# Quashing annoying sounds in AOL **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [April 10, 2010, 1:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/quashing-annoying-sounds-in-aol/535636 "2010-04-10T13:57:17Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 4\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![DesertDog](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/desertdog/32/11503_2.png) [@DesertDog](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DesertDog)\ **Post date:** [April 10, 2010, 1:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/quashing-annoying-sounds-in-aol/535636/1 "2010-04-10T13:57:17Z")
**DesertRoomie** prefers to use AOL for her browsing (don’t ask; it’s a long story) but with the advent of 8.0 there’s a really annoying “feature” – at random intervals a short soundbite is played. It’s not a notice of any discernable event but simply a one-second random sound like a parrot squawk or a burst of song. I suppose it’s someone’s idea of really cool, but it’s not really. I’ve looked around in Preferences for something like _Annoying Sounds_ to shut the damn thing off and had no luck. Anyone here know how to do so? ---
**Author:** ![Khadaji](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/9e8a1a/32.png) [@Khadaji](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Khadaji)\ **Post date:** [April 10, 2010, 2:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/quashing-annoying-sounds-in-aol/535636/2 "2010-04-10T14:35:15Z")
Assuming it is AOL 9+. On the bar at the top there is an icon called Settings. Try looking at _Sounds, AOL_ or _Sounds, Buddy_, or _Sounds, IM_. If none of those help, try _Expressions Settings_. ---
**Author:** ![DesertDog](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/desertdog/32/11503_2.png) [@DesertDog](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DesertDog)\ **Post date:** [April 10, 2010, 7:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/quashing-annoying-sounds-in-aol/535636/3 "2010-04-10T19:03:45Z")
It is 8.0 – I wasn’t clear in the OP. And I did go to Settings/Preferences; nothing there looks like the culprit. The only thing mentioning sounds is AIM notifications. Those are useful and I know what those sound like. ---
**Author:** ![Khadaji](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/9e8a1a/32.png) [@Khadaji](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Khadaji)\ **Post date:** [April 10, 2010, 7:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/quashing-annoying-sounds-in-aol/535636/4 "2010-04-10T19:48:50Z")
> [@DesertDog](#): > > It is 8.0 – I wasn’t clear in the OP. And I did go to Settings/Preferences; nothing there looks like the culprit. The only thing mentioning sounds is AIM notifications. Those are useful and I know what those sound like. You weren’t too unclear. I missed the mention of 8.0. My apologies.