# Random Windows sounds--how to trace to app?

**URL:** <https://boards.straightdope.com/t/random-windows-sounds-how-to-trace-to-app/696138>\
**Category:** Factual Questions\
**Created:** [August 21, 2014, 8:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/random-windows-sounds-how-to-trace-to-app/696138 "2014-08-21T20:34:24Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 2\
**Page:** 1

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**Author:** ![CookingWithGas](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/cookingwithgas/32/485_2.png) [@CookingWithGas](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/CookingWithGas)\
**Post date:** [August 21, 2014, 8:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/random-windows-sounds-how-to-trace-to-app/696138/1 "2014-08-21T20:34:24Z")

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Lately I am getting a bunch of notification sounds of various types on my W7 machine. Other than closing all applications then opening them one at a time to see where these sounds are coming from, is there a way to see what applications have registered what sounds? I don’t even know if Windows requires registration of sounds.

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**Author:** ![Heracles](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/heracles/32/487_2.png) [@Heracles](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Heracles)\
**Post date:** [August 22, 2014, 1:22am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/random-windows-sounds-how-to-trace-to-app/696138/2 "2014-08-22T01:22:13Z")

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The [Windows 7 mixer](http://www.thewindowsclub.com/the-new-windows-7-volume-mixer-control) shows which program is making sounds, but you would have to catch it while it’s playing.

Some recent versions of Google Chrome (and of Firefox, I think) can also show which of their tabs are playing audio.