If you're new to the Samsung Galaxy S4, you might well think you're under attack by bloops and bleeps and drops -- the cacophony of "nature' sounds Samsung's got baked into everything these days. They're there by design, of course. That whole "designed by nature" thing started last year with the Galaxy S3, and it continues in the latest iteration. They're not necessarily that harsh, they can just get a little old after the first five minutes.
Those of us who have been using Samsung devices for a while are more used to this, of course, and are pretty adept at turning them off. This post isn't for you. Move on. But things have changed a little bit in Samsung's latest, so here's your primer for getting rid of those annoying system sounds.
More: Check out our Galaxy S4 forums!
So you've got a couple options. One is to just hit the volume-down button on the left side of the phone to silence the blasted thing. But that's the nuclear approach.
For a more surgical strike, you'll need to head into your phone's settings menu. (Get to it either by pressing the menu button on the home screen, or by pulling down the notification pane and tapping the gear icon.) Tap on the "My device" tab, then on "Sound." Obvious enough, but, again, Samsung moved things around a bit in the Galaxy S4.
You've got a few options here, but the ones we're interested in are under "System." I generally leave the "dialing keypad tone" turned on for when I make phone calls. The others, however, are the first to go. "Touch sounds" and "Screen lock sound" are history. Haptic feedback -- that's what it's called when your phone vibrates when you touch it -- I usually leave on, but this is where you nix that, too, if you want.
How to turn off the keyboard sound on the Galaxy S4
One other frequent source of noise is the keyboard. You might be tap, tap, tapping but don't want all that click, click, clicking. Understandable. That sound is easy to turn off, but it's buried inside some more menus. Go to your settings menu, then scroll down and choose "Language and Input." Now look for "Samsung keyboard" (it might be grayed-out -- that's OK) and tap on the gear icon. That gets you into the keyboard settings. Next tap "Advanced," and now at the bottom you'll see "Key-tap sound." Uncheck that -- you can kill the haptic vibration here, as well, if you like -- and you're good to go.
It's basically the same process for any other keyboards you might have installed, including Swype, which comes on the Galaxy S4 but isn't enabled by default.
Reader comments
How to turn off those annoying Galaxy S4 sounds
One of my biggest gripes about my S6 is even when i have headphones in,it still insists on alerting everone else via the phone speaker when i get a text or voice mail. So freakin annoying.
For heaven's sake, this place is dead!
Is there a way that certain sounds can be changed? I want to change the sound that Google Play notes an update to one of my apps, because it's embarrassing when I am out in public. I would like to change it, or eliminate it altogether. Is there a way I can change that?
So... With everything muted and volumes off etc why does that stupid bloody shutter sound not shut up? I'm sick of looking through page after page of "this is how you do it" from the Internet - nothing works. There is no option for muting the shutter sound ANYWHERE on my phone. I shouldn't have to download a new camera app just because this one is so cr@p you can't do something as simple as silence the shutter sound. In addition to this, why is it not possible to take a picture from the lock screen while the device is secured with a password, face recognition, pin etc? That's just stupid. Spur of the moment photo ruined by f***king around unlocking the security screen. While I'm ranting I might as well also mention that I hate the input keyboard and had to also download a new one. The only thing I like is the numbers r fixed in place . That's pretty poor . and above all I figured out how much I hated this phone in less than a week and dick smith won't let me change it to a different one. Like HTC one or Sony xperia. Which are clearly better phones.
Help, just got the S4 and these instructions did not work. I am baffled. There is no way to turn off the sounds when in settings; sound; notifications. No box to uncheck. I HATE the constant noises!
Thank you very much. I am new to Samsung and the Touchwiz platform so when my keypad started with noises after update and wouldn't stop after going into Sounds; I was pretty perplexed. Great job.
YOU ROCK!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Thank you!!!!!!!!
Connie
thank you for letting me know this information.
I have sony experia E and the settings are quite similar to your post.
I just didn't realized that gear was clickable until I read your post.
Now my keypad doesn't make any sounds.
Thank you.
Im having an issue with my Samsung galaxy s4. I have a wallet case and the way its made it like a holster that holds it in place. Now every time I pick it up or put it down it makes a sound. How can I turn that off tried everything. ........ plz help
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Is there a way to turn off the sound that happens when you plug your phone into a charger? It doesn't seem to turn off when I turn off the other sound settings. Thanks!
