Please Note: This article is written for users of the following Microsoft Excel versions: 2007, 2010, 2013, 2016, 2019, 2021, and Excel in Microsoft 365. If you are using an earlier version (Excel 2003 or earlier), this tip may not work for you. For a version of this tip written specifically for earlier versions of Excel, click here: Getting Audible Feedback.

Getting Audible Feedback

Written by Allen Wyatt (last updated March 23, 2024)
This tip applies to Excel 2007, 2010, 2013, 2016, 2019, 2021, and Excel in Microsoft 365

2

One of the things that Microsoft has helpfully added to Excel is the ability to configure the program so it makes noises. Granted, every version of Excel makes an obnoxious ding whenever you press the wrong key or try to do something it doesn't like, but now you can expand the auditory experience to an even wider array of obnoxious noises. To set up Excel to use audible feedback, follow these steps:

  1. Display the Excel Options dialog box. (In Excel 2007 click the Office button and then click Excel Options. In Excel 2010 or a later version display the File tab of the ribbon and then click Options.)
  2. If you are using Excel 2007, Excel 2010, or Excel 2013, click Advanced at the left of the dialog box. Scroll through the options until you see the General section. If you are using Excel 2016 or a later version, at the left of the dialog box click either Ease of Access or Accessibility (Microsoft keeps changing the option name for some reason). Windows displays the Ease of Access dialog box. (See Figure 1.)

    3. Figure 1. The Accessibility options of the Excel Options dialog box.

  3. Regardless of which version of Excel you are using, make sure the Provide Feedback with Sound check box is selected.
  4. Click on OK.

You have now enabled the use of sounds. If you want to change which sounds Excel uses, then do your tweaking in using the Sound Scheme drop-down list (if it is available in your version of Excel) or in the Sounds applet of the Control Panel (within Windows, not in Excel itself).

ExcelTips is your source for cost-effective Microsoft Excel training. This tip (8240) applies to Microsoft Excel 2007, 2010, 2013, 2016, 2019, 2021, and Excel in Microsoft 365. You can find a version of this tip for the older menu interface of Excel here: Getting Audible Feedback.

Author Bio

Allen Wyatt

With more than 50 non-fiction books and numerous magazine articles to his credit, Allen Wyatt is an internationally recognized author. He is president of Sharon Parq Associates, a computer and publishing services company. ...

MORE FROM ALLEN

Automatically Opening a Document at a Specific Zoom Setting

Do you prefer to have your documents open at a specific zoom magnification? You can get whatever magnification you desire ...

Discover More

Specifying a Paper Tray in a Macro

If you are using a macro to create your printed Excel output, you may need a way to specify that paper should come from a ...

Discover More

Inserting a Sound File in Your Worksheet

Some worksheets are better understood through the spoken word or with musical accompaniment. Sound files can be easily ...

Discover More

Dive Deep into Macros! Make Excel do things you thought were impossible, discover techniques you won't find anywhere else, and create powerful automated reports. Bill Jelen and Tracy Syrstad help you instantly visualize information to make it actionable. You’ll find step-by-step instructions, real-world case studies, and 50 workbooks packed with examples and solutions. Check out Microsoft Excel 2019 VBA and Macros today!

More ExcelTips (ribbon)

Transferring Ribbon Customizations

Excel allows you to make a wide range of customizations to both the Quick Access Toolbar and the ribbon. If you want to ...

Discover More

Changing the Ribbon's Size and Look

The Ribbon, while debatably handy, can be downright difficult to use for those with a sight impairment. Here are some ...

Discover More

Controlling How Excel Interprets Percentages

When entering data in a worksheet, Excel tries to figure out how your entry can best be shown on the screen. When it ...

Discover More
Subscribe

FREE SERVICE: Get tips like this every week in ExcelTips, a free productivity newsletter. Enter your address and click "Subscribe."

View most recent newsletter.

(Your e-mail address is not shared with anyone, ever.)

Comments

If you would like to add an image to your comment (not an avatar, but an image to help in making the point of your comment), include the characters [{fig}] (all 7 characters, in the sequence shown) in your comment text. You’ll be prompted to upload your image when you submit the comment. Maximum image size is 6Mpixels. Images larger than 600px wide or 1000px tall will be reduced. Up to three images may be included in a comment. All images are subject to review. Commenting privileges may be curtailed if inappropriate images are posted.

What is seven more than 1?

2024-03-23 12:14:10

Brian Lair

“… an even wider array of obnoxious noises” - That made me chuckle. :-)

2024-03-23 12:06:24

J. Woolley

My Excel Toolbox includes the ToggleFeedbackSound macro to toggle feedback with sound (Enable/Disable). This macro supports Undo (Ctrl+Z).
See https://sites.google.com/view/MyExcelToolbox

This Site

Got a version of Excel that uses the ribbon interface (Excel 2007 or later)? This site is for you! If you use an earlier version of Excel, visit our ExcelTips site focusing on the menu interface.

Newest Tips
Subscribe

FREE SERVICE: Get tips like this every week in ExcelTips, a free productivity newsletter. Enter your address and click "Subscribe."

(Your e-mail address is not shared with anyone, ever.)

View the most recent newsletter.

Links and Sharing
OUR COMPANY
OUR PRODUCTS
OUR SITES
 

Copyright © 2026 Sharon Parq Associates, Inc.