The hidden iPhone setting that instantly turns your phone into a sleep machine

White noise

15 Jan 2026, 18:00 · TechRadar

Features By John-Anthony Disotto published 15 January 2026

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If you’re anything like me, silence isn’t always golden. Whether I’m trying to drown out the bustling sounds of the city or just trying to focus on writing my next review while my French Bulldog, Kermit, decides it’s the perfect time to play with a squeaky toy, I often need a background buffer.

For years, I relied on third-party apps like Calm or Dark Noise to fill that silence with white noise. They work great, but they often come with subscription fees, and honestly, I need to have a bit of a 2026 subscription declutter this year.

In my quest to find a cheaper alternative, I remembered that Apple actually baked a high-quality sound machine directly into iOS 26, and most people have no idea it’s even there.

The feature is called Background Sounds, and if you struggle with distractions or insomnia, it might just be the most underrated accessibility feature on your iPhone.

Why use Apple’s native background noises?

Beyond the obvious benefit of being free, the integration is what makes this feature shine. Unlike some third-party apps that cut out when you lock your phone or start playing music, Apple’s Background Sounds are designed to layer.

You can have a rainstorm playing underneath your favorite podcast, or white noise humming along while you scroll TikTok. It transforms your phone into a dynamic soundscape rather than just a media player, and because of that, I think it's the best way to listen to background sounds on an iPhone.

Sounds like white noise are scientifically proven to help people sleep better, so if you're a light sleeper or have noisy neighbors that make falling asleep a chore, Apple's hidden iPhone sound library could be the solution you've been looking for.

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