Here Are the New Background Sounds in iOS 26

With iOS 26, Apple added a bunch of new options for the Background Sounds feature. If you're unfamiliar with it, it is an Accessibility option that allows your iPhone to play soothing background noise, like white noise or rain.

ios 26 background sounds
Prior to ‌iOS 26‌, there were eight Background Sounds options, but now there are a total of sixteen. Here's what's new:

  • Babble
  • Steam
  • Airplane
  • Boat
  • Bus
  • Train
  • Rain on Roof
  • Quiet Night

These join the original eight, which include Balanced Noise, Bright Noise, Dark Noise, Ocean, Rain, Stream, Night, and Fire.

Background Sounds can be toggled on in the Settings app under Accessibility > Audio and Visual > Background Sounds. Once you've opted in and selected a sound, you can toggle Background Sounds on and off through the Hearing Accessibility shortcut in the Control Center.

‌iOS 26‌ is only available for developers right now, but Apple plans to release a public beta in July. The software will launch in September alongside new iPhones.

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Top Rated Comments

Hallouminati Avatar
6 weeks ago
Hopefully they “fix” the sound of rain. I need background noise for my sleep but have to go with white noise (not one of the titles listed above, maybe a rename) as rain is incredibly annoying - it’s not rain, it’s rain and loads of birds.
Score: 7 Votes (Like | Disagree)
Eric_WVGG Avatar
6 weeks ago
I’ve been using Noizio for > 10 years and they do not deserve to be sherlocked. Quality app. https://apps.apple.com/us/app/noizio-calm-meditate-sleep/id928871589?mt=12
Score: 6 Votes (Like | Disagree)
M-Life Avatar
6 weeks ago

Who in their right mind would want an Airplane background noise? Are there people that like that sound? ?‍?
Airplane engine noise from the inside of the airplane is the ultimate relaxation noise for some of us. The instant the plane takes off I pass out due to the hum of the engines.
Score: 3 Votes (Like | Disagree)
Rafagon Avatar
6 weeks ago
What was that Accessibility feature that would listen and inform you if there was a baby crying, or shots fired?

I think with AI, this could easily now be expanded to a bunch of other sounds being detected.

Boss Coming (Detect Boss's voice and inform you if it's heard nearby)

Bats in Vicinity (Alert you if there are bats flying nearby)

Lie Detection (Alert you if someone's lying due to the particular nuances of their voice)

Toast is Ready (Alert you when the toaster ejects toast)

Tsunami Approaching (self-explanatory)
Score: 3 Votes (Like | Disagree)
Thisismattwade Avatar
6 weeks ago

wait, how is this different from asking Siri to play an "Ambient Sound". Will this supersede or replace it? Is Background Sound the 'new' Ambient Sounds in iOS26?

Edit: oh maybe AS are stored in Apple Music, these new BS will be store in the iOS?
Not sure if I'll answer your question or not, but the sounds in this article are in the Accessibility settings of your phone. Therefore, you don't need Apple Music / they're available for everyone. And I think they're downloaded/stored automatically. Signed, someone who uses them every night.
Score: 1 Votes (Like | Disagree)
Waragainstsleep Avatar
6 weeks ago
Last time I looked at background noise settings they didn't work over Airplay, only over AirPods or on the device speaker. Has this changed?
Score: 1 Votes (Like | Disagree)