The default setting for computer mice is to make a clicking noise when links or other objects are clicked. Now, there are two types of clicks. One is the digital click sound produced by Windows when an event (such as opening a file) is triggered.
The other click sound is the mechanical noise made by the computer mice when their switches are clicked, but those can’t be silenced with settings. The sounds produced by the software can be changed from within Windows though.
Let’s say you’ve grown tired of the clicking noise your mouse makes and you would like to either change it or silence it.
How would one do that?
You can access the sound settings in Windows 10, where you can mute or change the clicking sound your mouse makes by left-clicking on the speaker icon in the lower-right corner and going to Sounds. Other options include importing your own third-party sounds to replace the standard click sound or reducing the mechanical click by adjusting the switches inside the device.
Continue reading for a detailed step-by-step guide.
Another alternative is to buy a silent mouse. I use the Logitech M650, which showed a 90% reduction in noise levels when tested. This is because of Logitech’s silent switches, which make next to no click sound when pressed.
If you want to mute or reduce the sound the physical product makes when it’s clicked, then there are ways of doing that too. Stay tuned as we’ll go through that later in the article.
The sounds menu has a bunch of different settings that can be adjusted. I’ll provide images to guide you through the process of changing or muting the sound your computer mouse makes. Continue reading below to find out how to do it.
How to Stop Mouse From Making Click Sounds In Windows 10
You can mute the sound your mouse makes by changing the Sound Scheme in Windows 10 to No Sound. This will, however, mute all sounds in Windows 10. Therefore, we must change the sound for a specific program event.
This easy step-by-step guide will show you how it’s done. Bare with me, as you’re about to hear the last click sounds in a while.
Changing/Removing the Click Sound in Windows
We’re going to access the sound events in Windows 10, which means we’re going to configure the sounds that are triggered when a certain event takes place. There is a multitude of different events to choose from but we’re primarily going to focus on those associated with the mouse.
Before we look at the guide – let’s look at which sounds you may want to mute or change. You’ll be able to find all of them using the guide that’s coming up after this section.
- Start Navigation – Plays a sound when you open files or folders in Windows
- Open Program – Plays a sound when you open applications in Windows
- Close Program – Plays a sound when you close applications in Windows
- Maximize – Plays a sound when you maximize a window
- Minimize – Plays a sound when you minimize a window
Now that we’ve outlined the different events that can trigger a click sound from the mouse. Follow the steps below to access the Sound settings, where you can turn off the triggering of the sound.
- Click the Start button located in the lower-left corner
- Search for Control Panel in the search bar
- In the upper-right corner, make sure the view by option is set to Category
- Locate the section Hardware and Sound
- Click on Change System Settings
- In the newly-opened window, scroll the list until you find the item Start Navigation
- With Start Navigation selected, go to the dropdown menu just below and make sure None is selected.
- If Start Navigation has a sound connected to it, change it to None.
Then repeat the process with the rest of the events, which can be found in the same dropdown menu. You can also turn off all Windows sounds by changing the sound scheme to No Sound. This will disable all the sounds emitted by any event triggered within Windows.
Reducing The Mouse Click Sound
You can, as we’ve mentioned, make adjustments to the mouse’s interior to dampen the sound produced when the switch is clicked.
Before I start raising your interest, I must mention that I have never done this with a high-quality mouse myself and I don’t think I would consider it an option for a mouse that I’ve paid more than 20$ for, as I could end up damaging it instead of fixing it.
However, it is possible and it has been done by a plethora of people on the web who had grown tired of the click sound produced by the switches on their computer mice.
The procedure is quite simple, and shouldn’t take more than 5 minutes when done correctly. The video below shows you one of the possible methods of silencing a computer mouse’s mechanical click.
Computer Mouse That Makes No Clicking Sounds
If you’re bothered by the mechanical clicking sound your computer mouse makes, then you’ll have to either open up the mouse and make adjustments, which I don’t recommend as you will void the warranty, or purchase a silent mouse.
One of our silent favorites is the Logitech Signature M650 with silenced clicks. Logitech’s studies have shown that the M650 has reduced the clicking sound by 90%.
It comes with nearly inaudible switches that you’ll have a really hard time hearing unless you focus your entire mind on it. It’s also a high-quality mouse that’s durable and comfortable to use. I strongly recommend it.
Another viable option for this purpose is the Logitech M330, which also comes with the silent click feature (90% click sound reduction).
Both of these alternatives are what I would go for if I wanted a silent mouse, rather than muting the entire sound scheme. You could dissect a cheaper mouse to silence it, but you’d risk damaging it. Having the manufacturer do it will ensure the warranty remains valid.
Change Type of Mouse Click Sound On Computer
If you don’t have a problem with the fact that your computer mouse makes digital sounds, but you don’t like the specific sound that it makes, then you can change to any of the sounds Windows provides or use third-party solutions to access additional mouse click sounds.
Right out of the box, you’ll have access to a bunch of different digital sounds that can be used when an event is triggered. These sounds can replace the default click sound for the events you desire.
To access and change the default click sound:
- Click the speaker icon in the lower-right corner of your screen
- Select Sounds
- The lower part of the window contains a list. Look there to find the specific program events you want to change the sound for (We listed all the events that trigger mouse clicks above)
- Select a specific program event
- Go to the dropdown menu Sounds in the lower-left corner
- Pick any sound you like
- That sound will be played when that program event is triggered
If the sounds provided by Windows don’t do the job for you, then you’re given the option to import your own sound files.
- Make sure you have the desired sound file on your computer
- Click Browse in the lower-right corner of the aforementioned window
- Find the file and select it
- The file should now be the selected sound for that program event (Look for the sound file’s name in the list if it wasn’t selected automatically)
Why Does My Computer Mouse Make a Clicking Noise?
Most of us have grown accustomed to the clicking sound that computer mice emit when they’re clicked, and have, therefore, stopped questioning the meaning of the click sound. What’s the purpose of it? Why is it produced?
The clicking sound is produced by the mechanic apparatus within the device itself. When the mouse button is pushed down, the inside of the button is pushed against a momentary contact switch. Inside the switch is a spring that’s designed to return the switch to its open position.
When the mouse button is released, the spring releases the switch back into its initial position and that’s when the sound is produced. So, the sound is produced by a snap-spring underneath the mouse button.
Some argue that the sound is totally unnecessary and that it could be removed without degrading the overall experience of using a mouse, while others enjoy the feedback the clicking sound provides.
I believe there’s some use for the sound. It’s a response to your manual input – a kind of positive feedback indicating that the mouse button was pressed.
If, for instance, you click the button and nothing happens on the computer, you’ll know that the button was pressed. This way you can tell that there’s something wrong with the software, or at least know that the button was pressed.
If you’re bothered by the sound, remember that there are ways around it.
I’ve been bothered by the sound before, and I have a hard time focusing when my surroundings aren’t very calm and quiet. Therefore, I can understand those who go to lengths (minor lengths) to silence it.