- The kinds of Facebook sound and which setting controls each
- Turn off Facebook in-app sounds
- Stop Facebook Reels starting with sound
- Stop videos playing by themselves on Facebook
- Silence Facebook notification sounds
- Which Facebook sound setting should you change first?
- If Facebook sounds still play after you turned them off
- Quieter Facebook for creators and Page admins
- Frequently asked questions
To turn off sounds on Facebook, tap Menu, then Settings and privacy, then Settings. Under Preferences, tap Media and switch off In-app sound. Next to Reels start with sound, turn automatic sound off, and turn off notification sounds under Notifications, Push, Sounds/Vibration.
Few things make you jump like opening Facebook in a quiet room and having a video blare out, or hearing a little pop every time you tap a button. Facebook makes noise in several different ways, and each has its own switch. That's why people often turn one off, find the noise is still there, and give up.
I'll take them one at a time so you can silence exactly what's bothering you and leave the rest. The steps follow Facebook's help articles Turn off in-app sounds on Facebook, Turn off or change notification sounds on Facebook, Turn automatic sound for Facebook Reels in Feed on or off, and Stop videos and animations from playing automatically in your Feed. Menu wording can vary by app version, and Facebook's own note says that if you don't see Media in your settings, you should try updating the app.
The kinds of Facebook sound and which setting controls each
| What you're hearing | Which setting to change |
|---|---|
| Little sound effects as you use the app | In-app sound, under Preferences and Media |
| Reels that start with sound as you scroll | Reels start with sound, under Autoplay in Media |
| Videos and animations playing by themselves | Autoplay, under Preferences and Media |
| Your phone chiming for a notification | Sounds/Vibration under Push notifications |
Turn off Facebook in-app sounds
These are the small sound effects the app makes as you use it. Facebook's help article gives these steps for the iPhone app:
- Tap Menu in the top left of Facebook.
- Scroll to the bottom and tap Settings and privacy, then tap Settings.
- Scroll down to Preferences, then tap Media.
- Tap the toggle next to In-app sound to turn it off.
Facebook has a matching version of that article for Android. I couldn't read the Android wording, so if your screen differs, look in the same Preferences and Media area, or use the search box in Settings.
Stop Facebook Reels starting with sound
This is the setting most people are after when a video shouts the second it appears. According to Facebook's help article, you open Menu, scroll down and tap Settings and privacy, then Settings. Scroll to Preferences and tap Media. Below Autoplay, next to Reels start with sound, turn automatic sound on or off.
Facebook's help page also notes that all videos on Facebook are now reels, which is why this one setting matters so much. If you hear nothing and wish you did, that's a different problem, and I've covered the causes in my guide to fixing no sound on Facebook Reels.
Stop videos playing by themselves on Facebook
A video that plays silently in your feed can still be distracting, and it can use your mobile data. The Media screen has an Autoplay section for that. Facebook's help article for iPhone lists three choices: on mobile data and Wi-Fi, on Wi-Fi only, and never autoplay videos. Pick the last one if you want videos to stay still until you tap them.
Silence Facebook notification sounds
The chime for a like or comment is a notification sound, which has its own switch. Facebook's help article says, for the iPhone app:
- Tap Menu in the top left of Facebook.
- Tap Settings and privacy, then tap Settings.
- Below Preferences, tap Notifications.
- Scroll down to Where you receive notifications, then tap Push.
- Tap the toggle next to Sounds/Vibration to turn notification sounds on or off.
Facebook adds a note that you have to allow push notifications on your device before you can turn them off or change the notification sound. If you'd rather cut down what Facebook alerts you about, my guide on turning off Facebook notifications goes through each type.
Facebook also has a separate help article called Turn Facebook message sounds on or off, so if the noise is a chat rather than a like, look there.
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Which Facebook sound setting should you change first?
If you only have a minute, start with the one that matches the moment that annoys you. A noise as you tap and scroll points to in-app sound. A Reel that shouts the second it appears points to Reels start with sound. A chime while your phone sits on the desk points to notification sounds. Changing the wrong one is the usual reason people think a setting is broken.
If a sound seems to come from Facebook but the switches are already off, check whether it's Messenger or another app sharing the notification. Your phone's own silent switch and volume buttons also affect what you hear.
If Facebook sounds still play after you turned them off
- Close the app fully and reopen it.
- Check your phone's own sound settings for the Facebook app, because they can sit alongside what you set inside it.
- Update the app. Facebook's help article says that if you don't see Media in your settings, updating the app may help.
- Check you're changing the right account if you're signed in to more than one.
Quieter Facebook for creators and Page admins
If you post video for a business, remember that many viewers watch with the sound off, in an office or on a train. I'd make the pictures and any on-screen text carry the message, with sound as a bonus. For a closer look at how your Reels are doing, see my guide to the Facebook Reels performance dashboard.
Frequently asked questions
How do I turn off sounds on Facebook?
Tap Menu, then Settings and privacy, then Settings. Scroll to Preferences, tap Media and switch off In-app sound. Turn off notification sounds separately under Notifications, Push, Sounds/Vibration.
How do I stop Reels playing with sound?
In Settings, go to Preferences and Media. Below Autoplay, next to Reels start with sound, turn automatic sound off.
Can I stop videos playing automatically?
Facebook's help article for iPhone lists Autoplay choices under Media: on mobile data and Wi-Fi, on Wi-Fi only, or never autoplay videos.
Why does my phone still make a noise for Facebook?
Notification sounds have their own switch. Use Sounds/Vibration under Notifications, Push, and remember Facebook says you must allow push notifications on your device before you can change the sound.
I can't see Media in my settings. What now?
Facebook's help article says to try updating the Facebook app if you don't see Media in your settings.
Does this mute Messenger too?
Facebook has a separate help article on message sounds, so check Messenger's own settings if Messenger is the one making noise.
