How to Get Visual Alerts Instead of Sounds in Windows (11 & 10)
If you prefer visual cues over audible notifications, or if you have hearing impairments, Windows offers built-in accessibility features that allow you to get visual alerts instead of sounds in Windows. This means your screen can flash or highlight in specific ways when a system or app notification occurs, providing a non-auditory way to stay informed. This guide will show you how to enable and customize these visual alerts in both Windows 11 and Windows 10.
Why Use Visual Alerts Instead of Sounds?
Opting for visual alerts can be beneficial for several reasons:
- Accessibility: Essential for users who are deaf or hard of hearing.
- Noisy Environments: When sounds might be easily missed.
- Quiet Environments: To avoid disturbing others (e.g., in a library or shared office).
- Personal Preference: Some users simply prefer visual notifications to auditory ones to reduce sound clutter.
Understanding Visual Alerts in Windows
Windows can provide visual feedback when an event occurs that would typically generate a sound. This usually involves some form of screen flashing, which can be configured to be more or less intrusive depending on your preference. This feature is part of Windows’ suite of accessibility tools.
How to Enable Visual Alerts in Windows 11
Here’s how to set up visual notifications in the latest version of Windows:
Accessing Accessibility Settings
- Open Settings (you can press
Windows key + I). - In the left sidebar, click on Accessibility.
Finding Audio Settings for Visual Alerts
- In the Accessibility settings, scroll down to the “Hearing” section.
- Click on Audio.
Configuring Visual Alerts
- On the Audio settings page, look for the option labeled “Flash my screen during audio notifications“.
- Click the dropdown menu next to this option. You will typically see the following choices:
- Never: Visual alerts are turned off (default).
- Flash the title bar of the active window: Only the title bar of the window you’re currently using will flash.
- Flash the active window: The entire active window will flash.
- Flash the entire screen: Your whole screen will flash. (Illustrative placeholder for UI element)
- Select the option that best suits your needs. The change takes effect immediately. You can test it by triggering a system sound (e.g., changing the volume if sounds are enabled for that action).
How to Enable Visual Alerts in Windows 10
The process in Windows 10 is very similar, though the settings are found under “Ease of Access”.
Accessing Ease of Access Settings
- Open Settings (
Windows key + I). - Click on Ease of Access.
Finding Audio Settings for Visual Alerts
- In the Ease of Access settings, select Audio from the menu on the left-hand side (under the “Hearing” section).
Configuring Visual Alerts
- On the Audio settings page, look for the section titled “Show audio alerts visually“.
- You will find a dropdown menu with options like:
- No visual alert (Off)
- Flash title bar of active window
- Flash active window
- Flash entire screen
- Choose your preferred visual alert type from the menu. The setting is applied instantly.
What Types of Sounds Trigger Visual Alerts?
Generally, visual alerts are triggered by system sounds and notifications from applications that use the standard Windows notification system. This includes:
- System event sounds (e.g., error messages, device connection/disconnection).
- Notifications from apps (e.g., new email, calendar reminders, messages) that would normally play a sound.
However, some third-party applications might generate sounds internally that do not go through the Windows notification API. In such cases, these specific in-app sounds might not trigger the system-wide visual alerts.
Alternative: Turning Off Sounds Completely
If your primary goal is silence rather than specifically replacing sounds with visual cues, you have other options:
- Per-app notification sounds: Go to Settings > System > Notifications. Click on an individual app and turn off the “Play a sound when a notification arrives” toggle.
- System-wide sounds: Go to Settings > System > Sound. Scroll down and click on More sound settings. This opens the classic Sound control panel. Go to the Sounds tab. Under “Sound Scheme,” you can select No Sounds and click “Apply.”
These methods will silence notifications but won’t provide visual replacements unless you also enable the visual alert feature.
Conclusion
The ability to get visual alerts instead of sounds in Windows is a valuable feature for many users. Whether for accessibility reasons or personal preference, Windows 11 and Windows 10 provide easy-to-configure options to ensure you don’t miss important system events or notifications, even without relying on audio cues.