How to Change Event Sound Effects in Windows 7 and Windows 8
Information
This tutorial will show you how to change the sounds applied to events in Windows and Programs as a Sound Theme for your user account in Windows 7 and Windows 8.
Note
Windows 7 and Windows 8 uses .wav (wave) files played for the sound events.
The default folder that Windows 7 and Windows 8 uses to store the sound files in is located at C:\Windows\Media.
Tip
For fun and sharing, you can post the sounds that you use at this
link if you would like to. :)
OPTION ONE
To Change Sound Events in "Sounds" Dialog Settings
1. Do step
2, 3, or 4 below for how you would like to open the
Sound dialog.
2. Open the
Control Panel (icons view), click/tap on the
Sound icon, and go to
step 5 below.
OR
3. Right click or press and hold on the
Volume (little white speaker) system icon in the notification area at the bottom right corner area of the taskbar, click/tap on Sounds, and go to
step 5 below. (see screenshot below)
OR
4. Right click or press and hold on a empty area of the desktop, and click/tap on
Personalize. (see screenshot below)
NOTE: The Windows 7 Starter and Windows 7 Home Basic editions do not have Personalize included in them.
B) Click/tap on the
Sounds link at the bottom of the Personalization window. (see screenshot below)
NOTE: The name in gray under Sounds is the current sound scheme selected.
C) Close the
Personalization window, and go to
step 5 below.
5. Click/tap on the
Sounds tab, and do
step 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, and/or 11 below. (see screenshot below)
6. To Turn the Windows Startup Sound On or Off
A) Check (on) or uncheck (off) the Play Windows Startup sound box, and click/tap on Apply. (see screenshot below step 5)
7. To Change an Event Sound
A) Click/tap on a listed
Program Event (middle section) to select a sound event, and do either
step 7B or 7C below. (see screenshot below step 5)
B) Click.tap on the
Browse button. (see screenshot above)
NOTE: The default Windows sound files are located in the C:\Windows\Media folder.
- Navigate to and select the .wav file that you want to be used as the sound played for the event, click/tap on Open. (see screenshot below)
- Click/tap on Apply. (see screenshot below step 5)
OR
C) Click/tap on the
Sounds: drop down menu at the bottom, select a sound that you want to be played for the event, and click/tap on
Apply. (see screenshot below)
8. To Test Play a Sound
A) Click/tap on a Program Event that you want to hear the current sound set to be played for the event, and click/tap on the Test button. (see screenshot below step 5)
9. To Change a Sound Scheme
A) Click/tap on the
Sound Scheme: drop down arrow menu, select an available sound scheme you want, and click/tap on
Apply. (see screenshot below)
10. To Save a Sound Theme
NOTE: This is useful to have all your event sound changes saved as a Sound Theme to be able to select in step 9 above.
A) Click/tap on the
Save As button. (see screenshot below step 9)
B) Type in a name you would like for the sound scheme (theme), and click/tap on
OK. (see screenshot below)
11. To Delete a Saved Sound Scheme
NOTE: You cannot delete the No Sounds, Standard Default, or Windows Default schemes, only the ones that you saved.
A) Click/tap on the
Sound Scheme: drop down arrow menu. (see screenshot below step 9)
B) Select the sound scheme that you want to delete, and click/tap on the
Delete button. (see screenshot below step 9)
C) Click/tap on
Yes to confirm. (see screenshot below)
11. When finished making changes in the Sounds dialog, click/tap on
OK . (see screenshot below step 5)
OPTION TWO
To Change Sound Events in Registry Editor
1. Press the
Windows + R keys to open the Run dialog, type
regedit, and click/tap on
OK.
2. If prompted by UAC, then click/tap on
Yes.
3. In regedit, navigate to the location below. (see screenshot below)
NOTE: In the left pane under Apps, each subkey (folder) .Default (Windows), Explorer (Windows/File Explorer), and sapisvr (Windows Speech Recognition) contains sound events under those categories just like in Sounds from OPTION ONE above.
HKEY_CURRENT_USER\AppEvents\Schemes\Apps
4. In the left pane of regedit, expand the subkey for the sound event (ex:
MailBeep for "New Mail Notification") that you want to change what sound is play for it to expand it. (see screenshot above)
5. In the left pane under the expanded sound event (ex:
MailBeep), select the
.Current key. (see screenshot below)
6. In the right pane of
.Current, double click/tap on
(Default) to modify it. (see screenshot above)
7. Type in the full path of the
unblocked .WAV file that you want to be played for this sound event, and click/tap on
OK. (see screenshot below)
8. Repeat all of the steps above in OPTION TWO for any other sound event that you wanted to change what default sound is played for it.
9. When finished, close regedit.
That's it,
Shawn