How to change or turn off iPad sounds

One of the simplest ways to personalise your iPad is through sound management. Whether you want to jazz up your alert tones, set a soothing ringtone, or enjoy some peace and quiet by silencing unnecessary sounds, managing your tablet audio settings can make a big difference.

In this guide, we'll walk you through various ways to customise and control the sounds on your iPad, making it feel truly yours - and helping you stay focused when needed.

How to set sound options

a man with headphones and a tablet sitting on a window sill

First things first, let’s talk about setting your sound options – because your iPad allows you to customise alert tones, ringtones, and adjust the volume for different alerts and notifications. Here’s how to do it:

1. Open Settings. Tap the Settings app on your home screen.

2. Sounds & haptics. Scroll down and tap on 'Sounds & Haptics'.

3. Adjust ringtone and alert volume. You’ll see a slider under 'Ringer and Alerts'. Use this to adjust the volume for ringtones and alerts. You can also enable 'Change with Buttons' if you want to adjust the volume using the physical volume buttons on the side of your iPad.

4. Change alert tones and ringtones. Under 'Sounds and Vibration Patterns', you can select different sounds for various alerts, such as your ringtone, text tone, new mail, sent mail, and calendar alerts. Simply tap on each alert type and choose from the list of tones.

Silence your iPad with Do Not Disturb

Sometimes, you just need a break from the constant pings and dings. This is where the Do Not Disturb (DND) mode comes in handy, as it lets you silence incoming calls, alerts, and notifications. Here’s how to use it:

1. Open Control Centre. Swipe down from the top-right corner of your screen to open Control Centre.

2. Activate Do Not Disturb. Tap the crescent moon icon to activate Do Not Disturb mode instantly. You’ll notice the icon changes colour to indicate that it’s active.

3. Schedule Do Not Disturb. For more control, go to Settings > Do Not Disturb. Here you can schedule DND to turn on and off at specific times, which is perfect for ensuring a good night's sleep or uninterrupted work hours.

4. Customise DND settings. Within the Do Not Disturb settings, you can allow calls from specific contacts, allow repeated calls (in case of emergencies), and silence only when the iPad is locked or always.

Customise sounds for specific contacts

Having distinct sounds for specific contacts is really useful, especially when you want to identify important calls or messages without looking at your iPad. Here’s how to set it up:

1. Open Contacts. Go to the Contacts app on your iPad.

2. Select a contact. Tap on the contact you’d like to customise.

3. Edit contact. Tap 'Edit' in the top right corner.

4. Assign a ringtone or text tone. Scroll down to 'Ringtone' or 'Text Tone'. Tap on it and choose a custom sound for that contact.

5. Save changes. Tap 'Done' to save your settings.

You’ll now instantly know who’s trying to reach you, helping you manage your time and attention better.

Adjust volume using the Control Centre

For quick adjustments to your iPad’s volume, the Control Centre is your best friend. Here’s how to use it:

1. Open Control Centre. Swipe down from the top-right corner of your screen.

2. Adjust volume. You’ll see a volume slider in the Control Centre. Drag it up or down to increase or decrease the volume.

3. Mute sound. If you need to mute your iPad quickly, press and hold the volume down button on the side of your device until the volume is completely off.

Using the Settings app for sound management

a woman smiling while holding a tablet computer in front of a window

For more detailed sound management, the Settings app gives you a range of options. Here’s how to get into it:

1. Open Settings. Tap the Settings app on your home screen.

2. Navigate to Sounds & Haptics. Scroll down and tap on 'Sounds & Haptics'.

3. Adjust system sounds. You can now adjust the system sounds for various alerts and ringtones. You can also toggle system haptics on or off, which controls the vibrations for certain interactions.

4. Set vibration patterns. Tap on any sound type (like Ringtone or Text Tone) and you’ll see an option to 'Vibration'. You can choose from standard vibration patterns or create your own by tapping 'Create New Vibration'.

Optimise sound settings for apps

By customising notification settings for each app, you can ensure you’re alerted by the most important notifications while silencing the less important ones. Here’s how to do it:

1. Open Settings. Tap the Settings app.

2. Go to Notifications. Tap on 'Notifications'.

3. Select an app. Scroll through the list of apps and select the one you want to customize.

4. Adjust notification settings. Here you can toggle 'Sounds' on or off, and in some cases, choose a custom alert tone if the app supports it.

Troubleshooting sound issues

Sometimes, your iPad might not sound off as expected. Here are some tips for troubleshooting common sound issues:

1. Check mute switch and volume. Make sure the physical mute switch (if your iPad has one) isn’t activated, and that the volume is turned up.

2. Restart your iPad. A simple restart can sometimes resolve sound issues. Press and hold the power button, then slide to power off. Turn your iPad back on after a few seconds.

3. Check Do Not Disturb. Make sure Do Not Disturb is NOT enabled. If it is, disable it through the Control Centre or Settings.

4. Update iOS. Ensure your iPad is running the latest version of iOS. You can do this by going to Settings > General > Software Update.

5. Reset your settings. If all else fails, you can reset all settings. This won’t delete your data but WILL reset system settings like Wi-Fi passwords and wallpaper. Go to Settings > General > Reset > Reset All Settings.

Need more help?

Looking for more advice for your iPad, iPad Mini, iPad Air or iPad Pro?. Here are some of the best iPad tips for beginners. Also, here’s some info on how to free up storage space on your iPad and how to delete apps from your iPad

If you’re looking for a new iPad, find out which iPad is right for you. And if you want to speak to an expert before you buy, pop in-store and chat to one of our colleagues. They’ll answer all your questions.