Please Note: This article is written for users of the following Microsoft Excel versions: 97, 2000, 2002, and 2003. If you are using a later version (Excel 2007 or later), this tip may not work for you. For a version of this tip written specifically for later versions of Excel, click here: Getting Audible Feedback.
If you are using a multimedia computer (you know—the type that has more bells and whistles than your home stereo system), then you can configure Excel so it make noises. Granted, every version of Excel makes an obnoxious ding whenever you press the wrong key or try to do something it doesn't like, but now you can expand the auditory experience to an even wider array of obnoxious noises. To set up Excel to use audible feedback, follow these steps:
Figure 1. The General tab of the Options dialog box.
You have now enabled the use of sounds. If you want to change which sounds Excel uses, then do your tweaking in the Sounds applet of the Control Panel. (This is within Windows, not in Excel itself.)
ExcelTips is your source for cost-effective Microsoft Excel training. This tip (2934) applies to Microsoft Excel 97, 2000, 2002, and 2003. You can find a version of this tip for the ribbon interface of Excel (Excel 2007 and later) here: Getting Audible Feedback.
Excel Smarts for Beginners! Featuring the friendly and trusted For Dummies style, this popular guide shows beginners how to get up and running with Excel while also helping more experienced users get comfortable with the newest features. Check out Excel 2019 For Dummies today!
Need to hide a large number of rows? It's easy to do if you combine a few keyboard shortcuts. Here are several techniques ...
Discover MoreIf you have some legacy data stored in very old spreadsheet files, you may be wondering how to get that data into an ...
Discover MoreIf your arrow keys and the Enter key aren't working as you expect them to, the problem could have any number of causes. ...
Discover MoreFREE SERVICE: Get tips like this every week in ExcelTips, a free productivity newsletter. Enter your address and click "Subscribe."
There are currently no comments for this tip. (Be the first to leave your comment—just use the simple form above!)
Got a version of Excel that uses the menu interface (Excel 97, Excel 2000, Excel 2002, or Excel 2003)? This site is for you! If you use a later version of Excel, visit our ExcelTips site focusing on the ribbon interface.
FREE SERVICE: Get tips like this every week in ExcelTips, a free productivity newsletter. Enter your address and click "Subscribe."
Copyright © 2026 Sharon Parq Associates, Inc.
Please Note:
This article is written for users of the following Microsoft Excel versions: 97, 2000, 2002, and 2003. If you are using a later version (Excel 2007 or later), this tip may not work for you. For a version of this tip written specifically for later versions of Excel, click here: 
Comments