Microwave ovens have now become an integral part of our kitchens and most microwave models usually beep a lot. But, many people generally don’t like those beeping sounds. So, do you know how to silence a microwave beep sound?
According to the report of the United States Bureau of Labour Statistics, more than 90 percent of American households have at least one microwave oven. Also, it is almost an unwritten rule among all microwave oven manufacturers to have an in-built beeping sound.
Most of us usually find these sounds very annoying. But depending on what is actually going on with your microwave, it can be a one-off, or it also can be an actual glitch that makes your kitchen a nightmare. So, you might want to know how to silence a microwave.
In this article, we have shared 7 simple ways how to silence a microwave beep sound with or without a button. However, it is true that every model has a slightly different process, but there is a lot of overlap.
And we have also discussed why these beeping sounds exist and when you should silence a microwave if you find them annoying.
So, let’s get started.
Table of Contents
Why A Microwave Beeps
Microwave ovens are usually designed to alert you when something is wrong. There are some common reasons why your microwave oven may be beeping.
The most common beeping sounds are those that happen when you press any microwave button. This high-pitched tone actually indicates that the press has been registered.
The second most common beeping sounds happen when the cook cycle is complete. A microwave oven generally has an internal timer that counts down the seconds until your food is finished cooking and when this counter gets to zero.
The microwave will instantly emit a beep sound to let you know that it is done. This is definitely a helpful feature of a microwave oven.
Another common beeping sound you may hear is when your microwave oven needs your attention. If there are any issues with your microwave, it can indicate that it needs help through a series of rapid beeping sounds.
If there is any power surge or power outage, the microwave will emit a long continuous beep to let you know that it needs to be reset.
7 Ways On How To Silence A Microwave Beep Sound With Or Without Button
Different microwaves will generally have different ways to turn off the beeping sound. Here, we have covered 7 easy and simple ways to turn off or silence a microwave beep sound.
1. Using The Sound Button
Some microwave models have a specific button in the keypad that controls sound. And you might not have ever really paid attention to some of the extra buttons on your microwave’s keypad before. So, these buttons might have escaped your notice.
However, if there is a button that specifically says “sound” or “mute,” then you can easily silence the beeping sounds by simply pressing the button.
Some microwaves have a “mute” button that will silence all sounds and do the job for you. You just need to open the microwave door and press the “mute” button to put your microwave in silent mode.
And most modern microwaves have a silent mode that they usually do not advertise. It means that if you have a microwave from any major brand, you can just switch your microwave over to silent mode to ensure that you don’t hear that annoying beep again.
2. Adjusting Sound In The Settings
In this process, you just need to press the “settings” button to access the sound controls. LG microwaves generally have a button on the keypad that you can use to adjust different types of settings and one of them is sound.
When you pull up the sound controls, just press 2 to turn the sound off or 1 to turn it back on. This option is usually more common with very expensive microwaves than with less expensive countertop models.
And for Panasonic microwaves, you need to use the “Prog” button to access the beep tone options. Then, after pressing the “Prog” button once, just press the “0” twice to turn the beeps off. And then press “Prog” to save your settings.
However, Breville microwaves also let you adjust the volume of the beeping sounds in addition to the mute button. So, in those microwaves, you can also experiment with turning them down rather than turning them off completely.
3. Try To Press And Hold Numbers
Various microwave models generally use 0, 1, or 2 to control sound. You just need to open your microwave door and press each of those buttons and hold it for about 5 seconds and then see what happens.
And if you press the buttons again and there are no beeping sounds, it means that you have successfully stopped the annoying sound.
However, some text will usually flash on the display to let you know that you have turned the sound off. So, you should try pressing and holding each of these buttons with the microwave door open.
Also, some microwave models use the “8” button to turn the microwave sound off. And there is also a little speaker icon under the number to remind you of this additional feature.
So, you can also check your model’s manual to know the exact process, because different models will have different ways to turn off the sound.
4. Pressing And Holding The “Start” Or “Cancel” Button
If your model does not have any number button, then you can try with the “Start” or “Cancel” button. First, open the microwave door and press the button, and also hold it for 5-10 seconds to see what happens.
This way has worked with some microwave models. In those cases, if you press the “Start Time” button and hold it for 6 seconds, then the display beeps once, and your microwave is officially in silent mode and the beeping sounds have been stopped.
However, with some models, this will first produce some sound-related text on the display. And after that, you can just follow the display prompts to turn the microwave’s beeping sound off.
But, if your model has number buttons, then you should definitely try with those buttons and follow the previous process.
