Start up chime is too loud

[countermoon]

Any suggestions for how to reduce the volume of the startup chime?

I have speakers plugged into the headphone jack. The sound prefs Output is set to headphones>headphone port

 

[Janichsan]

There's no separate volume setting for the startup sound. It always plays at the overall volume you last set on your Mac.

You could disable it entirely in the Sound preferences, though.

 

[chrfr]

Any suggestions for how to reduce the volume of the startup chime?

I have speakers plugged into the headphone jack. The sound prefs Output is set to headphones>headphone port

I can't remember if it works on the startup chime but in relatively recent versions of macOS you can route sound effects separately from regular sound output. Try setting that to use the internal speaker and see if it's different. Alternatively you may be able to turn off the startup chime altogether depending on how old your iMac is.

 

[Gudi]

Any suggestions for how to reduce the volume of the startup chime?

System Settings > Sound > ☑️ Play sound on startup

Remove the checkmark.

 

[Fishrrman]

Tell us which Mac you have, what year it was made, and which OS is running.

There are terminal commands that can turn OFF the startup sound.

Seems to me there is (or was) a terminal command that can set the volume of the sound.

With Ventura, I believe you can now turn the startup sound on/off in system settings.

 

[arw]

From my experience with Intel Macs:
- temporarily change the sound output to internal speakers and set the volume (30%)
- change the output back to whatever you use (line-out/headphone, USB)
- startup chime will have 30% volume

 

[rm5]

Wait... I thought the startup chime could only be played through the internal speakers

Regardless, as @Gudi points out, go to System Preferences (Settings) > Sound > UNCHECK "Play sound at startup."

 

[rm5]

With Ventura, I believe you can now turn the startup sound on/off in system settings.

Yes, in fact, you've been able to do this since Big Sur.

 

[countermoon]

There is no "play sound at startup" option.
This is the iMac forum and my signature gives my specs.

 

[countermoon]

The external speaker volume has no effect on the startup chime volume.
In fact, I suspect the startup chime volume cannot be controlled at all by the user.

 

[arw]

The external speaker volume has no effect on the startup chime volume.

Correct, it never did. The chime is always generated by the internal speaker/s.

In fact, I suspect the startup chime volume cannot be controlled at all by the user.

Did you try post #6? Works for all of my Mac Pro, Mac mini, MacBook Pro/Air.
Temporarily unplug your external speakers to set the desired volume for the internal speakers aka the startup-chime volume.

 

[Choco Taco]

Try entering this in Terminal:

sudo nvram StartupMute=%01