Turn your Mac's startup chime off or on

Why it happens

Many Macs play a chime when they start up, so you know the Mac is working before the screen lights up. It can be loud in a quiet office or late at night. Macs that have the chime also have a switch for it in Sound settings.

How to fix it

1. Open the Apple menu, choose System Settings and click Sound in the sidebar.

2. Find the Sound Effects section and turn off Play sound on startup. Turn it on if you want the chime back.

   Sound›Sound Effects›Play sound on startup

3. Restart your Mac to check. With the switch off, it starts up silently.

Still not fixed?

1. Don't see Play sound on startup? Check you're in Sound settings and look through the whole Sound Effects section. The switch only shows on Macs that have the chime, so if it isn't there, your Mac doesn't offer it.

2. If the switch is greyed out, a school or company may manage your Mac. Ask whoever set it up.

3. Bothered by other sounds, like the screenshot camera or emptying the Trash? Turn off Play user interface sound effects in the same section.

   Sound›Sound Effects

4. If your Mac plays repeated beeps or tones at startup and then doesn't start, that's not the chime. It's a warning about the hardware, often the memory, so contact Apple Support or a repair shop.