I cannot get the startup chime to work on my 2019 iMac. Running Big Sur 11.0.1. During one of the betas it did sound off. Then I never heard it again. System Preferences have it set to ON. Not sure what else needs to happen at this point.
Got a tip for us?
Let us know
Become a MacRumors Supporter for $50/year with no ads, ability to filter front page stories, and private forums.
Cannot get startup chime to work
- Thread starter radamo
- Start date
- Sort by reaction score
This worked on Catalina (before there was a system option). Disclaimer I have not installed Big Sur so no idea if it will still work.
enable
sudo nvram StartupMute=%00
disable
sudo nvram -d StartupMute
enable
sudo nvram StartupMute=%00
disable
sudo nvram -d StartupMute
You know what is weird, 2020 iMac, I had just gotten used to not hearing it and when I updated I heard it when it restarted.
have you tried turning it off, rebooting, then turning it back on? or possibly, an nvram reset will restore it if needed...
Did you go into the sound pane, in the sound effects pane, just under the alert sound slider, is the Play the Sound at startup ticked? just asking.... Before Big Sur came out yesterday, I did it manually thru Terminal.
Just tried turning off and unplugging for 2 minutes.... then turning on. No good.
I had it on my MBP with Catalina, now I have a iMac, it wasn't on by default. to disable, another is the opposite enable: sudo nvram StartupMute=%01
First untick it. Do a nvram reset per instructions, Then tick it and restart again. Check this page.
Reset NVRAM on your Mac - Apple Support
If one or more settings stored in NVRAM don't work as expected on an Intel-based Mac, resetting NVRAM might help.
When you shutdown prior to pulling the plug.... when you plug it back in and turn it on it reboots???
ah, ok, you didn't mention shutting down... you might try resetting nvram (google for your instructions)
LOL... yes shutdown first. I thought that unplugging for that long DID reset the NVRAM...is that not correct?
What nvram is non-volital memory that stores settings so when you turn off your mac, it keeps this stuff on a RAM chip, and doesn't lose it. So, when you perform nvram reset, it just clears it out.
right; you have to specifically reset nvram, it's not designed to ever reset itself.
It was really strange how things like my late 2013 MBP by default would chime. When I got my 27" iMac this past July, it wasn't on by default, I knew a terminal command would turn it on. When I installed Big Sur yesterday, I knew about the chime coming back. So while it was installing on the screen before reboot to finish, I disabled the chime via terminal. Once it was installed, I ticked on the sound and restarted, and VOILA! there it was.
No, nvram retains any commands you do via terminal. Any command you do in terminal, it stores it in there until you reset for some reason.
not sure what your point is. i'm saying that, for the OP to get the chime working, an nvram reset should do it (or, might do it). until the procedure is run, nothing will change (nothing will reset).
Exactly what it says, saves any commands that you enter to save a behavior in terminal. In this issue with the chime, you don't have to do that. The OS has a option to do it. Unfortunately, radamo is having a issue. That's all I'm saying. I'm explaining how nvram works.