Silencing your Apple Watch is a straightforward process that can be completed in just two steps.
First, activate your watch’s screen by gliding your finger upwards from the bottom of the watch face. This operation will summon the Control Center.
Locate and tap the ‘Silent Mode’ icon, a bell-shaped button, in the Control Center.
This effectively switches your Apple Watch into Silent Mode, muting all sounds while permitting haptic (vibration) notifications for a seamless, non-disruptive user experience.
Our article continues below with further information on how to turn off the sound on an Apple Watch, including screenshots of these steps and some more possibilities.
You can also watch this YouTube video on how to silence an Apple Watch.
How to Turn on Apple Watch Silent Mode
The steps in this post are completed on the Apple Watch. The Apple Watch utilized in this post is an Apple Watch 7 running WatchOS 9.6.2.
You have two options for completing this task directly from the watch. We’ll show you the quickest technique first, followed by the slower method.
Method 1 for Disabling Apple Watch Sound
This is the quickest technique and how I turn off the sound on my Apple Watch.
Swiping up from the bottom of the screen can be tough to remember, so you might want to try the second technique if you think the Settings app will be easier to remember.
Step 1: From the bottom of the watch face, swipe up.
Step 2: On the Apple Watch, tap the bell icon to activate Silent Mode.
You will be able to utilize this way to silence Apple Watch if you are in a circumstance where you do not want the watch to produce any noise.
Method 2 for Turning Off the Sound on an Apple Watch
This section’s instructions will make use of the Settings app, which can be found on the App Switcher screen.
Step 1: To access the app screen, press the crown button on the side of the watch, then tap the gear symbol.
Step 2: Go to the Sounds & Haptics tab.
Step 3: To activate Silent Mode, tap the button to the right of it.
You may either do it and leave it if you never want to hear sounds from the watch, or you can rapidly switch the sound on and off as needed now that you know how to turn sound off on Apple Watch.
As previously stated, if the watch is charging, this will not quiet alerts or timers.
Our lesson continues below with further information on how to alter the Apple Watch’s audio and notification settings.
How to Change the Volume on an Apple Watch
While this guide has mostly focused on how to mute the Apple Watch, you can also alter the volume of the audio emanating from the device.
Step 1: On the watch, launch the Settings app.
Step 2: Scroll down and select Sounds & Haptics.
Step 3: To reduce the level, press the left speaker button; to raise it, press the right speaker button.
You can also use the crown on the side of the watch to control the volume if you tap the slider bar.
The following part goes through a watch setting called Haptic Alerts, which you may wish to change if you don’t like certain of the vibrations that the watch will play.
How to Enable or Disable Apple Watch Haptic Alerts
Your watch contains a feature called “Haptic Alerts,” which is a form of vibrating alert that notifies you of a notification.
Step 1: Navigate to the applications menu on your watch and select the gray Settings icon.
Step 2: Scroll down and select the Sounds & Haptics menu.
Step 3: Scroll down and turn on or off Haptic Alerts.
It is also worth noting that there are options in this section if you want to use the default haptic alert vibration or make it more noticeable.
How to Modify the Apple Watch’s Digital Crown Haptic Settings
Once you’ve decided whether or not to keep your device’s haptic vibration settings enabled, you may wish to modify this setting for the crown as well.
Step 1: On the watch, launch the Settings app.
Step 2: Select the Sounds & Haptics tab.
Step 3: Toggle the Crown Haptics button on or off.
This setting is only available on Apple Watch models from series four and up, so if you have an older Apple Watch model, you may not see it.
How to Turn on or Turn Off Haptic Chimes on an Apple Watch
There is one more haptic feature on the watch that you may or may not want to keep using.
This setting is known as “Haptic Chimes,” and it may be configured to notify you of different time intervals via sound and vibration.
You can change this setting by following the instructions below.
Step 1: Launch the Apple Watch Settings application.
Step 2: Go to the Accessibility tab.
Step 3: Select Chimes.
Step 4: Enable or disable the Chimes option.
If you keep the Haptic Chimes turned on, you can also change the schedule to regulate how frequently they play and the tone that plays at each interval.
How to Turn the Apple Watch Cover to Mute
One additional audio setting on the Apple Watch that you might wish to use is “Cover to Mute.”
If you have elected to keep the audio on for your watch notifications, you can instantly quiet them by placing your palm over the watch display. This requires that you enable the Cover to Mute setting, which we demonstrate in the steps below.
Step 1: On the watch, launch the Settings app.
Step 2: Navigate to the Sounds & Haptics menu.
Step 3: Scroll to the bottom of the menu and enable or disable the Cover to Mute option.
You must lay your hand on the watch face for three seconds for this to activate, after which you will feel a vibration to let you know you were successful.
Silencing the Apple Watch in a Video
More Information on Disabling Your Apple Watch
The Apple Watch Theater Mode, when combined with the silent mode button, is a really helpful feature.
Enabling theater mode not only activates Apple Watch muting, but also turns off the Apple Watch screen.
One of the most common reasons to use theater mode is to watch a movie or a show in a dark atmosphere. Even if it is as small as a watch, a bright digital screen may be quite distracting.
