how to turn off the ringer on macbook

Turning Off the Ringer on a MacBook

When you’re talking about the “ringer” on a MacBook, you’re likely referring to the sound notifications for calls that come through apps like FaceTime or other communication applications. These can be quite distracting, especially if you are in a meeting or focused on work. Here’s how you can turn off the ringer for FaceTime calls, as this is one of the most common “ringer” notifications on a MacBook:

Adjusting Sound Notifications in FaceTime

Follow these steps to disable the ringer for FaceTime calls:

1. Open the FaceTime app on your MacBook. You can do this by clicking on the FaceTime icon in the dock, using the Launchpad, or searching for it using Spotlight (press Command + Spacebar and type “FaceTime”).
2. Once FaceTime is open, click on “FaceTime” in the menu bar at the top of the screen.
3. From the dropdown menu, select “Preferences” or press Command + , (comma) to open the preferences.
4. In the Preferences window, look for the setting that says “Ringtone”.
5. Here, you can either change the ringtone to something less intrusive or use the volume slider beneath to reduce the ringer volume to zero, effectively turning it off.
6. Close the Preferences window to save your settings.

Muting System Sound Notifications

If you want to turn off sound notifications entirely or for a period, follow these steps:

1. Click on the speaker icon in the menu bar at the top of your screen. If you don’t see the speaker icon, you can enable it by going to System Preferences > Sound and checking the box that says “Show volume in menu bar”.
2. From the dropdown, drag the volume slider all the way to the left to mute all system sounds.
3. Alternatively, you can press the mute key (F10) on most Mac keyboards to mute the sound.

Using Do Not Disturb

If you only want to silence calls and notifications temporarily without changing your ringer settings, you can use the Do Not Disturb feature:

1. Click on the Control Center icon in the menu bar (two toggled switches icon) or swipe left with two fingers from the right edge of the trackpad to open the Notification Center.
2. Here, you can toggle “Do Not Disturb” on. When this mode is enabled, calls and notifications will not make any sound.
3. You can also schedule Do Not Disturb by going to System Preferences > Notifications > Do Not Disturb. Set the times you want this feature to turn on and off automatically.

Conclusion

Turning off the ringer on your MacBook is straightforward. Whether you’re doing this for FaceTime calls specifically or muting all system sounds, macOS offers easy solutions to ensure you’re not interrupted by unwanted noise. Just adjust your settings as desired, and enjoy your newfound peace and quiet!