I'm with ya--I need to know that :) I found it once, before I knew I wanted it off--all ears if you find out.
Can anyone help me with the annoying rain drop sound that is consistently coming out of my phone? I have turned off all sounds per this article, and my phone continues to blip-blip at me all day long. (Or it would, if I hadn't completely silenced it.)
The "pot", "pot" sound when selecting an application is so ugly and annoying! Why is it so difficult for Samsung make a futuristic sound like those from some high-tech movies?
I have disabled sound on my S4 in all the places described in this post. However, I cannot suppress keypad sounds during a call (to enter access codes, for example).
Worse, the additional digits don't even have to be entered via the keypad--if they are included as part of the number (usually following one or more pauses), they each produce a beep that effectively sounds like one continuous screech as the digits are sent.
Is it not possible to suppress sound associated with sending additional digits after a number has been dialed? I'd be okay with discrete DTMF tones sent (silent is better), but what I'm hearing is not that.
Wait a second... So my only option is "terrible raindrop sound" or NO SOUND?
I just got my S4 yesterday and I'm almost ready to exchange it for an iPhone... for all the things Android lets you customize Samsung has done a great job making sure you can't - can't unload pre-installed apps, can't change terrible default sound scheme... I can't wait to find out what other useful features Samsung engineers foolishly decided the users don't need to be able to control. So angry right now because I thought you were going to tell me how to CHANGE the sound - turning it off only involves going into the settings and if you needed this post to tell you that, you should've purchased an iPhone. It's a much better bet for people who can't find the settings application.
Phil... you are my hero today! No more keyboard clicking!! Yaya!!
I am using the stock Email app that comes with the S4, is there a way to make it stop making the "Checked" statement every time I check an email in the app? It drives me crazy and even does it when the phone is on vibrate.
I had this issue and it drove me crazy. I fixed it by:
(a) toggling TalkBack on/off (Settings > My Device > Accessibility); and
(b) uninstalling Pebble Notifier (an app for my smart watch, though it isn't 100% necessary so no problems uninstalling it).
I suspect you may have an app that interacts with notifications/text-to-speech that is causing the problem. This will likely be listed under Services next to TalkBack in Settings > My Device > Accessibility.
Good luck.
How do I turn off the voice that says "page is loading" when I use the browser? That is driving me nuts.
Same here! Please, someone help. It's extremely annoying.
No offense, but is it really that hard for people to figure out? Took me less than 30 seconds.
I want to keep them and actually change them to a different sound scheme like windows events. Is this even possible without rooting the phone?
I don't believe so. Pretty sure root is the only answer to that.
I WOULD ALSO LIKE TO DO THIS
Or just turn the system volume down which should be above those options. Some people like those sounds.
Some days there are articles about how to root your phone and install custom ROMS, other days there are articles about how to turn off your phone's sounds!? Wow.
Varying levels of readers come to this site, gotta keep a look out for everyone.
I know. That seems like such a perfectly rational response, and I considered it. But how to turn off sounds!? Really?? :)
No joke I directed my mom to an old AC article the other day it was a how to. She bugs me all the time about how to do stuff on her phone. Haven't got a text back yet. LOL
Fun fact: on the S3 when connected to Bluetooth (ala via car kit, etc.), Google Now voice commands do NOT register past the "Initializing" phase to "listening" unless you have the Touch Sounds ENABLED. Then to remove the annoying drip sound, you have to turn the system volume all the way down.
Is this is the same way on the S4? Can someone please test this?
Not sure if this helps, but on Note 2 that isn't the case.
Thanks, that does at least give me some hope that this hasn't propagated its way into the S4. I really wish Samsung would use a standard bluetooth stack as well so it would play nice with my Uconnect stereo for reading from whom the text messages were sent. I always get "no number available". Texts also fail to send from my Uconnect system through the phone as well.
The better option will be to buy an HTC One instead.
Every... single... article...