You’ll see an alert volume slider when you touch Sounds & Haptics from your watch screen or the Apple Watch app.
If you don’t want to turn off sound warnings or haptic notifications entirely, you can manually adjust the volume using the digital crown on the side of the watch.
As previously stated, the Watch app on your iPhone allows you to configure various noises and haptic warnings.
You may access a variety of settings options by launching the Watch app and then tapping the My Watch tab.
Here, you can choose distinct alert choices for the watch that are unique to it or that mirror iPhone settings for the same apps.
If you have problems with the Control Center on the watch since the buttons are so small, you may want to utilize the Watch app option.
The cover-to-mute option is another way to silence your watch. Simply place your palm over the watch if it begins to make noises. It will recognize this activity and muffle the device’s alert sounds.
You might also want to explore using the Control Center’s Do Not Disturb button. Activating that on the watch will disable all notifications till the following morning, which can be another handy answer for your sound issues.
Related: How to Turn off the Flash Notification on an iPhone 11
Frequently Asked Questions About Turning Off the Apple Watch Sound
How do I make my Apple Watch only vibrate?
If you don’t want your Apple Watch to make any noises and get vibration or haptic notifications, you can put it in silent mode.
Swiping up from the bottom of the screen and touching the bell icon will take you to the Apple Watch Silent Mode toggle. When the bell icon is red with a slash through it, Silent Mode is enabled.
By clicking the digital crown, accessing the Settings app (the gear symbol), and then tapping the Sounds & Haptics option, you can ensure that haptic alerts are activated. There, you can enable or disable Haptic Alerts.
Why isn’t my Apple Watch generating a sound when I receive a text message?
If you’re not hearing any sounds, the mute setting is probably on. Swiping up from the bottom of the screen and then touching the bell icon will rapidly silence or unmute the watch.
You may also change the watch’s sound settings by tapping the crown button, going to the Settings app, and then selecting Sounds & Haptics.
You can enable numerous settings that alter the device’s noises and haptics, such as the crown haptics that play when you spin the dial, by tapping sound options.
If you have your sounds turned on, another place to look is the Notifications option in the Settings app. You can next choose Messages to see if the alerts are mirrored from your phone or if you are utilizing unique watch settings.
How can I turn on or off can Not Disturb mode on my Apple Watch?
To activate the Apple Watch Do Not Disturb mode, swipe up from the bottom of the screen, then press on the half-moon icon, then select the Do Not Disturb option.
Do Not Disturb mode can also be enabled and configured for your watch by touching the digital crown on the side of the watch, tapping the gear symbol, selecting the Focus option, and then selecting Do Not Disturb.
You will then be able to build a new Do Not Disturb profile in which you can specify which types of alerts you want to receive when the mode is engaged.
What is the significance of the crescent moon emblem on my Apple Watch?
This indicator appears because the watch’s “Do Not Disturb” mode is enabled.
You may disable it by sliding up from the bottom of the screen to open your watch’s Control Center, then scrolling down and tapping on the crescent moon icon.
What is Apple Watch Silent Mode?
If you’ve been scrolling through the Apple Watch settings and come across the Sounds & Haptics section, you’ve probably spotted the “Silent Mode” toggle switch.
You’ve probably noticed that your Apple Watch may emit sounds when you receive notifications or when certain events occur.
You can prohibit the watch from making any sounds other than alarms or timers that go off while the watch is charging by selecting Silent Mode from the Settings > Sounds & Haptics menu.
What is the Apple Watch’s Theater Mode?
The Apple Watch has an option dubbed “Theater Mode,” which is comparable to the device’s silent mode.
However, Theater Mode will not only silence the device’s audio but will also turn off the screen.
This setting is intended for use in a theater when you wish to reduce the quantity of sound and light produced.
Swipe up from the bottom of the watch face and tap the button with two masks to enable or disable Apple Watch Theater Mode.
How to Stop the Apple Watch from Playing Sounds
- From the bottom of the screen, swipe up.
- Select the bell symbol.
The Apple Watch has a bright, clear screen that can display images and text. It can, however, play sounds, such as alerts indicating the arrival of a new text message or phone call.
This is useful if you rely on certain sounds to alert you to particular events, but it might be annoying if you feel that haptic feedback is sufficient.
Fortunately, you can regulate several of the sounds that come from the Apple Watch, including the ability to put it in Silent Mode. If you don’t want to hear any sounds from your Apple Watch, you can activate this setting on the device using one of the techniques outlined above.
Conclusion
The Apple Watch packs a lot of technology into such a small package. That bundle includes some speakers that will occasionally play sounds on the gadget.
However, if you find the sounds to be undesirable or annoying, you may be asking how to turn sound off on Apple Watch.
Fortunately, there are a few various approaches you can take, and perhaps, our guidance above has presented you with a convenient and easy-to-remember choice.
Matthew Burleigh has been a freelance writer since the early 2000s. You can find his writing all over the Web, where his content has collectively been read millions of times.
Matthew received his Master’s degree in Computer Science, then spent over a decade as an IT consultant for small businesses before focusing on writing and website creation.
The topics he covers for MasterYourTech.com include iPhones, Microsoft Office, and Google Apps.
You can read his full bio here.