How to Turn Off Startup Sound on Mac

This guide shows you how to disable the startup chime on your Mac, so it boots silently. The method works on most Mac models from 2016 onward, including Intel and Apple Silicon machines. You’ll need to use Terminal, but no prior experience is required—just copy the commands exactly as shown.

What You’ll Need

• A Mac running macOS (any recent version, including Sonoma or Ventura)
• Access to the Terminal app (located in /Applications/Utilities/)
• Administrator account on the Mac (you’ll need to enter your password)

Step-by-Step

1. Open Terminal. Go to Finder > Applications > Utilities > Terminal. You can also press Cmd + Space, type “Terminal,� and hit Return.
2. Check your Mac’s firmware type. In Terminal, type: sudo nvram -p | grep -i boot-args and press Return. If you see boot-args listed, note its current value (you’ll need to preserve it). If nothing appears, that’s fine.
3. Disable the startup sound (Intel Macs). For most Intel Macs, type the following command and press Return: sudo nvram StartupMute=%01. If you have an older Intel Mac (2010 or earlier), use sudo nvram SystemAudioVolume=%00 instead.
4. Disable the startup sound (Apple Silicon Macs). If you have an M1, M2, or M3 Mac, the command is slightly different: sudo nvram StartupMute=%01 still works, but some users find they need to also set the boot volume. Try the command in step 3 first; if it doesn’t work, proceed to step 5.
5. Alternative for Apple Silicon (if the above fails). In Terminal, type: sudo nvram boot-args="-noaudio" and press Return. This disables all startup audio, including the chime. If you had existing boot-args, you’ll need to append -noaudio to them (e.g., sudo nvram boot-args="-v -noaudio").
6. Restart your Mac. After entering the command, restart your Mac normally (Apple menu > Restart). The startup sound should be gone.

Common Mistakes

• Using the wrong command for your Mac model. The SystemAudioVolume command works on older Intel Macs but may not work on newer ones. Always try StartupMute first for any Mac from 2016 onward.
• Forgetting to include sudo. Without sudo, the command will fail with a permissions error. Always type sudo before the nvram command.
• Typing the command with spaces or incorrect capitalization. The command must be exact. For example, sudo nvram StartupMute=%01 is correct; sudo nvram StartupMute = %01 is not.
• Overwriting existing boot-args. If you already had boot-args set (e.g., for verbose mode), replacing them entirely can break other settings. Always append to the existing value.

Tips

• If you ever want the sound back, use the same command but change %01 to %00, or remove the -noaudio flag.
• You can also mute the startup sound temporarily by holding the Mute key (F10 on many keyboards) during startup—but this only works for that boot, not permanently.
• If you’re using a Mac with a T2 security chip, you may need to allow terminal to modify NVRAM. If you see a security prompt, enter your admin password and allow it.
• After disabling, test by restarting. If the chime persists, double-check that you didn’t accidentally type a lowercase ‘l’ instead of a ‘1’ in %01.

Troubleshooting

The startup sound still plays after following the steps.

• First, verify the command was applied: in Terminal, type sudo nvram -p | grep -i startupmute. If it returns StartupMute%01, the setting is active. If it returns nothing, the command didn’t take effect—try again, ensuring you press Return after typing.
• If you’re on an Apple Silicon Mac and the chime persists, try the boot-args="-noaudio" method. Some users report that StartupMute alone doesn’t work on certain firmware versions.
• If you’re using a Mac with a T2 chip, you may need to reset the NVRAM after the command. Shut down, then press and hold Option + Command + P + R for 20 seconds during startup, then release. This will reset NVRAM, but it may also re-enable the chime—so you’ll need to reapply the command afterward.
• If none of the above work, your Mac might be an older model (pre-2010) where the SystemAudioVolume command is the only option. Try that instead.

Frequently Asked Questions

Will this affect the sound during normal use?

No, it only disables the startup chime. All other sounds—like alerts, music, and video—will work normally.

Can I turn the startup sound back on?

Yes, simply run the same command with %00 instead of %01, or remove the -noaudio flag from boot-args. Restart to apply.

Does this work on all Mac models?

It works on most Macs from 2010 onward. For very old models (pre-2010), the SystemAudioVolume method is the one to use. Some very new Apple Silicon Macs may require the boot-args method.

Is it safe to modify NVRAM?

Yes, changing the StartupMute or boot-args setting is safe and reversible. NVRAM stores low-level settings, and Apple provides these commands for users. Just be careful not to alter other settings unless you know what they do.

What if I get a “permission denied� error?

Make sure you include sudo at the beginning of the command. You’ll be prompted for your admin password. If you still get an error, your user account may not have admin privileges—log in as an admin user or contact the system administrator.

Why does the chime still play after I restart?

This can happen if the NVRAM didn’t save properly. Try resetting NVRAM (as described in Troubleshooting) and then reapplying the command. Also, ensure you’re using the correct command for your Mac model.

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