How to change the alert sound and its volume on a Mac

howtosimply.com/guides/how-to-change-the-alert-sound-and-its-volume-on-a-mac/ · Checked October 2026 · MacBook Pro · macOS Tahoe 26

5 of 5 steps with real screenshots · 1 official source below

Device

Mac

Shown on

macOS Tahoe 26 (MacBook Pro)

App

System Settings

Path

System Settings › Sound › Alert sound and Alert volume

Real screenshots

5 of 5 steps

Checked

October 2026

Sources

1 official, linked below

Step by step

1. 

   Open System Settings

   Click the Apple menu in the top left corner of the screen and choose System Settings.

   Done

2. 

   Click Sound in the sidebar

   Sound is in the group with Notifications and Focus. You may need to scroll down in the sidebar.

   Done

3. 

   Choose the alert sound

   Click the menu in the Alert sound row. In the picture it is set to Boop. The play button at the right plays it again.

   Done

4. 

   Set the alert volume

   Drag the Alert volume slider.

   Done

5. 

   Choose where alerts play

   Play sound effects through decides which output device plays them. In the picture it is Selected Sound Output Device.

   Done

If you do not see this option

• A row is missing Apple says not all options in Sound settings appear for all Mac models. Source: Change Sound settings on Mac
• Sound is not in view Apple says you may need to scroll down the sidebar. In our picture Sound sits just below Notifications. Source: Change Sound settings on Mac

If this does not work

• You hear no alert Apple says the Mute checkbox stops sound output. It was ticked in our picture, so untick it. Source: Change Sound settings on Mac
• Alerts stay quiet at full Alert volume Apple says alert volume is relative to the output volume, so raise Output volume as well. Source: Change Sound settings on Mac
• Alerts play on the wrong speakers Apple says Play sound effects through chooses the device that plays them. Source: Change Sound settings on Mac

About this guide

The alert sound is the short tone a Mac plays when something needs your attention or cannot be done. You can pick another tone and give it its own volume. Apple explains that the alert volume is relative to the output volume: if you lower the Mac volume, alerts get quieter too.

The screenshots show System Settings on macOS Tahoe 26.

Good to know

For a visible signal as well: how to make a Mac flash the screen for alerts.

The chime at startup is a separate switch: how to turn off the startup sound on a Mac.

In short: System Settings, Sound, Alert sound and Alert volume.