I was trying to find out how to do this since I purchased my Macbook Air and I couldn’t remember how to do it with ease (apparently I had turned it off in my previous MBP).
It’s quite easy: Download this app which changes the sound preferences in your system and you’re done!
Easy. Boot up in silence.
Ahh.
Scott Lee says
A very useful app. Thanks for sharing.
I’d like to issue one warning though. If you silence the startup sound (which is actually the POST sound that tells you everything checks out hardware wise) then it might make it a little difficult diagnosing hardware problems. Like when my hard drive crashed…last week.
Will P says
The volume of the startup chime is dependent on the system volume at restart or shutdown.
So, if you have your volume on mute, the chime is muted. If the volume is low, the chime is low.
This is stored in the PRAM which is why if you reset the PRAM the chime is at full volume.
John Saddington says
yup. knew that, but i forget too easily!
Stephen Bateman says
I like the bootup sound, except when you’re in a quiet room (class!) and just know it’s going to blast. I wish you could hold down the mute key or something.
Tim Owens says
To me the startup chime is too important a diagnostic tool to disable. If you go to boot your machine and you have nothing but a white screen one of the first things Apple Tech will probably ask is “Do you hear the chime?”, it can tell a lot about what exactly is wrong with the computer and save a lot of work.