5. By Opening The Door Before Time Runs Out
If your microwave does not have silent mode, then also you can beat the beep. If you can get to the microwave and open the door a second or two before the cook cycle is complete, the alarm won’t sound.
However, you would not get rid of the little beeps when you enter the time or press any button on the keypad, but it will be at least a little quieter. This is definitely not a perfect solution, but you can follow this way if it is really necessary.
For example, if you are warming up a snack late at night and you don’t want to wake anyone, this method can do the job for you.
Although it is recommended that you should wait for the beep before opening the door, it is okay to open a microwave before it beeps. Because microwaves are designed in a way that the microwave never leaks out of the machine’s door.
6. You Can Unplug The Microwave For A Hard Reset
If your microwave is beeping randomly without any reason, then you can use a hard reset. You can do this by either unplugging your microwave or turning off the power at the breaker box.
Then wait at least 60 seconds and plug it back in. This process generally resolves most problems that would cause your microwave to beep randomly.
Because a hard reset will get rid of any extra electricity and force the microwave’s sensors to go back to their original state.
However, if this does not resolve your problem and you can’t mute the beeping sounds, then you should call a technician to come out and check your microwave.
They should diagnose the problem for you. And it might also be time to replace your old microwave with a new one.
If silencing the beeping sounds is a big deal for you, then make sure the new microwave that you buy definitely has a mute function.
7. Checking Your Model’s Manual
You should definitely check your model’s manual which can help you with more complicated processes.
First, open the door of your microwave and get the manufacturer name, model number, and year from the sticker on the door frame.
Then, you can search online for those specifications along with the word “manual” to find the file you need.
After that, you should search the document itself for the word “silent,” “sound,” or “beep” and see if you can find anything.
Also, some models have a fairly complicated process that you probably could not learn without the manual.
For example, a few microwave models have a 3-step or 4-step process to silence the beeping sounds.
But if you have tried those processes without getting any desired results, then you might have a more complicated issue that will require you to try another solution.
When You Should Silence A Microwave
Silencing your microwave’s beeping sounds is not always the wisest thing to do, however, there are some moments when silencing these sounds just makes sense.
Those people who usually get irritated from hearing these high-pitched beeps will want to silence their microwave from time to time. But then, they will need to remember when they put food in there.
Also, if you are currently entertaining other people and want to use your microwave to heat up some food discretely, then keeping it on silent temporarily can also be a good idea.
And finally, if you feel like your microwave has been emitting beeping sounds a little too much may be from a faulty sensor, then keeping it on silent can make things more manageable.
However, if you have a tendency of being forgetful in the kitchen, then obviously keeping your microwave’s beeping sounds on just makes more sense.
Also, if you keep your microwave’s beeping on, it can help prevent you from letting your food get cold after brief heating sessions.
Wrap Up On How To Silence A Microwave Beep Sound
If you are really worried about keeping your microwave quiet, it mainly depends on what is going on with your appliance.
And if you are trying to silence the beeping sounds that keep producing annoying noise without a reason, then a quick break or a hard reset is often the best way to stop the beeps.
There are many reasons why your microwave may have started freaking out with beeping sounds – it can be a glitch in the system or food that is not being detected correctly.
Some microwaves have a specific button to turn off the sound, while others have a button that can mute the sound.
There may also be an option to silence the beeping sound in your microwave’s settings. So, I hope you find this detailed article helpful.
If you ever feel annoyed by the beeping sound, then you can use any of these ways to turn it off. And if you have any questions regarding this topic, please let us know in the comments below.
FAQ: How To Silence A Microwave Beep Sound
As most people now have a microwave oven in their kitchen and a lot of them find this beeping sounds annoying, they have many questions related to this topic. Here, I have given brief answers to some of the most commonly asked questions.
Q1. Why Does A Microwave Not Beep After Pressing buttons?
Ans: If the microwave display responds to the buttons being pressed but the microwave does not emit beeping sounds, the microwave may be a model with a beeper volume control. To change the beeper volume, you need to press the button marked “Sound”, “Sound Level”, or “Beeper Volume” and then press the required number button.
Q2. When Does Microwave Make A Weird Sound?
Ans: If your microwave is making an unusual or loud humming noise, then you may have a problem with the magnetron of the microwave. This component is part of the high-voltage circuit and provides the microwaves that produce the heat. If the magnetron is defective, it may cause a loud and weird humming or buzzing noise.
Q3. What Is The Average Lifespan Of A Microwave?
Ans: The average microwave oven can last around seven years with normal use, and even less with heavy use and poor maintenance. A large family might need to replace their appliance every four to five years as they are more reliant on its use to heat up snacks and leftovers.
