How to disable startup sound on Windows 11

Yes, you can disable the new startup sound on Windows 11, and here's how.

Windows 11 startup sound disabled
Windows 11 startup sound disabled

Windows 11 brings back the startup sound, but you can disable the feature if you prefer to start the device silently.

Although Windows has included system sounds for a long time, the startup sound was disabled by default on Windows 10. However, on Windows 11, Microsoft brings back the sound you hear the first time the OS boots up alongside a new scheme of sounds for events and applications, and if you prefer not to hear it, you can still disable it through the Themes settings.

In this guide, you will learn the steps to enable or disable the startup sound on Windows 11.

Disable startup sound on Windows 11

To disable the Windows 11 startup sound, use these steps:

  1. Open Start on Windows 11.

  2. Search for Settings and click the top result to open the app.

  3. Click on Personalization.

  4. Click the Themes page on the right side.

    Themes settings
    Themes settings
  5. Click the Sounds option.

    Sounds settings
    Sounds settings
  6. Click the Sounds tab.

  7. Clear the “Play Windows Startup sound” to disable the Windows 11 startup sound.

    Disable startup sound
    Disable startup sound
  8. Click the Apply button.

  9. Click the OK button.

Once you complete the steps, Windows 11 will no longer play a sound during startup.

Enable startup sound on Windows 11

To enable the startup sound of Windows 11, use these steps:

  1. Open Start.

  2. Search for Settings and click the top result to open the app.

  3. Click on Personalization.

  4. Click the Themes page on the right side.

    Themes settings
    Themes settings
  5. Click the Sounds option.

    Sounds settings
    Sounds settings
  6. Click the Sounds tab.

  7. Check the “Play Windows Startup sound” to enable the Windows 11 startup sound.

    Enable startup sound
    Enable startup sound
  8. Click the Apply button.

  9. Click the OK button.

After you complete the steps, every time the OS starts, you will hear the startup sound.

About the author

Mauro Huculak is a Windows How-To Expert who started Pureinfotech in 2010 as an independent online publication. He has also been a Windows Central contributor for nearly a decade. Mauro has over 14 years of experience writing comprehensive guides and creating professional videos about Windows and software, including Android and Linux. Before becoming a technology writer, he was an IT administrator for seven years. In total, Mauro has over 20 years of combined experience in technology. Throughout his career, he achieved different professional certifications from Microsoft (MSCA), Cisco (CCNP), VMware (VCP), and CompTIA (A+ and Network+), and he has been recognized as a Microsoft MVP for many years. You can follow him on X (Twitter), YouTube, LinkedIn and About.me.