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Fix the driver behind crashes, sound loss and screen glitchesFind Drivers →Clear out junk files and repair common Windows errorsFree Scan →The new-mail sound is controlled in each Outlook client’s own notification settings, so the fastest route depends on which Outlook you use. In classic Outlook for Windows, clear Play a sound under File > Options > Mail > Message arrival. In new Outlook for Windows, the control sits under View > View Settings > General > Notifications. On iPhone and Android, open the mail notification sound setting and choose the silent option. The sections below give the exact path for each version and explain what to do when the sound keeps playing.
Identify which Outlook you are using
Microsoft uses the name “Outlook” for several separate programs, and each stores its sound settings differently. Before following any path, check which one is open:
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- Classic Outlook for Windows: the desktop program with a File menu at the top left.
- New Outlook for Windows: the newer app that uses a View menu and a settings gear icon. Microsoft’s support pages describe it as a separate experience with its own options.
- Outlook on the web or Outlook.com: the browser version. An organization’s Outlook Web App may show different menus from the consumer Outlook.com site.
- Outlook for Mac: menu paths depend on the version, including Outlook 2016 for Mac and newer Microsoft 365 or Outlook 2021 and 2024 builds.
- Outlook for iOS and Android: the phone apps.
Menu names and control wording change between builds. If the labels you see differ from the ones below, look for the setting that controls the sound for new mail, not reminders or calendar alerts, and choose the option that turns it off.
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Classic Outlook for Windows
- Open Outlook and select File.
- Select Options, then select Mail.
- Under Message arrival, clear Play a sound.
- Select OK.
Microsoft’s support page on this topic states that when a new message arrives in Outlook for Windows, a short sound plays, and that the Play a sound checkbox controls that sound. Source: Microsoft Support, “Change the sound played when an email message arrives”. The same message-arrival section also holds the desktop alert and envelope-icon options. Leave those selected if you still want a visual signal when mail comes in. Reminder sounds are a separate setting, so leave them alone unless you want them off too. The general sound-effects instructions are in Microsoft’s sound effects article.
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New Outlook for Windows
- Select View, then View Settings.
- Go to General, then Notifications.
- Expand the Mail section and find New Email and Reactions.
- Use the Play Sound control for that item and choose the no-sound or off option if it is offered.
Microsoft’s current support page describes this route and the sound control, but its text does not spell out the exact off-state label, and the available choices can vary by build. If the menu offers only a custom sound choice and no off option, the sound is usually still controlled by Windows. In that case, check the notification settings for Outlook in Windows, described in Microsoft’s Windows notifications guide, which lets you allow or suppress sound for an individual app.
Outlook on the web and Outlook.com
In organizational Outlook Web App, Microsoft’s mail settings documentation includes a Play a sound when new items arrive option. The instructions are in Microsoft’s Outlook mail settings page. Outlook.com keeps mail and calendar notifications in separate settings, and one of the notification choices controls whether a sound plays. Because the web interface is not identical across accounts and tenants, open the settings page for your account and look for the notification option that mentions sound. If the option is not there, your organization may have restricted it.
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Outlook for Mac
Mac navigation depends on the version:
| Version | Where to look | What to change |
|---|---|---|
| Outlook 2016 for Mac | Outlook > Preferences > Notifications & Sounds | Adjust the message-arrival settings and clear the checkbox for each sound you want off. Source: Microsoft’s Outlook for Mac notifications page. |
| Microsoft 365, Outlook 2021, and Outlook 2024 for Mac | Outlook > Settings > Notifications & Sounds | The same Microsoft page describes reminder sound controls here. It does not establish the exact new-message path for every current build, so confirm that the option refers to new mail before you clear it. |
If the sound you hear is a reminder, use the reminder control. If it is the arrival sound for a new message, use the message-arrival option.
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- Open the Outlook app and go to Settings.
- Select Mail, then Notifications.
- Open Sound for the account and choose Silent or Off, whichever option the app shows.
Microsoft’s mobile help describes this path in its mail or calendar sound article, and a related page on changing mail sounds is at Microsoft’s change mail or calendar sounds page. If you want banners to keep appearing without a sound, change the sound option and leave mail notifications turned on. Turning off notifications entirely also removes the banners.
Independent reader supportYour contribution helps us test, update, and keep practical guides available for everyone.If the sound continues
Work through these checks in order. Most cases are resolved by the first two.
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- Classic Outlook still plays a sound: reopen File > Options > Mail and confirm that Play a sound under Message arrival is cleared. Restart Outlook so the change takes effect.
- The sound comes from a Windows notification: Windows can play a sound for an app’s notifications even when Outlook’s own option is off. Adjust Outlook’s notification settings in Windows instead of muting the whole system.
- You want a different sound, not silence: in classic Outlook, the Windows sound scheme uses the New Mail Notification event. Open Control Panel > Sound > Sounds > Program Events > Windows, select that event, and choose a replacement. Microsoft notes that only WAV files are supported for this event. Details are in Microsoft’s new-mail sound article.
- A phone still chimes: check the sound setting for the account in the app, and check the phone’s own notification settings for Outlook.
Avoid muting all system sounds if you only want Outlook quiet. The Outlook-specific controls and the Windows app notification settings are separate, so changing one does not affect the others.
Once the sound is off, confirm it by receiving a test message from another account. If the sound still plays, the setting you changed is probably not the one controlling that client, so return to the version list above and check the path for your build.
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