How do I silence the startup Sound on my Android?
What is the Startup Sound?
The startup sound on Android phones is the sound that plays when you turn on or reboot your device. It is part of the system sounds that come built-in to Android and plays during the boot up process once the operating system has initialized.
The main purpose of the startup sound is to provide audible confirmation that the device has successfully turned on and booted up. It signals the transition from powered off state to fully on and operational (Source). For users, hearing this sound is reassuring that the phone is ready for use.
While the default startup sound cannot be fully disabled without system modifications, Android does allow users some customization options. The sound can be replaced with a custom audio file for a personalized boot up sound. Users can also control the overall system volume which will affect the loudness of the startup sound.
Locating the Setting to Mute Startup Sound
The first step in muting the startup sound is accessing your Android device’s sound settings. You can find the sound settings by pulling down the notification shade and long pressing on the settings gear icon. This will open up the full settings menu.
Alternatively, you can open the settings app directly and tap “Sound & vibration” or “Sounds & vibration.” On some Android skins like Samsung’s One UI, the settings path is Settings > Sounds and vibration > System sounds and vibration.
Within the Sounds/Sound & vibration settings, look for an option called “Startup sound” or “Power on sounds.” Tap this option to find a toggle switch to disable the startup sound. Turn off the toggle to mute the sound that plays when powering on your device [1].
If you don’t see a specific “Startup sound” option, look for a “Other sounds” category. In here, you can disable the “Power on sound” to mute startup sounds.
Muting the Startup Sound
The easiest way to disable the startup sound on an Android device is to simply flip the toggle switch in your sound settings. To do this:
- Open the Settings app on your device.
- Tap on Sound & vibration or a similarly named menu.
- Find the option labeled “Startup sound” and tap on it. This will open a toggle that is likely set to the “on” position by default.
- Tap on the toggle to switch it to the “off” position. This will disable the startup sound.
- You can confirm the startup sound is now disabled by rebooting your device. You should no longer hear the startup jingle when it powers back on.
Flipping this single toggle is the easiest way to permanently mute the startup sound on an Android device. Just remember to flip it back on if you ever want to re-enable the startup sound in the future.
Customizing the Startup Sound
The startup sound that plays when you turn on your Android device can be customized to use any audio file stored on your phone. This allows you to personalize your device and make it uniquely yours.
To change the default startup sound, first open the Settings app and go to Sounds and vibration. Here you will see options for configuring various system sounds on your device. Tap on Startup sound to customize the audio clip that plays on boot.
This will open a menu showing your current startup sound. Tap on the file name to open a list of all your audio files. You can browse and select any file, like an MP3 song or custom sound effect. Once chosen, a preview will play to confirm your new startup sound.
Make sure to pick a short audio clip, ideally less than 5 seconds long. Very long files used as a startup sound can delay the boot process. You may need to edit or trim the file on your computer before using it.
After selecting your custom startup sound, it will replace the default audio and play each time you power on your Android device. You can return and change it at any time by repeating the steps to access the Startup sound menu.
For more details on customizing your system sounds, check out this guide.
Disabling All System Sounds
One way to silence the startup sound on your Android device is to disable all system sounds. This will turn off all sounds made by your device’s operating system, including the startup sound, charging sounds, keyboard clicks, screen locking sounds, and more.
To disable all system sounds on your Android device:
- Open the Settings app.
- Tap on Sounds and vibration or Sound & haptics.
- Tap on Other sounds or Advanced.
- Toggle off the following sound options:
- Touch sounds
- Screen locking sounds
- Charging sounds
- Vibration on tap
- Dial pad tones
This will mute all system sounds so you won’t hear the startup sound when turning on your device. You can customize which sounds to enable if you want to retain some feedback. For example, you may want to keep touch sounds enabled but mute the startup sound.
Some devices may not have individual toggles for each system sound. In that case, look for a toggle to disable all sounds or mute all system sounds.
According to this Phonak support article, Samsung devices in particular require disabling the “Touch sounds” option to mute startup sounds.
Using a Third-Party App
One popular method for customizing the startup sound on Android devices is by using a third-party app. There are several highly-rated apps on the Google Play Store specifically designed for applying custom sounds.
Some top apps for startup sound customization include Custom Soundboard, Boot Animations, Zedge Ringtones & Wallpapers, and more. These let you choose from a library of sounds or import your own audio files.
To set a custom startup sound, the app will need permission to access your media files and modify your system settings. You may need to grant access when first opening the app or enabling the custom sound features. The simplest apps will walk you through the permissions process.
While most custom sound apps are free to download, some may have in-app purchases or ads. Be sure to check the app descriptions and reviews to understand any limitations before installing.
Trying a Silent Mode
The simplest way to immediately silence your Android device is to enable silent mode. Silent mode mutes all sounds except alarms and media.1 To enable silent mode:
- Open quick settings by swiping down from the top of the screen.
- Tap the Sound icon.
- Select the Silent icon to toggle silent mode on.
You can customize silent mode to allow exceptions like calls or notifications to make sound by editing the “Silent mode” sound settings.1 This allows you to mute general sounds while still receiving audible alerts for important events. Just open Sound settings and customize options under “Silent mode.”
Using Do Not Disturb Mode
One easy way to silence your Android’s startup sound is to use the Do Not Disturb mode. This allows you to set scheduled times where all sounds and vibrations will be muted, including the startup sound.
To enable Do Not Disturb mode:
- Open your Android’s Settings app.
- Tap on Sound.
- Select Do Not Disturb.
- Toggle on the switch next to “Turn on automatically” and select your desired scheduled times when you want Do Not Disturb enabled. For example, you may want to set it from 10pm to 7am if you don’t want to be disturbed while sleeping.
With Do Not Disturb mode scheduled, your Android will be completely silent during the set times, including no startup sound when powering on the device. Just be aware that all notifications and calls will also be muted, so you may want to set exceptions for important contacts.
For more details on configuring exceptions and customizing Do Not Disturb settings, refer to this ZDNet article.
Restarting in Safe Mode
Restarting your Android device in safe mode loads it with only the bare essential apps and services. This can help isolate if a third-party app is causing issues like muting the startup sound.
To access safe mode on Android:
Press and hold the power button until the power off options appear. Then tap and hold Power Off until you see the option for Reboot to Safe Mode. Tap to select this option and restart your device (Source).
Once in safe mode, test if the startup sound is audible when rebooting the device. If the sound works in safe mode, then a downloaded app is likely causing the muting issue. You can uninstall recently added apps to troubleshoot.
Exit safe mode by restarting your device normally. Safe mode is only a temporary state to help diagnose issues.
Factory Resetting the Device
If muting the startup sound through device settings and third-party apps has not worked, performing a factory reset can completely reset the sound settings. This will erase all data and settings on the device and restore it to default factory conditions.
Before resetting, it is highly recommended to backup any important data, photos, videos, contacts, etc. that you want to keep. Backup options include copying files to a computer or cloud storage. You can also use Google’s Backup & Restore tool to backup app data and wi-fi passwords [1]. Samsung phones have a Backup and Restore function in Settings as well [2].
To perform a factory reset, go to Settings > System > Reset options > Erase all data (factory reset). This will delete all data and reset settings, including sound settings. After the reset completes, test if the startup sound is now disabled. If it still persists, you may need to contact the device manufacturer for further troubleshooting.
A factory reset should restore your device’s sound settings to their out-of-the-box defaults. So it can be an effective troubleshooting step if other options to mute the startup sound have not worked.