How to Use iPhone’s Background Sounds for Focus & Relaxation

by

Do you need help concentrating or relaxing? Your iPhone has a built-in feature that plays soothing background sounds like white noise, rain, and ocean waves. These sounds can help you stay focused while working, or unwind and fall asleep more easily.

This guide will show you how to enable and customize background sounds on your iPhone in a simple, step-by-step way.

Table of Contents

What Are Background Sounds?

Background Sounds is an iPhone feature designed to minimize distractions and help with focus, relaxation, and sleep. You can choose from different calming sounds and adjust their volume to suit your needs.

How to Enable Background Sounds on iPhone

Follow these simple steps to turn on Background Sounds:

  1. Open Settings on your iPhone.
  2. Scroll down and tap “Accessibility.”
  3. Under the “Hearing” section, tap “Audio/Visual.”
  4. Select “Background Sounds.”
  5. Toggle “Background Sounds” ON.
  6. Tap “Sound” to choose from:
    • Balanced Noise
    • Bright Noise
    • Dark Noise
    • Ocean
    • Rain
    • Stream
  7. Adjust the volume slider to set the loudness.

That’s it! Your chosen sound will now play in the background.

How to Customize Background Sounds

You can personalize your background sound settings for the best experience.

  • Adjust Volume When Media is Playing:
    1. If you listen to music or watch videos, you can control how loud the background sound remains.
    2. Toggle “Use When Media is Playing” ON.
    3. Adjust the “Volume with Media” slider.
  • Turn Off Background Sounds Automatically:
    1. If you only want sounds while using the iPhone, toggle “Stop Sounds When Locked” ON.
    2. This stops background sounds when the screen turns off.
  • Use Background Sounds with Control Center for Quick Access:
    1. Open Settings > Control Center.
    2. Tap the “+” icon next to Hearing.
    3. Now, swipe down from the top-right corner of your screen.
    4. Tap the ear icon, then “Background Sounds” to quickly turn them on or off.

When to Use Background Sounds

Here are a few ways to make the most of this feature:

  • For Focus: Play white noise while working or studying to block distractions.
  • For Relaxation: Listen to ocean waves or rain sounds to unwind.
  • For Better Sleep: Use soothing background sounds to help you fall asleep faster.
  • For Stress Relief: Play calming sounds during meditation or deep breathing exercises.

Final Thoughts

Your iPhone’s Background Sounds feature is a simple but powerful tool to improve focus, relaxation, and sleep. With just a few taps, you can create a peaceful environment anytime, anywhere.

Give it a try and see how it helps you stay focused and relaxed!