How to turn off screenshot and alert sounds on Mac

Find out about three easy ways to turn off screenshot and macOS interface & system sounds for a quiet environment when working on your Mac in a library, public place, or late at night.

macOS plays a capture sound when you take a screenshot. Similarly, it plays an alert tone or other interface sound based on what you’re doing. For instance, you’ll hear the alert tone if you try to do something on your Mac that isn’t allowed. You’ll also hear an alert if your Mac needs your input.

While these alert sounds can help grab your attention or confirm a task (i.e., screen capture) has been executed successfully, it’s not for everyone. Recently, I was working on my MacBook late at night on my bed, and each screenshot sound disturbed my wife.

Thankfully, you can tone it down temporarily or permanently. Let’s start with the two temporary solutions before checking out the permanent fix.

1. Lower the system volume

Use the volume keys on your MacBook keyboard or Mac desktop’s connected keyboard to lower the sound or mute it entirely. This is the easiest way to temporarily turn off or reduce screenshot and other system sounds. But note that it won’t affect alert tones, and you need to lower their volume from System Settings (explained below).

Note: In some cases, your Mac may continue to play the screenshot sound even if you mute the volume. If that’s the case, use the other methods mentioned below.

2. Connect AirPods or other earphones

Once you connect your AirPods or other wired or wireless earphones to your Mac, the screenshot and system sounds will play through those instead of the built-in loudspeaker.

3. Turn off macOS system sounds

If you don’t want to get these alerts and system sounds ever, you can fully disable them from computer settings.

1) Open System Settings on your Mac.

2) Click Sound from the left sidebar and adjust the following:

• Alert volume: Drag the slider to its left-most position to disable it.
• Play sound on startup: Toggle it off to stop your Mac from playing the boot-up chime when you power it on.
• Play user interface sound effects: Turn it off to disable screenshot and other macOS system sounds.
• Play feedback when volume is changed: Turn it off to increase or decrease the volume quietly.

If you ever change your mind, return to macOS sound settings and turn them back on.

Also, check out:

• How to disable the fake clicking sound for MacBook trackpads
• How to switch audio output and input sources on Mac

Source link: https://www.idownloadblog.com/2025/10/23/disable-screenshot-system-sounds-mac/