"How to turn off those annoying Galaxy S4 sounds"? Jesus Christ Phil, can you make your dislike for the S4 any more obvious? Right now you and Alex and Jerry are my favorite editors and it kills me that just about every post you all have on this phone is 95% negative 4% dont give a sh** and 1% Good. What a contrast from your posts on the HTC One.
We're well aware which of the two you'd prefer and promote.
The S4 is a beast, period. Stop treating it like 2013's stepchild.
In their defense those noises are annoying as hell, an the fact they are turned on by default is ridiculous. AC trying to help people out by making their phones less annoying... a bad thing, I think not.
Also watch Phils unboxing of the AT&T S4, he does not seem dissatisfied with the S4 at all.
You mean to say that just because they disagree with Samsung design choices they are unable to stay objective?
Fact: Samsung Galaxy S4 will be the top selling smartphone this year as well.
This does not mean that everything they've done is outdoing their competition, it just means they know how to do better marketing than the rest.
Fact: Touchwiz is a bastardization of the Android User Experience
This does not mean that there are people out there that can't prefer Touchwiz over stock or Sense or any other, it just means that, objectively speaking, it is a mess from a design standpoint.
If nothing else, you should appreciate reviewers that are honest about the faults of each device instead of just praising the ground that Samsung steps on, since it leads to a better understanding of where a device stands when compared to the competition.
@littleemp
Valid points, however fine line between honest, and overly critical. If I had a Nickle for all the great things theyve highlighted on the s4, I couldnt buy chewing gum.
I could buy a cheeseburger with the comments on the One though. (sorry if im sounding like a fatass, super hungry as I type this)
At every AT&T kiosk I pass, I show them my One (only when they notice, of couse :P), and they say "why didn't you get a Galaxy 4?" or "You know the Samsung 4 is coming out, right?" But when people actually look at the One (and hear it, for that matter), they are amazed. Even when iPhone 5 people hold it they get amazed. I've had about 5-10 friends say they want One (no pun intended) after they use mine. The GS4 doesn't really stand out in a crowd. The One does. I remember one guy at an AT&T store was showing my mom a GS4 and I said something about the One and his exact words are "Yeah, but this is an awesome phone." I couldn't help but feel offended, but Samsung has really brainwashed people with all those eye gimmicky things.
iBloops: Apple tm in 3...2...1...
Great...now I won't hear anything dialing but how about that gaudy white theme? Wish I could change it back to the classic dark themed dialer like the international version has.
I never realized how ugly Touchwiz and Sense really were until owning an Xperia. Sony took an already beautiful stock Android design and made it even better.
Just compare the above screenshots to this: http://www.gsmarena.com/showpic.php3?sImg=reviewsimg/sony-xperia-zl/shot...
That actually does look pretty nice. Thanks for sharing Sony employee. ;)
Ha? I have to be a Sony employee to positively comment about their product? Anyway, no, no I'm not. Just a long time Android user whom is delighted to see see (and own) a phone that doesn't butcher an already beautiful UI.
You should see a Nexus ; P
Had to...
I agree that Touchwiz is ugly and looks like a child's toy, Sense 5 is much more beautiful and closer to stock Android than previous iterations.
Thanks. All that beeping was driving me nuts.
I wish they would have sounds disabled by default. Or at least during initial startup, ask if you want them on.
They know the average person will just leave them on and deal with it, Samsung wants people around the user to hear those noises and associate it with Samsung phones. Apple does the same thing with their keyboard by default making noise and making it difficult for the average user to get new ringtones and notifications without paying money. That way you hear the stock Apple ringtone or Notification sounds that we all know so well, and associate it with Apple.
Ok, here's one for you all to ponder . . .
I turn off the touch sounds (can't stand them either), and then at some random point in time, something turns them back on. I have yet to isolate out the precise sequence of what I do between turning the sounds off and then having it start the most annoying booping again.
Searching the internet has only revealed the obvious "how to turn them off" but NOT "how to KEEP them sounds off"...
Haven't looked yet, but is there a way to change the sound?? I'd be OK with that, letting me choose which sound I will tolerate.
Overall, I like the phone...
It would be nice to hear the normal digit **DTMF tone** again instead of the stupid raindroplet when dialling a number on a Samsung phone.
I don't really mind the raindrop sound when dialing, but other than that I prefer that my phone makes no noise whatsoever.