Turn notification sounds on or off for one app on your Mac

Why it happens

Your Mac lets each app decide separately whether its notifications make a sound. So Mail can be silent while Messages dings, depending on how each switch is set. When the switch is on and you still hear nothing, the cause is usually volume, the sound output, or a Focus that silences notifications.

How to fix it

1. Open the Apple menu, choose System Settings and click Notifications.

2. Under Application Notifications, click the app, for example Messages or Calendar.

3. Turn on Play sound for notification to hear it, or turn it off for silence. Leave Allow notifications on if you still want to see them.

   Notifications›your app›Play sound for notification

4. Switch on but still nothing? Open Sound settings and drag Alert volume up. Notification sounds follow it, not just the main volume.

   Sound›Sound Effects

Still not fixed?

1. Check that no Focus is on. Do Not Disturb and other Focus modes silence notifications. Open Control Center in the menu bar and turn the active Focus off, or review it in Focus settings.

   Focus

2. Look at Play sound effects through in Sound Effects. If it's set to headphones or a speaker you aren't using, you won't hear alerts.

   Sound›Sound Effects

3. Some apps have their own sound settings as well. Mail, for example, has New messages sound in its General settings, and it can be set to None.

   Mail›Settings…›General

4. If no app makes any sound at all, even with every switch on and the volume up, restart your Mac. If that doesn't bring sound back, contact Apple Support.