How to Play Background Sounds on iOS 15

iOS 15 introduced Background Sounds, a built-in accessibility tool designed to minimize environmental distractions, promote relaxation, and aid focus. This native feature allows users to play ambient soundscapes—such as rain, ocean waves, and flowing streams—directly through the system without needing third-party applications. This guide explains how the feature works, where to locate it in Accessibility settings, and how to use it seamlessly alongside other media.

Accessing Background Sounds in Settings

Background Sounds is integrated directly into the core audio accessibility options on iPhone and iPad. To turn it on:

  1. Open the Settings app on your device running iOS 15 or later.
  2. Scroll down and tap Accessibility.
  3. Under the Hearing section, select Audio/Visual.
  4. Tap Background Sounds and switch the toggle at the top to On.

Available Sound Profiles

Once enabled, you can customize the audio profile by tapping the Sound menu. Apple includes six distinct soundscapes:

  • Ocean: Steady, repetitive ocean surf.
  • Rain: Gentle, continuous rainfall.
  • Stream: Flowing water and light ripples.
  • Balanced Noise: A mix of higher and lower frequencies (standard white/pink noise).
  • Bright Noise: Higher-frequency noise.
  • Dark Noise: Lower, deeper frequency noise (brown noise).

The first time you select a sound, iOS will automatically download the high-quality audio file to your device, allowing it to function completely offline afterward.

Playback Options and Media Mixing

The Background Sounds setting includes controls to customize playback behavior:

  • Volume: Adjust the ambient sound independently from your main system volume.
  • Use When Media is Playing: When enabled, the chosen soundscape will continue playing in the background while you listen to music, podcasts, or watch videos.
  • Volume With Media: A dedicated slider lets you lower the ambient sound specifically when other media is active so it does not overpower dialogue or songs.
  • Stop Sounds When Locked: By default, sounds continue playing when the iPhone screen is locked. Enabling this toggle stops playback whenever the device locks.

Quick Access via Control Center

Rather than opening the Settings menu each time, you can add the feature to Control Center for one-tap access:

  1. Go to Settings > Control Center.
  2. Locate Hearing under the "More Controls" list and tap the green + icon to add it.
  3. Open Control Center (swipe down from the top-right corner on Face ID models, or swipe up from the bottom on Home button models).
  4. Tap the Hearing icon (represented by an ear) and tap Background Sounds to toggle the audio on or off, adjust the volume, or switch between sound types on the fly.