Random notification sound with incorrect tone

"No, it is coming from my device. Have not downloaded or updated anything. I am not spooked HA! It is really typical for mac devices to act up all the time from my experience; bugs come and go like waves. I wonder what may be causing such random issues to pop out of nowhere. Been thinking of ditching Mac and Apple devices for good."

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Boogah! Boogah!

Single-Out this User:

See what happens when you create a different Administrator user, and then log into it. Do you hear the same? If not, then it pertains only to your current user. If so, then it is likely a system-wide error. Different users can have different apps, and settings from within them.

"Random notification sound with incorrect tone: I have been hearing notification sounds going off at random times with no actual notification associated with it. This bug seems to have appeared out of no where: I have not touched my settings recently. And, in any case, although my alert found is the 'Breeze' tone, I keep hearing the 'Submerge' tone. Issue: started on Thursday (8th Jan 2026) at around 10 am UK time; heard notification again same day at around 12-1 pm. Heard notification sound earlier this morning (10th Jan 2026) between 1.30-2.30 am."

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Random Notification Sounds:

Gets spooky at times, I know!

A. Not your Mac?

Any other devices nearby? If you are at work(specifically retail), and there are customers all around, then you might just be hearing it off of THEIR phones --not YOURS!

B. Changes Made?:

Elsewise, have you installed any updates recently(i.e. iOS or Cellular), or made any changes within your installed apps(rather than from within System Settings)? Go here: Notifications Settings on Mac - Apple Support

Audio notifications can come from many sources, each with their own particular or assigned tone.

For examples, MacBook charging, new emails, calendar notifications, Apple's Messages, Facebook Messenger, Pay/Apple Card transactions, PayPal, etc. The list goes on.

It's very likely that what you are hearing is related to some legit thing(s) happening on your Mac.

The hard part is figuring out what those may be.

Note - Macs may have their quirks, but I've never been let down by one in forty years.