Silence the defaults: How to change the connect and disconnect sound on your devices

Are you tired of the same old connect and disconnect sounds on your devices? Do you find them annoying or distracting? If so, you’re not alone. Many users want to customize their device sounds to better suit their personal preferences. In this article, we’ll guide you through the process of changing the connect and disconnect sounds on various devices, including Windows, Mac, Linux, Android, and iOS.

Table of Contents

Why change the connect and disconnect sound?

Before we dive into the technical aspects, it’s essential to understand why someone would want to change these sounds in the first place. Here are a few reasons:

Personalization: Changing the connect and disconnect sounds allows you to personalize your device to your liking. You can choose sounds that resonate with your personality or fit your work environment.

Differentiation: If you have multiple devices, customized sounds can help you distinguish between them. For instance, you can assign a unique sound to your work laptop and a different one to your personal laptop.

Accessibility: Some users may find the default sounds too loud or distracting. By changing them, you can create a more comfortable and accessible environment for yourself and others.

Changing the connect and disconnect sound on Windows

On Windows, you can change the connect and disconnect sounds through the Sound settings. Here’s how:

Windows 10 and later versions

Click on the Start button and search for “Sound settings.”
Click on “Sound settings” to open the Sound window.
In the Sound window, click on “Advanced sound settings” on the right side.
In the Advanced sound settings window, click on “App volume and device preferences.”
Scroll down to the “Related settings” section and click on “Device properties.”
In the Device properties window, click on the “Sounds” tab.
In the Sounds tab, you’ll see a list of events with corresponding sounds. Find the “Device connect” and “Device disconnect” events and click on them.
Click on the “Browse” button next to each event to select a new sound from your computer or browse online for free sound effects.

Windows 7 and 8

Click on the Start button and search for “Change system sounds.”
Click on “Change system sounds” to open the Sound window.
In the Sound window, click on the “Sounds” tab.
In the Sounds tab, you’ll see a list of events with corresponding sounds. Find the “Device connect” and “Device disconnect” events and click on them.
Click on the “Browse” button next to each event to select a new sound from your computer or browse online for free sound effects.

Changing the connect and disconnect sound on Mac

On Mac, you can change the connect and disconnect sounds through the System Preferences. Here’s how:

macOS High Sierra and later versions

Click on the Apple menu and select “System Preferences.”
Click on “Sound” to open the Sound preferences window.
In the Sound preferences window, click on the “Sound Effects” tab.
In the Sound Effects tab, click on the “Alerts” dropdown menu and select “Customize.”
In the Customize Alerts window, you’ll see a list of events with corresponding sounds. Find the “Device connected” and “Device disconnected” events and click on them.
Click on the “Select” button next to each event to select a new sound from your Mac or browse online for free sound effects.

macOS Sierra and earlier versions

Click on the Apple menu and select “System Preferences.”
Click on “Sound” to open the Sound preferences window.
In the Sound preferences window, click on the “Sound Effects” tab.
In the Sound Effects tab, you’ll see a list of events with corresponding sounds. Find the “Device connected” and “Device disconnected” events and click on them.
Click on the “Open” button next to each event to select a new sound from your Mac or browse online for free sound effects.

Changing the connect and disconnect sound on Linux

On Linux, the process of changing the connect and disconnect sound varies depending on the desktop environment you’re using. Here are the steps for some popular desktop environments:

Ubuntu and GNOME-based distributions

Open the Settings application.
Click on “Sound” to open the Sound settings window.
In the Sound settings window, click on the “Sounds” tab.
In the Sounds tab, you’ll see a list of events with corresponding sounds. Find the “Device connected” and “Device disconnected” events and click on them.
Click on the “Choose a sound file” button next to each event to select a new sound from your computer or browse online for free sound effects.

KDE-based distributions

Open the System Settings application.
Click on “Notifications” to open the Notifications settings window.
In the Notifications settings window, click on the “Events” tab.
In the Events tab, you’ll see a list of events with corresponding sounds. Find the “Device connected” and “Device disconnected” events and click on them.
Click on the “Browse” button next to each event to select a new sound from your computer or browse online for free sound effects.

