How To Turn Your Microwave On Silent Mode To Make Your Home More Peaceful

For nearly 80 years, the microwave has been a convenient and necessary fixture in our kitchens. As told by Popular Mechanics, this handy appliance was first developed accidentally while engineer Percy Spencer was working on another project. After realizing that the energy from a vacuum tube was emitting enough heat to melt a chocolate bar in his pocket, he brought his idea to the mainstream and it was quickly adopted as an incredibly efficient way to cook food.

Nowadays, we've grown accustomed to the simplicity and convenience of popping something in the microwave for a few minutes, but despite decades of innovation and design changes, we're still stuck with one issue: the grating beeping noise that signals our meal is ready. Luckily, however, there's a way to permanently silence your microwave and forever end the mad dash to press cancel with one second left on the timer (and allow you to enjoy your midnight snack without waking everyone in the family).

Before you start, it's important to know that every microwave is different. What works for one might not work for another, but, for the most part, modern microwaves have some sort of mute function. Getting there may vary a bit depending on the brand and model, but it should be a relatively similar process across the board.

According to CNET, the best place to begin is by looking for a sound button. Yes, it might actually be that simple. Check the keypad and see if any numbers are labeled with mute or sound as a secondary function, then hold and follow the instructions on the display. If you can't find a sound button, however, no worries. Go through each of these keys — zero, one, stop, and cancel — and hold down for a few seconds. More than likely, one of them will hold the solution to finally silencing your beeping appliance. It takes a bit of trial and error, but it's a good place to start.

If none of those options work, CNET recommends looking at your microwave's user manual. If you decided to finally declutter your junk drawer and the physical copy is lost to the wind, check online. Most popular brands have copies available on their website for situations just like this. Pull it up, and either skim or use the text search function to find keywords like "sound" or "beep," then follow the instructions the company has provided.

Unfortunately, there are a couple of few and far between microwave models that don't allow you to alter or mute the sound your unit makes. If you find yourself in this situation, there's not much you can do besides replace the microwave or continue running to the kitchen to catch the timer. Just make a mental note, and on your next kitchen remodel, make sure you take a look at the user manual before you update your appliance.