How can I disable feedback sounds?

[Adamo]

I think I always had this issue in the past but after getting back on the Mac train with an M1 Air (512GB, gold), I'm at a loss for how to fix this.

I have turned off sound on startup, interface sound effects and feedback, yet if I use - for example - backspace or another key which cannot do anything in a window, it makes the 'boop' noise. I cannot select 'no sound' in the audio options, yet I still get these (coming from the computer not my earphones in a call) sounds coming out when I have deselected everything possible.

Any ideas?

 

[jenelemond]

Try this! First, go to System Preferences > Sound > Sound Effects > turn the Alert volume all the way down > uncheck Play user interface sound effects > uncheck Play feedback when the volume is changed.
Hope that helps.

 

[Adamo]

Thank you, that seems to have done it (I think I must have fixed it the same way years ago, why it still exists seems baffling).

However, there's one more sound which comes up... when I plug in the charger. I don't need any sounds aside from what I choose to play (games, videos, music), yet it wants to tell me I have plugged the charger in (of course I know I did, I did it...).

 

[Puonti]

I can absolutely understand the desire to decide what noises a device makes. I hope you find a way to control this one.

The sound you're still hearing is not for the act of physically plugging the charger in, though, it's for the commencement of charging.

The only reason I care for the distinction is because I've automated my iPad's charger and the sound (or lack of, as it happens) is a useful reminder that the iPad's actually not being charged despite my plugging the charger in.

Not everyone automates their charger, of course, but I imagine Apple's thinking is that there are other reasons why a charge might not be coming through, and it's useful to notify the user when what they intended to do is actually happening. Especially when you plug it in while the device is sleeping, and don't have immediate visual indication of charging like you used to with the old MagSafe chargers (a tiny light on the plug itself).

 

[TLMurray23]

I could be wrong, but I don't think Sonoma works the same as previous versions. Personally, I don't consider the audio of an email arriving to be the same classification as a user interface sound effect. I would bet my left lung that in previous versions, if I turned off user interface sound effects, error boops were gone but other notification sounds (email or text arriving) were working.

 

[Saturn007]

I'm noise allergic, too. The boop or clunk sound can make me jump, especially when the volume is high.

As to the charging sound, that I’ve always liked as sometimes an outlet is not turned on, a cable isn't plugged into its charger, or the cable hasn’t made a good connection with my device. The charging beep reassures me it's working!