How to change Google Chat's notification sound on Mac
Google Chat 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 Google Chat 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.
The short answer: Google Chat doesn't expose notification-sound customization. Use the macOS-level method to mute it, or let Chirpy give it a custom sound.
How do I mute Google Chat 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 Google Chat in the application list and click it.
- Turn off “Play sound for notifications”.
- Google Chat keeps showing banners and badges, with no audio.
Chirpy works with any macOS notification, including Google Chat's. Create one rule, pick a sound, and save.
Frequently asked questions
Can I change Google Chat's notification sound on Mac?
Only partly. Google Chat 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 Google Chat at the macOS level and let a rule-based tool such as Chirpy play the sound instead.
How do I mute Google Chat notifications on Mac without turning them off?
Open System Settings → Notifications, click Google Chat in the list, and turn off “Play sound for notifications”. Google Chat keeps showing banners and badges, so you stop hearing it without losing it.
Can I set a different sound for specific Google Chat notifications?
Not with macOS or Google Chat 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 Google Chat 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 Google Chat 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.