How to change Apple System's notification sound on Mac
Apple System gives you an on/off sound toggle on macOS and nothing more, so you cannot choose which sound it plays. To silence it, turn off “Play sound for notifications” for Apple System in System Settings → Notifications. To give it a different sound, or a different sound per channel, person, or keyword, you need a rule-based app such as Chirpy, which reads macOS notifications locally and plays the sound you assigned.
In Apple System
Head to Settings → Notifications inside Apple System. The sound options live there, and you can turn them off. That stops Apple System's own audio, but macOS will still play its default sound on top. See the universal approach below to silence that too.
How do I mute Apple System notifications on a Mac?
macOS lets you silence any app's sound without disabling its notifications. The full visual walkthrough lives on the universal macOS method page. The short version:
- Open System Settings → Notifications on your Mac.
- Scroll to Apple System in the application list and click it.
- Turn off “Play sound for notifications”.
- Apple System keeps showing banners and badges, with no audio.
How Chirpy fills the gap
Chirpy reads the notification title and matches it against your rules. That means you can do things Apple System can't on its own: different sounds per channel, per person, per keyword, per server. Three quick examples:
- Boss mentions only: a distinct chime when their name appears in any Apple System notification.
- Urgent channel: a louder sound when the notification contains
#urgentor#critical. - Silence everything else: a rule that matches all other Apple System notifications with no sound. Banners still appear, your day stays quiet.
Frequently asked questions
Can I change Apple System's notification sound on Mac?
Only partly. Apple System gives you basic on/off sound controls, but no way to pick a different sound and no way to vary it by sender or content. To assign a specific sound, mute Apple System at the macOS level and let a rule-based tool such as Chirpy play the sound instead.
How do I mute Apple System notifications on Mac without turning them off?
Open System Settings → Notifications, click Apple System in the list, and turn off “Play sound for notifications”. Apple System keeps showing banners and badges, so you stop hearing it without losing it.
Can I set a different sound for specific Apple System notifications?
Not with macOS or Apple System alone, because neither can read the content of a notification and act on it. Chirpy matches the notification text against rules you write, using a name, a channel, a keyword, or a combination with AND/OR, then plays the sound you assigned to that rule.
Does muting Apple System in System Settings also hide its banners?
No. “Play sound for notifications” only controls audio. Banners, the Notification Center list, and Dock badges are separate toggles on the same screen.
Want sounds that actually mean something?
Chirpy adds rule-based custom sounds on top of macOS notifications. One sound for Apple System mentions, another for your calendar, silence for the rest. It is a native menu bar app. $19.99 as a one-time purchase, requires macOS 13 or later, and runs entirely on your Mac.