The fastest way to silence Mac notifications
Open System Settings (or System Preferences on older Macs), go to Notifications, select the app you want to change, and toggle off Sound. That's the complete process for most apps. If you want to silence all notifications at once, use Focus modes — they let you block sounds from everything except contacts you choose, and they turn on automatically at set times or locations.
The method you use depends on whether you want to silence one app, all apps, or just notifications during certain hours. Most people find they need a mix: turning off sounds for low-priority apps like email, but keeping them for messages and calendar reminders.
Key Takeaways
- Open System Settings, choose Notifications, select an app, and toggle Sound off to silence that app's notifications.
- Focus modes let you silence all notifications except those from specific people, and they can turn on automatically at bedtime or during work hours.
- Do Not Disturb is a quick temporary option that silences everything for a set time without changing individual app settings.
- Some apps store sound settings in their own preferences rather than in System Settings, so check the app itself if the system setting doesn't work.
Turning off sound for individual apps
Click the Apple menu in the top-left corner, then System Settings. On older Macs (10.14 and earlier), it's called System Preferences instead. Once inside, click Notifications in the sidebar.
You'll see a list of every app that sends notifications. Click the app you want to change — for example, Mail, Slack, or Calendar. On the right side, you'll see a toggle next to Sound. Click it to turn sound off. The notification will still appear on your screen; it just won't make a noise.
If an app isn't in the list, it either doesn't send notifications or hasn't sent one yet. Some apps only appear after they've sent their first notification. You can also scroll down to the bottom of the Notifications list and click Add to find apps that haven't notified you yet.
Using Focus modes to silence everything except what matters
Focus modes are more powerful than turning off individual app sounds. They let you create a rule that silences all notifications except those from people you choose — your partner, your boss, your family group chat, whoever you want to hear from.
Go to System Settings > Focus. Click the + button to create a new Focus, or click one of the presets like Do Not Disturb, Work, or Sleep. Choose which people and apps can notify you, then set when the Focus turns on. You can make it automatic — for example, Sleep can turn on at 10 p.m. and off at 7 a.m. every day, or Work can turn on when you arrive at your office.
When a Focus is active, all notifications are silent unless they're from someone or something you've allowed. You can see which Focus is on by looking at the Control Center (swipe down from the top-right corner on newer Macs, or click the icon in the top-right menu bar).
Quick temporary silence with Do Not Disturb
If you just need quiet for the next hour or two, Do Not Disturb is faster than changing individual app settings. Open Control Center (swipe down from the top-right corner, or click the menu icon in the top-right), find Do Not Disturb, and click it. A menu appears where you can choose how long to silence notifications — for 1 hour, until this evening, until tomorrow morning, or until you turn it off manually.
While Do Not Disturb is on, all notifications are silent and won't show on your screen (unless they're from people in your Favorites or a Focus you've set up). When the time runs out, notifications return to normal.
Checking app-specific notification settings
Some apps, especially older ones or those designed by smaller companies, store their notification sound settings inside the app itself rather than in System Settings. If you've turned off sound in System Settings but an app still makes noise, check the app's own preferences.
Open the app, then look for Preferences, Settings, or Options — usually in the app menu at the top of the screen or in the app's main menu. Search for "notification" or "sound" in the preferences window. If you find a sound toggle there, turn it off. This overrides the system setting.
Mail, Messages, and Slack are common examples where you might need to check both places. If an app has its own notification settings, those take priority over what you set in System Settings.
Silencing notifications without losing them
Turning off sound doesn't delete notifications — they still appear in your Notification Center. Open Notification Center by clicking the date and time in the top-right corner of your screen. You'll see all the notifications you've received, organized by app and time. You can read them whenever you want; they just won't interrupt you with sound.
If you want to clear old notifications, click the X next to each one or click Clear to remove all notifications from an app at once. Clearing them doesn't affect future notifications.
Preventing notifications from specific apps entirely
If you don't want to hear from an app at all — not even a silent notification — you can turn off notifications completely. Go to System Settings > Notifications, find the app, and toggle off Allow Notifications at the top. The app will no longer send any notifications, and nothing will appear in Notification Center.
You can turn notifications back on the same way. This is different from turning off sound — it stops the notification from appearing at all. Use this for apps you rarely need to hear from, like a weather app or a game.
Frequently Asked Questions
Why does an app still make noise after I turned off sound in System Settings?
The app probably has its own notification settings that override the system setting. Open the app, find its Preferences or Settings, and look for a sound or notification option there. Some apps like Mail and Slack let you control sounds in two places, and the app's own setting takes priority.
Can I silence notifications from one person but not others in Messages?
Yes, but you have to do it inside the Messages app, not in System Settings. Open Messages, find the conversation, right-click it, and choose Hide Alerts. The conversation will still appear, but you won't hear a sound when new messages arrive. You can also use a Focus mode to silence everything except messages from specific people.
Will turning off notification sound affect my alarm or timer?
No. Alarms and timers are separate from notifications and will still make sound. Notification settings only affect alerts from apps like Mail, Calendar, and Messages. If you want to silence alarms too, use Do Not Disturb or a Focus mode.
How do I know which Focus mode is currently on?
Look at the Control Center (top-right corner of your screen). If a Focus is active, you'll see its name and a small icon. Click it to see which people and apps can still notify you, or click a different Focus to switch modes.
Can I set a Focus to turn on automatically at work?
Yes. Go to System Settings > Focus, select a Focus like Work, scroll down to Turn On Automatically, and choose Location. Then set your work address. The Focus will turn on when you arrive and turn off when you leave.