How better UI sound design can transform everyday UX

1. Design for how people perceive sound, not just what it does

Is the high-pitched noise of construction more unpleasant than the deep, melodic call of a whale?

Both are loud. Both carry information. But one stresses you out, and the other has been known to soothe people into sleep.

This comparison reminds us that how we perceive a sound matters as much as the sound itself. High-frequency noises are naturally more agitating to the human ear. Lower, smoother frequencies tend to feel more calming, more balanced, more organic.

So why do so many products still rely on sharp, attention-seeking beeps?

Part of the issue lies in default libraries and limited time. Another part is forgetting that our digital products do not exist in isolation. They are used in offices, on trains, at night, in the middle of family kitchens. A sound that makes sense in a quiet design studio might feel completely out of place in a crowded, noisy space.

Good sound design considers this context. It respects the listener’s environment. It acknowledges the fact that the same sound might feel gentle at 3pm and overwhelming at 6am. And it adjusts accordingly.

2. Use sound to guide, not distract

There’s another type of sound we’ve all become familiar with – the calendar alert.

You’ve probably heard it hundreds of times. But here’s the thing: when done well, you don’t really notice it. And that’s the point.

A well-designed UI sound doesn’t jump out. It gently fits into the background of your routine, prompting action without disrupting your focus. It doesn’t jolt you, it nudges. You hear it, recognise it, and move on.

That sound is doing more than delivering information. It’s shaping your day. It’s creating rhythm. It’s helping you move from one task to the next with a sense of ease.

And yet, a poorly designed version of the same sound, too sharp, too mechanical, or just badly timed, can do the opposite. It pulls you out of your task. It adds tension. It becomes something you want to avoid.

Which is why subtlety matters. UI sound is not there to entertain or impress. Its first job is to support clarity and flow.

3. Don’t let sound become a problem

Badly designed sound doesn’t just fail, it becomes a problem.

If a sound is irritating, repetitive, or simply too loud for the context, users will either disable it or learn to ignore it altogether. And once a user has muted your product, you’ve lost one of the most direct emotional channels you have.

It’s no different from poor visual design. If a button is confusing, users don’t press it. If a sound causes discomfort, it breaks trust. The outcome is the same: the experience suffers.

Sound should be something users want to leave on – not something they feel they need to escape.

4. Avoid sounds with no meaning

Let’s be honest, most people don’t turn off UI sound because they hate sound. They turn it off because it’s irritating. Repetitive tones. Beeps with no meaning. Notifications that sound like alarms.

If your sound causes users to mute your app or disable audio entirely, something’s gone wrong. That’s not just a sound problem, that’s a user experience flaw.

Sound should build trust and confidence. If it’s making users flinch or reach for the settings menu, it’s working against the experience, not with it.

5. Use sound to build brand recognition

Some sounds are instantly recognisable. Think of the Mac startup chime. It’s clean, minimal, slightly musical. It tells you your machine is powering up, but it also tells you something about the brand.

That chime has become part of Apple’s identity. It aligns with their design philosophy. It is unobtrusive but confident, familiar but distinctive.

When sound is well-crafted, it can do all of this in less than a second. It can say, you’re in the right place. This is what we stand for. This product was made with intention.

This is the kind of detail that turns a product from functional to memorable.

Make sound a designed part of the experience

Design is about more than what we see. It’s also about what we hear. And when we overlook sound, we miss the chance to create richer, more human experiences.

Sound doesn’t have to be complex to be effective. It just needs to fit. It needs to feel like it belongs.

Because when every other part of the interface has been carefully considered, users can tell when sound has not.

And they will remember how it made them feel.