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.
Written by Allen Wyatt (last updated November 27, 2021)
This tip applies to Excel 97, 2000, 2002, and 2003
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.
Professional Development Guidance! Four world-class developers offer start-to-finish guidance for building powerful, robust, and secure applications with Excel. The authors show how to consistently make the right design decisions and make the most of Excel's powerful features. Check out Professional Excel Development today!
Excel allows you to control how it uses the Windows Taskbar. This tip explains the two ways Excel can use the Taskbar and ...
Discover MoreExcel has several features that cannot be customized. The font size in the drop-down lists is one of them. If you need ...
Discover MoreNeed to hide a large number of rows? It's easy to do if you combine a few keyboard shortcuts. Here are several techniques ...
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