How to Enable or Disable Changing Event Sounds and Sound Scheme in Windows


A sound theme is a set of sounds applied to events in Windows and apps.

You can have Windows play a sound when certain events occur on your PC. (An event can be an action that you perform, such as empting the Recycle Bin, or an action that Windows performs, such as notifying you when you receive new e‑mail.) Windows comes with several sound schemes (a collection of related sounds) for common events. Additionally, some desktop themes have their own sound schemes. You can also save changes you made to your sound theme as a new sound scheme.

If you like, you can prevent users on the PC from being able to add, remove, or change the system sound scheme and event sounds. When disabled, the Sounds tab will be removed from the Sound Control Panel.

This tutorial will show you how to enable or disable changing event sounds and sound scheme for specific or all users in Windows 7, Windows 8, and Windows 10.

You must be signed in as an administrator to enable or disable changing event sounds and sound scheme.


 CONTENTS:

  • Option One: Enable or Disable Changing Event Sounds and Sound Scheme in Local Group Policy Editor
  • Option Two: Enable or Disable Changing Event Sounds and Sound Scheme for All Users using a REG file

EXAMPLE: Changing Event Sounds and Sound Scheme enabled and disabled
Enable or Disable Changing Event Sounds and Sound Scheme in Windows-sounds_enabled.png Enable or Disable Changing Event Sounds and Sound Scheme in Windows-sounds_disabled.png





OPTION ONE

Enable or Disable Changing Event Sounds and Sound Scheme in Local Group Policy Editor



In Windows 7, the Local Group Policy Editor is only available in the Professional, Ultimate, and Enterprise editions.

In Windows 8, the Local Group Policy Editor is only available in the Pro and Enterprise editions.

In Windows 10, the Local Group Policy Editor is only available in the Pro, Enterprise, and Education editions.

All editions can use Option Two.

1. Open the all users, specific users or groups, or all users except administrators Local Group Policy Editor for how you want this policy applied.

2. In the left pane of the Local Group Policy Editor, click/tap on to expand User Configuration, Administrative Templates, Control Panel, and Personalization. (See screenshot below)

Enable or Disable Changing Event Sounds and Sound Scheme in Windows-prevent_changing_sounds_gpedit-1.jpg

3. In the right pane of Personalization, double click/tap on the Prevent changing sounds policy to edit it. (see screenshot above)

4. Do step 5 (enable) or step 6 (disable) below for what you would like to do.


 5. To Enable Changing Event Sounds and Sound Scheme

A) Select (dot) either Not Configured or Disabled, click/tap on OK, and go to step 7 below. (see screenshot below)

Not Configured is the default setting.


 6. To Disable Changing Event Sounds and Sound Scheme

A) Select (dot) Enabled, click/tap on OK, and go to step 7 below. (see screenshot below)

Enable or Disable Changing Event Sounds and Sound Scheme in Windows-prevent_changing_sounds_gpedit-2.png

7. When finished, you can close Local Group Policy Editor if you like.






OPTION TWO

Enable or Disable Changing Event Sounds and Sound Scheme for All Users using a REG file



The downloadable .reg files below will add and modify the DWORD value in the registry keys below.

HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Policies\Microsoft\Windows\Personalization

HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Policies\Microsoft\Windows\Personalization

NoChangingSoundScheme DWORD

(delete) = Enable
1 = Disable

1. Do step 2 (enable) or step 3 (disable) below for what you would like to do.


 2. To Enable Changing Event Sounds and Sound Scheme for All Users

This is the default setting.

A) Click/tap on the Download button below to download the file below, and go to step 4 below.

Enable_changing_event_sounds_and_sound_scheme.reg

Download


 3. To Disable Changing Event Sounds and Sound Scheme for All Users

A) Click/tap on the Download button below to download the file below, and go to step 4 below.

Disable_changing_event_sounds_and_sound_scheme.reg

Download

4. Save the .reg file to your desktop.

5. Double click/tap on the downloaded .reg file to merge it.

6. When prompted, click/tap on Run, Yes (UAC), Yes, and OK to approve the merge.

7. You could now delete the downloaded .reg file if you like.


That's it,
Shawn


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