How do I turn off sound on game apps?
Many games and apps can have loud sound effects, background music, and notifications that can be distracting or annoying when you don’t want to hear them. Turning off the sound in games and apps allows you to mute them so you can focus better, avoid bothering others around you, and prevent damage to your hearing from excessive volume exposure.
While some games and apps have built-in settings to control the sound, you can also manage sounds at the device level through your phone or tablet’s sound and notification settings. There are a few easy ways to turn off or mute sounds in apps when you want some peace and quiet.
Check App Settings
Many apps include built-in settings to control audio and mute sounds while using the app. Look for a settings or options menu directly within the game app itself.
On Android devices, open the app and check for a settings icon, often shown as three vertical dots or lines in the corner. Tap this to open the menu, then look for sound, audio, or mute options to disable sounds (source).
On an iPhone, open the app and check for a settings or gear icon. Tap to open the menu, then find and adjust audio, sound, or mute settings as desired (source).
The app’s own settings are the most direct way to control audio and mute sounds specifically within that game. Check for in-app sound options before trying device-wide changes.
Use Device Sound Settings
Most mobile devices have system-wide controls to adjust the sound and volume for all apps. This allows you to quickly silence or mute sounds across the entire device.
On an iPhone, you can swipe up from the bottom of the screen to open Control Center. Here you’ll see volume controls and mute/vibrate switches. Slide the volume slider all the way to the left to mute sounds. Tap the bell icon to toggle between normal sound, vibrate only, and silent modes.
Android devices have similar quick settings available by swiping down from the top. Look for volume controls and a sound/vibrate/silent toggle. Sliding to silent will mute sounds from all apps.
Using your device’s system sound settings is the easiest way to universally turn off or mute audio from games without having to adjust each app individually. Just toggle silent or vibrate mode on as needed.
Turn Off Media Sounds
The easiest way to turn off sounds for games and other media on your iPhone is to go to your device’s Settings. From Settings, tap on “Sounds & Haptics” to open up sound controls.
In Sounds & Haptics, there is a toggle for “Change with Buttons” that controls whether your physical volume buttons affect media volume. Make sure this is turned on.
You can then use the volume buttons on the side of your iPhone to turn media volume all the way down to mute sounds from games and videos while still allowing ringtone and alert volumes to remain at their set levels. Lowering the volume this way mutes sound until media volume is raised again.
Additionally, in Sounds & Haptics you can set the volume level for ringtones and alerts as desired so they remain audible while media sounds are muted.
Mute While Playing
Many iPhones and other iOS devices have a mute switch on the side that allows you to quickly mute sounds.
When you slide the mute switch on, it will silence most sounds from your device, including notification sounds and audio from games you are playing (Source). The mute switch acts as a quick and easy way to mute game sounds without having to open your settings app or individually adjust volume levels.
One thing to note is that while the mute switch will silence most sounds, it will not mute phone calls or audio from certain accessibility features. So you can still receive calls while your device is muted.
To use this method:
- Locate the mute switch on the side of your iPhone or iPad. On older models it is a physical switch, while on newer models it is a button.
- Slide the mute switch to the on position to mute sounds.
- Slide it back to off when you want to unmute and resume game sounds.
The mute switch provides a handy way to quickly mute games in just a second without needing to navigate through settings. Just remember to slide it back off when you’re done gaming!
Lower the Volume
Instead of fully muting game apps, you can lower the master volume on your device to reduce the overall sound. This allows you to still hear game audio and alerts at a quieter level. To lower the volume on an iPhone, go to Settings > Sounds & Haptics and drag the volume slider left to reduce the volume. You can also use the volume buttons on the side of the iPhone while in the app to quickly lower the volume temporarily.
Lowering the master volume reduces sound from all apps and media, not just games. This method lets you customize the volume level based on your surroundings and preferences. For example, you may want to lower the volume at night or in public places without fully muting. Lowering the volume also allows you to still hear critical alerts and feedback from the game app while reducing loud music or sound effects.
Use Do Not Disturb
Using Do Not Disturb on your iPhone is another way to block sounds from apps and other notifications during certain times. Do Not Disturb allows you to silence all calls, alerts and notifications on your iPhone for a set period or schedule.
When Do Not Disturb is turned on, your iPhone won’t make sounds or light up when you get calls, notifications or messages. Any calls or notifications received while Do Not Disturb is on will be silenced and delivered quietly.
To enable Do Not Disturb on your iPhone running iOS 15 or newer:
– Open the Settings app and tap “Focus”
– Select “Do Not Disturb”
– Turn on “Scheduled” and set the times you want Do Not Disturb enabled
– Make sure “Silence” is selected under options
You can also quickly toggle Do Not Disturb on or off from Control Center. Just swipe down from the top and tap the moon icon. This will enable Do Not Disturb until you turn it off again.
With Do Not Disturb scheduled or enabled, all your game apps and other apps will be silenced during those times. It’s an easy way to block sounds from apps system-wide on your iPhone.
Turn Off Vibration
Even when you mute sounds or turn volume all the way down, most phones will still vibrate when receiving notifications from apps and games. The vibration provides haptic feedback to alert you, but can be distracting if you want your phone completely silent.
You can disable vibration in your phone’s settings so there is no haptic feedback at all when sounds are muted. On an iPhone, go to Settings > Sounds & Haptics and toggle off “Vibrate on Ring” and “Vibrate on Silent.” This will stop vibration for calls and notifications when your phone is silent (Apple Support).
On Android, open the Sound settings and toggle off vibrate options for phone calls, notifications, and touch feedback. You can also use Do Not Disturb mode on Android to turn off both sound and vibration during specific times or when you are in certain apps (Google Support).
With vibration disabled, your phone will be completely silent when muting sounds in games and other apps.
Use Headphones
Using headphones is an effective way to keep game sounds on without disturbing those around you. Headphones allow you to hear game audio directly in your ears rather than from external speakers. This contains the sound to just you, rather than emitting it into the surrounding environment. There are several benefits to using headphones for gaming:
Headphones provide an immersive audio experience. They block out external noises and let you fully focus on the game audio. This can improve your gaming performance and enjoyment.
Headphones are portable and convenient. Many headphone styles like earbuds are lightweight and can easily be worn during mobile gaming. Headphones allow you to game anywhere without audio disturbances.
Noise-cancelling headphones are great for blocking ambient sounds. Features like active noise cancellation ensure you only hear the game audio. This isolates you into your own space.
Headphones prevent sound leakage that speakers can cause. Speakers project sound outward, which can be disruptive to others. Headphones keep gaming noise contained.
There are many affordable headphone options to suit different budgets and needs. From basic earbuds to high-end gaming headsets, headphones accommodate gaming audio across devices.1
Silence Specific Apps
Some apps allow you to silence or mute sounds within the app itself without affecting your device’s overall sound settings. This can be useful if you want to mute sound effects or music in a game app, but still hear notifications and media from other apps.
For example, many game apps have settings to toggle sound effects and music on or off. Look for audio settings within the app’s menus or settings. Options like “Mute Game Sounds” or volume sliders for sound effects, music, and voiceover may be available.
Apps like Game Mutemaster are designed to mute sounds from specific apps only. They run in the background and allow you to select apps to silence. This mutes the app while allowing system sounds and other apps to play audio normally.
While system-wide options to mute individual apps are limited in iOS, app-specific audio settings can help silence sounds from games and media without affecting your whole device. Check each app’s settings for audio options.