardware sounds like beeps, ensure all relevant devices (e.g. keyboard, speakers) are properly connected.

If issues continue despite troubleshooting, consider using a third party tool or adjusting accessibility settings.

Summary

To recap the main steps covered, you have a number of options to disable most or all system sounds and notifications:

• Go into the Sound settings and turn off system-level event sounds.
• Disable in-app sounds individually for each app.
• Mute or lower hardware volume controls.
• Use Do Not Disturb mode to silence notifications.
• Install third party apps to customize audio controls.
• Adjust accessibility settings to limit interruptions.

The pros of disabling sound effects are you avoid interruptions, distractions and unwanted noise. The main con is you may miss important alerts and notifications if they are silenced. Therefore, use caution when disabling all sounds and test notifications to ensure critical ones still come through.

If you need finer, more customizable control over system sounds, third party apps provide the most options. Accessibility settings also offer tools to limit interruptions for those who need them. Test different settings to find the right balance for your needs.