Forum Discussion
casagordita
Oct 26, 2020Copper Contributor
How do I change the alert sounds in Outlook for Mac?
How do I change the alert sounds in Outlook for Mac? When I go to Preferences, then Notifications and Sounds, the dropdown menu for Sound Set says Default. There is no other choice of sound sets on...
Call_Me_Macfixer
Mar 08, 2023Copper Contributor
This is how to change the alert sounds when using "New Outlook" for Mac:
- First, you will need a sound set to install. Here is one on GitHub from the old Entourage days:
Classic Microsoft Soundset - Unzip the File. It will look like a folder ending in .eragesoundset — keep this folder intact and do not change the file extension or edit any of the files inside of this folder!
- Next, you will need to locate the Sound Sets folder. It is located at:
~/Library/Group Containers/UBF8T346G9.Office/Outlook/Outlook Sound Sets - Drag the 'Microsoft Sound Set.eragesoundset' folder into the "Outlook Sound Sets folder"
- Now, switch to Outlook and go to the Help menu in the menu bar and click on it.
- Select 'Revert to Legacy Outlook' from Outlook's Help menu — you will get a short survey as to why you are reverting to Legacy Outlook, if you want to tell them it's because you're trying to change the sound set… this is your chance to tell Microsoft.
- Open up Legacy Outlook's preferences from the Outlook menu in the menu bar.
- Click on "Notifications and Sounds".
- Click on the "Sound set" pulldown menu, and you should now be able to choose the "Microsoft Sound Set" as an option.
- Finally, from the Outlook menu inside of the menu bar, select 'New Outlook' — the sound set you selected in step 9 will now be your soundset inside of New Outlook. I hope that helps!
- jimmysbNov 02, 2023Copper ContributorAfter following this advice, which worked perfectly, I when duplicated the folder, rename the "microsoft" element of the title with a meaningful name (to me), then added the .aif files renamed to replace the originals, and I have a customised set of sounds.
- JonnyTimeMar 09, 2023Copper Contributor
Confirming that this solution works. I downloaded the Classic Microsoft Soundset you posted and overwrote the sound files in the folder to the ones I wanted with no issues.
I've attached a zip file of the soundset I created. It changes the Outlook sounds to old video game sound effects. Sound effects are included from Metal Gear Solid, Sonic the Hedgehog, Super Mario Bros. 3, Mario64, Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time. Enjoy 🙂
If you want to customize the sounds, just overwrite each .aif sound file in the folder with what you want them to be. Make sure your new sound files are named the same as the original sound files in the folder, are in .aif format, and do not modify or delete the soundset.plist file.