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Windows Live Mail

Stop Playing Sounds for New Messages

SUMMARY: Prevent Windows Live Mail from playing a sound whenever a new e-mail or other message arrives.

By default whenever a new e-mail or other message reaches Windows Live Mail, it plays a sound to alert you of the new message. This way you can run other applications keeping Windows Live Mail running in the background and be audibly notified when you need to check your Inbox.

While some people appreciate this feature, others find this sound annoying. This can be especially true if you are working with applications involving sound and music such as a Skype phone call or recording audio from the Internet.

1. Access the Windows Live Mail menu by clicking the menu button (see the screenshot to the right) or press Alt + M.

2. Select "Options".

3. The "Options" multi-tabbed dialog box appears. Make sure the "General" tab is selected.

4. Underneath "Send / Receive Messages", uncheck "Play sound when new messages arrive".

Configuring Windows Live Mail to not play sounds when receiving new messages

5. Click "OK" to close the dialog box.

EXPERT USERS: The Registry Entry for this configuration item can be found here:

HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Windows Live Mail\mail\PlaySoundOnNewMail

1 - Enabled
0 - Disabled

This tip was written for Windows Live Mail Version 2009 running on a netbook running Windows XP Home. Features, instructions, and screenshots for other versions / operating systems may vary.