The Artificial Click
By default, the iPhone plays a sharp, artificial clicking noise every single time you press the side button to lock the screen. While this audio cue was designed to mimic the physical sound of a mechanical lock snapping shut, it is entirely unnecessary. If you frequently check your phone in quiet environments—like an office meeting, a library, or late at night next to a sleeping partner—that sudden click is loud and disruptive. You can easily turn it off by throwing the physical mute switch, but if you want your phone to ring for calls while maintaining a silent screen lock, you must disable the audio file entirely.
How to Turn Off the Lock Sound
You can permanently delete the lock click from the operating system’s audio queue via the Sounds settings.
- Open the Settings app on your iPhone.
- Scroll down and tap on Sounds & Haptics.
- Scroll all the way down to the “System Sounds & Haptics” section at the bottom.
- Locate the toggle switch labeled Lock Sound.
- Toggle this switch to the Off position (the green background will disappear).
A Silent Screen Shutdown
The change takes effect instantly. The iPhone will completely sever the connection between the physical side button and the main audio speaker. You can now press the power button as rapidly as you want, and the screen will fade to black in absolute, perfect silence. This ensures you can lock your device discreetly in any environment without notifying the entire room, regardless of whether your ringer switch is set to loud or silent.