How to Silence or Play a Sound Notification for each app in Windows 11

Windows 11 lets you control app notification sounds, allowing you to mute alerts for specific programs.

This means you can stop certain apps from playing sounds when they send a notification, focusing only on sounds from important apps.

Windows 11 notification settings allow users to personalize sound alerts for each application. Adjusting these specific settings within the Windows 11 Settings app controls whether an app plays a sound when sending a notification, offering a customized alert experience.

For example, you might want to silence the constant pings from a social media app but still hear alerts from your email.

Step 1Open Your ⚙️ Windows Settings

Opening Windows 11 Settings is the first step to control which apps make noise when you get a notification. You can ⚙️ open Settings by clicking the ⊞ Start button and then the gear icon, or by pressing the Windows key and I on your keyboard at the same time.

• Click the ⊞ Start button. It’s in the bottom-left corner, usually a Windows logo.
• Click the Settings gear icon. It appears in the ⊞ Start menu. You can also press the Windows key + I keys on your keyboard together. This is a quick way to ⚙️ open Settings.

Step 2Go to Notifications

⚙️ The Settings window has many options. We need the ones for alerts.

• Click on System. This is in the list on the left side.
• Click on Notifications. This is in the main area on the right. This is where you’ll manage all your notifications.

Step 3Find the App You Want to Change

To change notification sounds for a specific app in Windows 11, you need to find that app within your system’s notification settings. Scroll down to the ‘Notifications from apps and other senders’ section to see recently used apps, and click on the app’s name to adjust its alert preferences.

• Scroll down to Notifications from apps and other senders. You’ll see apps that recently sent alerts. If your app isn’t there, scroll down.
• Click on the app’s name. Find the app (like Mail, Calendar, or another program) and click it. This shows ⚙️ the settings just for that app.

Step 4Turn Off the Notification Sound

You can easily turn off the notification sound for any app in Windows 11 right from its individual settings page. Look for the ‘Play a sound’ option, which appears as a switch. Toggle this switch to the ‘Off’ position to stop that specific app from making any sound when you receive an alert.

• Look for the option Play a sound. Inside the app’s settings, you’ll see switches. Find the one that says “Play a sound” or something similar.
• Toggle the switch. To stop sounds for this app’s notifications, click the switch next to “Play a sound” to turn it Off. If you want sounds, make sure it’s On.

Reference:

https://support.microsoft.com/en-us/windows/notifications-and-do-not-disturb-in-windows-feeca47f-0baf-5680-16f0-8801db1a8466#id0ebd=windows_11

Summary

Controlling notification sounds for individual apps in Windows 11 is simple; just ⚙️ go to Settings, then System, then Notifications, pick the app, and toggle the ‘Play a sound’ option to manage distractions.