Windows 10 Startup/Shutdown Sound: 5 Ways to Change It

Manually set shutdown sound from the settings to get it back

by Vlad Turiceanu
Vlad Turiceanu
Vlad Turiceanu
Editor-in-Chief
Passionate about technology, Windows, and everything that has a power button, he spent most of his time developing new skills and learning more about the tech world. Coming... read more
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  • Earlier Windows versions enabled users to easily change the system sounds, but these are hidden on Windows 10.
  • Keep in mind that you're allowed to enable the startup and shutdown sounds from the Windows Registry.
  • If you want to change Windows 10 startup/shutdown sound, do not hesitate to customize the Program Events list.
How to change Windows 10 startup/shutdown sound

In earlier Windows editions, users could change Windows 10 shutdown sound easily. However, Microsoft sacrificed the sound settings for faster shutdown and the Fast Startup feature in Windows 10.

In the following section, we’ll walk you through the steps for changing your Windows 10 startup/shutdown sound.

Is there a Windows 10 startup sound?

No, Windows 10 doesn’t have a startup or shutdown sound. This is a design choice by Microsoft, and there are a few reasons for it:

  • Focus on mobility – Microsoft is focused on developing portable devices, such as Surface Book 3. With devices that you frequently start or wake up, the shutdown or startup sound could become irritating rather quickly.
  • Faster startup – In order to optimize startup speed, Microsoft removed certain functionality, including the one in charge of playing sounds.

How do I change the Windows 10 startup & shutdown sound?

1. Disable fast startup

  1. Right-click on the battery icon on your taskbar and select Power Options.
  2. Now, from the right window pane, click on Additional power settings.
  3. Select the Choose what the power button does option on the left.
  4. Click on Change settings that are currently unavailable.
  5. In Shutdown settings, unmark the checkbox beside Turn on fast startup (recommended).
  6. Hit the Save changes button below.

2. Turn on the startup sound

  1. Press the Windows + I keys combination.
  2. Go to Personalization.
  3. Select Themes from the left panel.
  4. Click on Sounds.
  5. Check the box beside Play Windows Start-up sound.
  6. Click on the OK button.

3. Enable the startup and shutdown sounds from Windows Registry

  1. Press the Windows + R to open the Run dialog box.
  2. There, type regedit and press Enter.
  3. Navigate to: HKEY_CURRENT_USER/AppEvents/EventLabels

At this point, the next step is to activate the startup and shutdown sounds.

3.1 Enable the startup sound

  1. Find WindowsLogon and double-click on ExcludeFromCPL.
  2. Modify the Value data from 1 to 0.
  3. Hit the OK button to save it.

3.2 Enable the shutdown sound

  1. Return to EventLabels.
  2. Click on the SystemExit subkey, then double-click on ExcludeFromCPL.
  3. Change the Value data from 1 to 0.
  4. Click on OK.

After doing that, check if your sounds are working properly.

4. Change the startup and shutdown sounds

  1. Press the Windows + I keys combination to open Settings.
  2. Navigate to Personalization.
  3. Go to Themes.
  4. Click on the Sounds option.
  5. Find the sound you want to customize from the Program Events list.
  6. For the startup sound, click on Windows Logon.
  7. If you need the option for the shutdown sound, click on Exit Windows.
  8. Pick the music that you want to set as your new startup sound.
  9. Hit Apply and then the OK button.

5. Create a batch file

  1. Create a new folder on your Desktop or any other location. You can use any name you want for it.
  2. Locate sndrec32.exe file and copy it to that directory. This file is available on older versions of Windows, such as Windows XP, so you’ll need a Windows XP or a reliable third-party source.
  3. Right-click the file and choose Properties.
    properties
  4. Go to the Compatibility tab. Check Run this program as an administrator and click OK to save changes.
  5. In the same directory, create a new Notepad file and paste the following lines: C:\PowerOff\sndrec32.exe /embedding /play /close “C:\Windows\Media\Windows Shutdown.wav”
    C:\Windows\System32\shutdown.exe /s /t 2
  6. Go to File and select Save as.
  7. Choose the save location. Set the Save as type to All files. Next, enter script.bat as the name. Lastly, save the file.
  8. Use the script.bat file to turn off your PC or create a shortcut on your Desktop for quick access.

So, these are the steps you can use to change the Windows 10 startup sound. Do not hesitate to save them somewhere to access the process whenever you feel like it easily.

Keep in mind that some users reported that sound is not working in Windows 10, and if you ever face the same issue, make sure you check our dedicated fixing guide.

Do you have any related questions? Feel free to share them with us by leaving a comment in the section below.

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