How to Enable iPhone 14 Startup Chime

If you miss the classic Mac-style startup sound on your iPhone 14, you can bring it back. This guide walks you through the exact steps to enable the startup chime, which plays when you power on or restart your phone. No special tools or apps are needed—just a few taps in your Settings.

What You’ll Need

An iPhone 14, iPhone 14 Plus, iPhone 14 Pro, or iPhone 14 Pro Max running iOS 16 or later.
Access to the Settings app (pre-installed).
Your device must be turned on (you can enable the chime before you ever turn it off).

Step-by-Step

Unlock your iPhone and go to the home screen.
Tap the Settings app (gear icon).
Scroll down and tap Accessibility.
Under the Hearing section, tap Audio/Visual.
Scroll to the bottom of the Audio/Visual screen.
Look for the Power On & Off Sounds toggle. If it is off (gray), tap it to turn it on (green).
Once enabled, the toggle will stay on. Now, whenever you power on or restart your iPhone 14, you’ll hear the startup chime.

That’s it. The setting is instantly saved—no restart required to apply it. To test it, hold the side button and either volume button until the “slide to power off” appears, then slide to turn off. After the screen goes black, press and hold the side button again until the Apple logo appears. You should hear the chime.

Common Mistakes

Looking in the wrong menu: The toggle is under Accessibility → Audio/Visual, not under Sounds & Haptics or General. Many users search in the wrong place and give up.
Turning on “Silent mode” thinking it affects the chime: The startup chime plays even when the ring/silent switch is set to silent. It uses the internal speaker and is not muted by the switch.
Expecting a sound on every reboot: The chime only plays when the phone is actually powering on from a fully off state. If you just restart (swipe to power off and back on), it will play. But a “soft” restart (like force restart) may not trigger it on some iOS versions.
Forgetting to update iOS: The toggle only appears in iOS 16 or later. If you’re on an older version, update your phone first.

Tips

If you want to hear the chime clearly, make sure your iPhone’s volume isn’t at zero. The chime uses the same volume level as your ringer, so adjust it with the side volume buttons before powering off.
The chime also plays when you turn the phone on after a full battery drain—so you’ll know it’s charging and booting.
If you have multiple iPhones, you can enable this on each one individually; it’s not tied to your Apple ID.
You can disable the chime anytime by following the same steps and toggling it off.

Troubleshooting

If you followed the steps and still don’t hear the chime, try these fixes in order:

Check the toggle again: Sometimes iOS resets it after an update. Go back to Settings → Accessibility → Audio/Visual and confirm it’s green.
Increase ringer volume: Press the volume up button a few times while on the home screen. The chime is tied to the ringer volume, not the media volume.
Restart your iPhone: A simple restart can help if the setting isn’t applying. Turn off, wait 10 seconds, then turn on.
Update iOS: Go to Settings → General → Software Update. If an update is available, install it. Older iOS versions may have bugs with this feature.
Check for hardware issues: If you still hear no sound, play a song or video. If there’s no audio at all, your speaker may need service. Contact Apple Support or visit an Apple Store.

Frequently Asked Questions

Why doesn’t my iPhone 14 have the “Power On & Off Sounds” option?

This option is only available on iPhone models that support it (iPhone 14 series and later) and requires iOS 16 or newer. If you don’t see it, check your iOS version in Settings → General → About. If you’re on iOS 15 or earlier, update your phone.

Does the startup chime play on iPhone 14 Pro and Pro Max?

Yes, all iPhone 14 models (standard, Plus, Pro, and Pro Max) have this feature. The steps are identical.

Can I change the chime sound?

No. Apple doesn’t allow you to customize the startup sound. It’s a fixed tone that plays at boot.

Will the chime play if my phone is in silent mode?

Yes, the startup chime plays regardless of the silent switch. It’s considered a system sound, not a notification sound.

Does the chime play when I plug in the charger?

No, the chime only plays when the phone powers on from an off state. Plugging in a dead phone will show the battery icon, but no chime until it boots.

Can I turn off the startup chime after enabling it?

Yes, just go back to Settings → Accessibility → Audio/Visual and toggle off “Power On & Off Sounds.”

General steps for current mainstream versions; menus can differ by device and version. See the disclaimer or report an error.

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