Play Background Ocean Sound During Calls iOS 15

iOS 15 introduced a built-in accessibility feature called Background Sounds, which allows users to play continuous ambient audio—such as ocean waves, rain, or white noise—directly through the system. Unlike standard media playback apps that pause when a phone conversation starts, this feature integrates at the system audio level, enabling ambient sounds to mix seamlessly with phone calls, FaceTime, and other active media without interruption.

How Background Sounds Functions During Calls

In iOS, standard third-party audio apps yield their audio session when a call begins because the operating system prioritizes voice communication. Background Sounds bypasses this limitation because it is integrated directly into the Core Audio architecture of iOS as an accessibility service.

When a call is initiated or received, iOS keeps the background audio stream active by lowering and mixing its volume beneath the active call's voice stream rather than suspending it. This is managed via dedicated system settings designed to keep ambient masking audio persistent for users who need it to maintain focus, reduce tinnitus, or mask environmental noise.

Enabling Ocean Sounds for Active Calls

To configure ocean sounds to play continuously during audio calls, configure the following settings:

  1. Open Settings on your iPhone running iOS 15.
  2. Navigate to Accessibility > Audio/Visual.
  3. Tap Background Sounds and toggle the switch to On.
  4. Tap Sound and select Ocean from the list of available tracks.
  5. Return to the previous menu and ensure Play Sound While Media Is Playing is toggled On.
  6. Adjust the Use When Media Is Playing volume slider to establish the preferred balance between the ocean audio and call audio.

Quick Control via Control Center

You can also manage the ocean sound in real time while on a call using the Control Center:

  1. Add the Hearing control to Control Center via Settings > Control Center.
  2. Swipe down from the top-right corner of the screen during a call to open Control Center.
  3. Tap the Hearing icon (represented by an ear icon).
  4. Tap Background Sounds to toggle the audio on or off, change the track to Ocean, or adjust the ocean volume relative to the person speaking.