How to Turn Your Windows Startup Sound On or Off in Windows 11

Why Change the Startup Sound?

You might want to turn your Windows startup sound on or off for a few reasons. Some people like the familiar chime that means their PC is ready. Others prefer to keep things quiet, especially in shared spaces, so no one knows when their computer boots up.

This article covers three methods for managing the Windows startup sound. The first method uses Windows’ own settings for quick access. The second method employs the Registry Editor, a tool that allows for more detailed changes to system settings. The third method is applicable to specific Windows versions and utilizes the Group Policy Editor for adjustments.

Method 1Using Windows Settings (The Easy Way)

This method usually works perfectly.

Open Settings

Press the Win+I on your keyboard. Alternatively, click the Start button ⊞ and then click the small gear icon.

Go to Personalization and Themes

In the Settings window, click on Personalization in the left menu. On the right side, click on Themes.

Find Sound Settings

Under the Themes section, find the Sounds option and click it. Clicking Sounds opens the classic control panel. From here, you can manage both startup and shutdown audio.

Turn the Startup Sound On or Off

In the Sounds window, look for a checkbox labeled Play Windows Startup sound in the list of Program Events.

• To turn the sound ON, check the box.
• To turn the sound OFF, uncheck the box.

Click OK to save your changes.

Close Settings

Close the Settings window. The next time you restart your computer, the sound will be on or off according to your selection.

Method 2Using the Registry Editor (For More Control)

The Registry Editor tool allows you to change many settings in Windows 11. Proceed with caution here, as accidental registry mistakes can cause system instability. Back up your registry before making changes; backing up the registry is a good idea. Administrator permission is required to use the Registry Editor tool.

Enable the Startup Sound with Registry Editor

Open Registry Editor

You can turn the Windows startup sound back on using the Registry Editor. First, open the Registry Editor by pressing Windows key + R, typing regedit, and hitting Enter. Then, navigate to the specific location within the registry where this setting is managed.

Go to the Correct Location

You can copy and paste this into the address bar at the top of the Registry Editor and press Enter.

Change the Setting

On the right side, look for an entry called DisableStartupSound. If DisableStartupSound isn't visible, right-click an empty spot in the right pane, select New, and choose DWORD (32-bit) Value (a specific type of data entry Windows uses for settings). Name it DisableStartupSound. Double-click the new value.

Double-click DisableStartupSound. To enable the startup sound, ensure the Value data is set to 0. If it currently shows as 1, change it to 0. Then, click OK to save.

Check Another Location (Important!)

You also need to check this path:HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Authentication\LogonUI\BootAnimation

Look for an entry named UserSetting_DisableStartupSound on the right side.

If it exists, double-click it. To turn the sound ON, set its Value data to 0.

If it doesn't exist, create it like you did before: right-click, select New, then DWORD (32-bit) Value, and name it UserSetting_DisableStartupSound. Then, set its value to 0.

Click OK.

Close and Restart

Close the Registry Editor. Restart your computer to hear the startup sound.

Disable the Startup Sound with Registry Editor

Open Registry Editor

To turn off the Windows startup sound using the Registry Editor, start by opening the tool. Once open, go to the two specific registry paths mentioned previously for managing the startup sound setting. There, you'll find or create a value to disable the sound.

Go to the Locations

Go to the two paths shown above in the previous steps to enable startup sound, one after the other:

Change the Values

In both locations, find or create the DisableStartupSound (and UserSetting_DisableStartupSound in the second location) DWORD value.

Double-click on DisableStartupSound.

To turn the sound OFF, set the Value data to 1.

Click OK.

Repeat this for UserSetting_DisableStartupSound in the second location, setting its Value data to 1.

Close and Restart

Close the Registry Editor and restart your PC to have silence.

Method 3Using Group Policy Editor (For Pro, Enterprise, and Education Editions)

If you have Windows 11 Pro, Enterprise, or Education, you can use the Local Group Policy Editor. This tool can change system settings and might override settings from the Registry Editor or the Settings app. This method doesn't work on Windows 11 Home.

Open Local Group Policy Editor

Press the Windows key + R, type gpedit.msc, and press Enter. Click Yes if prompted.

Navigate the Policy Tree

In the left pane, follow this path:

Computer Configuration > Administrative Templates > System > Logon

Find the Startup Sound Policy

You can turn the Windows Startup sound setting off by double-clicking the option named "Turn off Windows Startup sound" in the right pane of the Sounds control panel. This action prevents the startup sound from playing when you boot your Windows 11 computer.

Configure the Policy

You can configure the startup sound policy in Windows with three main choices. Selecting 'Disabled' will always enable the startup sound. Choosing 'Enabled' will always disable it and hide the option in Settings. 'Not Configured' returns the setting to its default behavior, allowing you to choose.

• To Always Enable Startup Sound: Select Disabled. This means the policy to turn off the sound is disabled, so the sound is allowed.
• To Always Disable Startup Sound: Select Enabled. This tells Windows to turn off the sound and will hide the option in the Settings app.
• To Let You Choose (Default): Select Not Configured. This turns off the Group Policy setting, letting you use the checkbox in the Settings app (Method 1) or the Registry Editor (Method 2).

Click OK.

Close and Restart

Close the Local Group Policy Editor. Restart your computer for the changes to take effect.

Summary

You can manage your Windows 11 startup sound using the Settings app. For more advanced control or if the Settings app doesn't work, the Registry Editor can be used, though you should proceed with caution. Windows 11 Pro, Enterprise, and Education users also have the option to manage this setting via the Local Group Policy Editor.