MacOS's Background Noise Feature

Posted: 2024-05-29
Tags: MacOS

Apple added a Background Noise feature in MacOS 13, but it is hidden in the Accessibility features and not easy to toggle on and off. Here is how to configure it for easy activating/deactivating.

• Actionable Takeaways

Actionable Takeaways

Configure Background Sounds:

• Open the Settings application.
• Select Accessibility from the navigation list on the left.
• In the Background Sounds section:
  • Select the sound you want. (I like “Dark Noise”.)
  • Select a volume. (I keep mine at 50%.)
  • Select whether to turn off Background Sounds when the device locks. (I do.)
• Close Settings.

Add it to Control Center or Menu Bar:

• Open the Settings application.
• Select Control Center from the navigation list on the left.
• In the Hearing section, add the Hearing icon to Control Center or Menu Bar.

Background Sounds can be activated easily from the Hearing icon.

Note - Previously a Shortcut or script was needed to easily activate the Background Sounds¹², but this is no longer needed to get quick access.