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To stop Outlook from playing a sound when new mail arrives, clear the mail sound setting in your version of Outlook. The menu path differs between classic Outlook for Windows, new Outlook for Windows, Outlook on the web, Outlook for Mac, and the Outlook mobile apps, so start by identifying which one you use.
Quick reference by Outlook version
| Outlook version | Where the setting lives | What to change |
|---|---|---|
| Classic Outlook for Windows | File > Options > Mail, under Message arrival | Clear Play a sound |
| New Outlook for Windows | View > View Settings > General > Notifications, then Mail | Set Play Sound for New Email and Reactions to the no-sound option |
| Outlook on the web (Exchange Server Outlook Web App) | Mail settings | Turn off Play a sound when new items arrive |
| Outlook for iOS and Android | Settings > Mail > Notifications > Sound | Choose Silent or Off |
| Outlook for Mac (older 2016 builds) | Outlook > Preferences > Notifications & Sounds | Clear the checkbox for each sound |
Classic Outlook for Windows
This is the most direct mute control. Microsoft’s support page on sound effects describes the same checkbox used for new-mail sounds.
- Open Outlook and select File.
- Select Options, then select Mail.
- Under Message arrival, clear Play a sound.
- Select OK to save.
Message-arrival sound is separate from visual arrival alerts. If you want to keep a desktop alert or the envelope icon in the taskbar, leave those options selected. Reminder sounds are also a separate setting, so clearing this box does not necessarily silence calendar reminders.
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Microsoft’s current support page for new Outlook gives this route for alert settings:
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- Select View, then View Settings.
- Select General, then Notifications.
- Expand the Mail settings and find New Email and Reactions.
- Use the Play Sound control and choose the no-sound or off option if one is offered.
The page describes choosing a custom sound but does not state an exact off label, and menus can vary between builds. If the option is missing, the sound may be controlled by Windows rather than Outlook. Check Windows notification settings for Outlook (see the section below) and avoid changing system-wide sound settings if you still want other apps to make noise.
Outlook on the web and Outlook.com
In Exchange Server Outlook Web App, Microsoft’s mail settings include a Play a sound when new items arrive option. Outlook.com keeps mail and calendar notifications in separate settings, and one of those choices controls whether a notification comes with a sound. The menu names and locations are not identical across these web experiences, so confirm whether you are using Outlook.com or an organization’s Outlook Web App before following the wording on screen.
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Outlook for iOS and Android
Microsoft’s mobile instructions place the mail sound under Settings > Mail > Notifications > Sound. Choose Silent or Off, whichever wording appears. If you still want banners but no audio, change this sound control rather than turning off mail notifications entirely.
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Outlook for Mac
Mac Outlook navigation depends on the version. For Outlook 2016 for Mac, Microsoft’s page says to open Outlook > Preferences > Notifications & Sounds, adjust message-arrival settings, and clear the checkbox for each sound you want off. Microsoft’s more recent Mac page for Microsoft 365, Outlook 2024, and Outlook 2021 places Outlook > Settings > Notifications & Sounds in the path it describes, but that page concerns reminder sounds specifically. Look for the message-arrival option in your own version’s Notifications & Sounds screen, and keep reminder sounds separate in your decision.
If the sound keeps playing
- Classic Outlook: confirm that Play a sound is still cleared in File > Options > Mail. Restart Outlook after changing it.
- New Outlook: confirm the Play Sound value for New Email and Reactions. If it appears unchanged, check whether Windows is playing the sound for Outlook’s notifications.
- Windows sound event: open Control Panel > Sound > Sounds > Program Events > Windows and select New Mail Notification. Microsoft says only WAV files are supported if you replace the sound. To silence the event without replacing it, set its sound to none in the same list.
- Windows per-app notifications: Windows notification settings can allow or suppress sound for Outlook’s notifications separately from Outlook’s own checkbox. Changing these affects only Outlook, unlike a system-wide mute.
Terms you may see
Microsoft’s support pages use several phrases for the same idea, including turn off the new mail sound, new message sound, Play a sound, and mail notifications. Searching Outlook’s settings for these words can help when a menu label differs from the steps above.
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