How do I stop the startup sound on my laptop?
How do I stop the startup sound on my laptop?
Every time I turn on my laptop, it plays a loud startup sound that can be quite disruptive, especially in quiet environments or during meetings. The startup chime or beep can catch me off guard, and it’s frustrating not knowing how to mute or disable it. I’ve tried lowering the volume before shutting down, but it doesn’t seem to help. I use my laptop frequently in public places, and the last thing I need is to draw unnecessary attention with those unexpected sounds. Why does this happen, and is there a way to configure my laptop so that it starts up silently? Any advice on how to stop the startup sound on my laptop would be greatly appreciated.
7 Answers
For those who prefer a graphical method and are running Windows 10:
1. Right-click the speaker icon in the taskbar and choose “Sounds”.
2. This opens the Sound settings window. Click the “Sounds” tab.
3. Find the event labeled “Windows Logon” or “Default Beep” and change the sound assigned to “(None)”.
4. Click Apply.
This should ensure your laptop boots silently.
To disable the startup sound on a Linux laptop with GNOME:
1. Open the Terminal.
2. Use the command sudo nano /etc/rc.local.
3. Add the following line before the exit 0 line: amixer -D pulse sset Master mute.
4. Save and exit the editor by pressing Ctrl+X, then Y, and Enter.
The next time you boot up, your startup sound will be muted.
I found a workaround if you’re using an older version of Windows. Here’s what worked for me:
1. Open the Control Panel from the Start menu.
2. Go to “Hardware and Sound” and then click on “Sound”.
3. In the Sound window, navigate to the “Sounds” tab.
4. Scroll down to locate the “Windows Logon” sound event.
5. Select it and change the sound to “None” from the drop-down menu.
6. Save the changes by clicking Apply and then OK.
That simple change eliminated the startup noise for good.
A simple way to avoid the startup sound, whether you’re on a Windows or Mac device, is to ensure your laptop is muted before shutting it down. Mute the volume by clicking on the speaker icon in your taskbar (Windows) or menu bar (Mac) and dragging the volume slider down to zero. This isn’t a permanent fix but is easy and quick.
For a more technical approach on a Mac:
1. Open up Automator and create a new “Run Shell Script” action.
2. Type the command osascript -e "set volume with output muted".
3. Save this as an application.
4. Go to System Preferences > Users & Groups > Login Items.
5. Add your Automator application to the list of items that start at login.
This will mute your sound every time the computer starts up.
As a Mac user, I had the same issue with my MacBook. Here’s how I managed to turn off the startup chime:
1. Open the Terminal application.
2. Type the following command: sudo nvram SystemAudioVolume=%80.
3. Press Enter and provide your administrator password when prompted.
This command will effectively silence the startup chime on your MacBook.
To stop the startup sound on your Windows laptop, follow these steps:
1. Click on the Start menu and type in “Control Panel”.
2. Open the Control Panel and select “Hardware and Sound”.
3. Under “Sound”, click on “Change system sounds”.
4. In the Sound window, find the dropdown labeled “Sound Scheme” and select “No Sounds”.
5. Click Apply, then OK.
You should no longer hear the startup sound when you turn on your laptop.