How To Disable Screenshot & Empty Trash Sound On Mac (Ventura ...

Home » How-to » How to Disable Screenshot & Empty Trash Sound on Mac (Tahoe/Sequoia)How-toHow to Disable Screenshot & Empty Trash Sound on Mac (Tahoe/Sequoia) Karly Wood October 18, 2025 SaveSavedRemoved 0

🗓️ October 18, 2025, By ✍️ Karly Wood

That camera-click every time you take a screenshot or the crunch when you empty the Trash may sound satisfying for a moment—but it’s not everyone’s vibe. If you work late, record tutorials, or simply like silence, those sounds can be distracting.

The good news? You can easily disable screenshot and empty-trash sound effects on your MacBook Pro or MacBook Air without breaking anything (and with zero third-party tools).

Let’s break down every method—safe to advanced—so you can choose what fits your workflow.

Why Mac Makes These Sounds

Apple includes subtle sound cues for feedback—like the screenshot shutter and Trash empty “crunch.” They’re fun but unnecessary if you’re editing videos, recording, or studying quietly.

Both macOS Tahoe and Sequoia let you silence them system-wide or per action, depending on how deep you want to go.

Method 1: Turn Off All System Sound Effects (Safest)

This is the official, Apple-approved way—perfect for most users.

1. Click the Apple menu () → System Settings.
2. Select Sound → Sound Effects.
3. Toggle Play user interface sound effects off.
4. (Optional) Toggle off Play feedback when volume is changed too.

That’s it! Now try taking a screenshot or emptying the Trash—your Mac stays completely silent.

Pros:– Safe and reversible– Works across all system apps

Cons:– Mutes all UI sounds (no selective control)

🪄 Pro Tip: This toggle persists through reboots and updates—so once it’s off, it stays off.

Method 2: Take Silent Screenshots Using Terminal

If you still want other sounds but hate that click, try this instead:

1. Open Terminal (Applications → Utilities → Terminal).
2. Type this command:

screencapture -x ~/Desktop/silent-shot.png

The -x flag tells your Mac to skip the shutter sound.

💡 You can even create a shortcut key or alias to use this every time you take screenshots quietly.

Method 3: Empty Trash Without the “Crunch” Sound

The Trash “crunch” comes from Finder’s animation, not file deletion itself. To bypass it:

1. Open Terminal.
2. Run:

rm -rf ~/.Trash/*

That deletes your Trash instantly—no sound, no delay.

⚠️ Caution: There’s no undo. Once you hit Return, files are gone for good.

If you want to keep using Finder’s Trash icon but stay quiet, your only safe option is Method 1 (mute UI effects globally).

Method 4: Advanced — Replace the Sound Files (For Power Users Only)

On older macOS builds, you could replace the sound files directly with silent ones.It still works partially on early Tahoe 26 builds but is blocked in Sequoia due to tighter protections.

1. Reboot to Recovery Mode.
2. Disable SIP using: csrutil disable
3. Mount your system volume as writable.
4. Navigate to: /System/Library/Components/CoreAudio.component/Contents/SharedSupport/SystemSounds/system/
5. Replace files such as Grab.aif (screenshot) or EmptyTrash.aif with a silent .aif of the same name.
6. Re-enable SIP using: csrutil enable

⚠️ Note: Apple updates may overwrite these edits. Always back up first.

Quick Summary

Task	Best Method	Difficulty	Notes
Disable all UI sounds	System Settings → Sound → Uncheck “Play user interface sound effects”	⭐ Easy	Recommended for most users
Silent screenshots only	screencapture -x	⭐⭐ Moderate	Command-line solution
Silent Trash only	rm -rf ~/.Trash/*	⭐⭐ Moderate	Permanent deletion (no sound)
Replace sound files	Manual file swap (Disable SIP)	⭐⭐⭐ Advanced	Risky on Sequoia and Tahoe

Extra Tips for Tahoe & Sequoia Users

– After major updates, revisit your Sound Settings—macOS may re-enable UI effects.– Apps like CleanShot X or Snagit can take screenshots silently by default—no Terminal needed.– If your MacBook is recording audio (like for a screen-recording), the system automatically mutes screenshot sounds—no action required.– For video editors and streamers, muting all UI effects gives cleaner audio tracks.

Final Thoughts

Apple’s macOS is full of delightful little details—but sometimes, quiet is better. With these methods, you can easily silence the screenshot click and Trash sound on your MacBook Pro or Air, whether you’re running macOS Tahoe 26 or the latest Sequoia build.

So go ahead—record, work, or study in peace. Your Mac can finally stay as calm as you are.