Changing the connect and disconnect sound on Android

On Android, you can change the connect and disconnect sounds through the Settings app. Here’s how:

Open the Settings app.
Scroll down and select “Sounds and vibration.”
In the Sounds and vibration window, select “Advanced.”
In the Advanced window, select “Default notification sound.”
In the Default notification sound window, select “Pick a sound” or “Add from device storage” to choose a new sound.

Changing the connect and disconnect sound on iOS

On iOS, you can change the connect and disconnect sounds through the Settings app. Here’s how:

Open the Settings app.
Scroll down and select “Sounds and Haptics.”
In the Sounds and Haptics window, select “Text Tone.”
In the Text Tone window, select “Buy more Tones” to purchase and download new sounds from the iTunes Store.

Tip: On iOS, you can also use third-party apps to customize your device sounds. Some popular apps include SoundSets and Custom notification sounds.

Conclusion

Changing the connect and disconnect sound on your devices can be a simple yet effective way to personalize your user experience. By following the steps outlined in this article, you can customize your device sounds to better suit your preferences and needs. Whether you’re using Windows, Mac, Linux, Android, or iOS, you now have the knowledge to take control of your device sounds and make them truly unique.

How do I change the connect and disconnect sounds on my Windows device?

To change the connect and disconnect sounds on your Windows device, you can go to the Sound settings. To do this, right-click on the speaker icon in the system tray and select Sounds. In the Sounds window, scroll down to the Sounds tab and find theitems labeled “Device Connect” and “Device Disconnect”. Click on the dropdown menu next to each item and select a new sound or browse to a custom sound file.

Make sure to click Apply and then OK to save your changes. You can also choose to play the sounds through a specific device or play them silently. If you want to completely disable the sounds, you can uncheck the box next to the item. Note that some sounds may be set by the system or third-party applications, so you may need to explore those settings as well to fully customize your sound experience.

How do I change the connect and disconnect sounds on my Mac device?

To change the connect and disconnect sounds on your Mac device, you can go to the System Preferences. To do this, click on the Apple menu and select System Preferences. Then, click on Sound and select the Sounds tab. In the Sounds tab, click on the dropdown menu next to “Select an alert sound” and select a new sound or browse to a custom sound file.

Can I customize the connect and disconnect sounds for individual devices?

Yes, you can customize the connect and disconnect sounds for individual devices on both Windows and Mac devices. On Windows, you can go to the Device Properties and select the Sounds tab. From there, you can choose a custom sound for each device.

On Mac, you can go to the System Preferences and select Sound. Then, click on the Output or Input tab depending on the device type, and select the device from the list. From there, you can choose a custom sound for each device. Note that the exact steps may vary depending on the device and operating system version.

What types of sound files can I use for custom connect and disconnect sounds?

You can use a variety of sound file types for custom connect and disconnect sounds, including WAV, MP3, and AIFF. Make sure the sound file is in a format compatible with your operating system and device.

When selecting a custom sound file, make sure it is not too large or too long, as this can cause performance issues or slower response times. You can also consider using online resources or sound design tools to create your own custom sounds.

Will changing the connect and disconnect sounds affect other system sounds?

Changing the connect and disconnect sounds will not affect other system sounds on your device. The sounds are independent of each other, and you can customize each one individually.

However, if you choose to disable the connect and disconnect sounds, it may affect the overall system sound scheme. You can always go back to the default settings if you want to restore the original sound scheme.

Can I schedule the connect and disconnect sounds to play at specific times?

No, you cannot schedule the connect and disconnect sounds to play at specific times. These sounds are triggered by specific system events, such as when a device is connected or disconnected.

However, you can use third-party applications or scripting tools to create custom sound schemes that respond to specific events or schedules. These tools can give you more flexibility and control over your system sounds.

Will changing the connect and disconnect sounds affect my device’s performance?

Changing the connect and disconnect sounds will not significantly affect your device’s performance. The sounds are played through the system audio subsystem, which is designed to handle sound playback efficiently.

However, if you choose a custom sound that is very large or resource-intensive, it may affect system performance. In general, it’s a good idea to choose sounds that are optimized for your device and operating system.