How to Enable Options to Customize Windows Logon, Logoff, Exit and Unlock Sounds in Windows 8?

SUMMARY:

Microsoft has removed options to change or disable Windows logon, logoff, exit and unlock event sounds from Windows 8 sound settings present in Control Panel. This tutorial will help you in bringing those sound options back in Windows 8. It’ll also allow you to enable some hidden secret sound options to customize alarms and call notifications in Windows 8.

DESCRIPTION:

Almost all previous Windows versions allow users to change or remove sounds for various system events such as Windows startup, shutdown, logon and logoff. We can change these sounds using Sound applet present in Control Panel. Unfortunately Microsoft has removed options to customize Windows logon, logoff, exit and unlock sounds from Windows 8.

Microsoft has introduced a new DWORD called ExcludeFromCPL in Windows 8 Registry which allows users to exclude desired sound option from Windows 8 sound settings window. Microsoft has used the same DWORD for all above mentioned event sounds, that’s why you don’t get options to customize those event sounds.

Today in this tutorial, we’ll tell you how to bring back those restricted sound options in Windows 8. The same Registry tweak will also allow you to enjoy some new secret sound options to customize alarms and call notifications.

So without wasting time lets start the tutorial:

HOW-TO INSTRUCTIONS:

1. Press “WIN+R” key combination to launch RUN dialog box then type regedit and press Enter. It’ll open Registry Editor.

2. Now go to following key:

3. Under this key, you’ll find several sub-keys which are actually associated with all the sound options which are shown in Sound applet present in Control Panel.

Now scroll down a little and you’ll find “WindowsLogon” key. Click on the key and in right-side pane, you’ll notice the DWORD ExcludeFromCPL which would be set to 1.

4. Double-click on the DWORD and change its value to 0 or simply delete the DWORD.

5. Do the same for other keys as well such as WindowsLogoff, WindowsUnlock and SystemExit.

6. Close Registry Editor and open Sound applet from Control Panel and you’ll get the options to customize Windows logon, logoff, exit and unlock sounds back.

BONUS TIP:

Microsoft has used the same DWORD to hide alarms and call notifications sound options from Sound settings window. You can enable them using following steps:

1. Change value of ExcludeFromCPL DWORD to 0 or delete the DWORD from right-side pane for following keys as well:

2. That’s it. It’ll enable new sound options to customize alarms and call notifications sounds in Windows 8 sound settings window as shown in following screenshots:

New Options Added to Customize Alarm Sound:

New Options Added to Customize Call Notification Sound:

That’s all for now guys. Enjoy the good old options in Windows 8. Thanks to our reader “Chris” for the tip…