White Noise for Babies
Gentle, steady noise for naps and bedtime, with no gaps or ads. It starts on Pink, a softer white noise with less hiss. Tap White for the classic sound. It keeps going with your screen locked.
How to use it for your baby
- Put the phone or speaker across the room, not in or next to the crib.
- Press Play and turn it down until it's just loud enough to cover household sounds. It should be quieter than a normal conversation where the baby sleeps.
- Set the sleep timer if you only need it while your baby falls asleep. It fades out gently instead of stopping suddenly.
- Turn on Do Not Disturb so a notification or call doesn't make a sound.
How loud is too loud?
Babies' ears are closer to the speaker than you think, and infant sound machines can get loud. A 2014 study in Pediatrics tested 14 infant sleep machines at full volume. All 14 were louder than 50 dBA at 30 cm, above the recommended noise limit for hospital nurseries. Three topped 85 dBA, a level that could risk hearing damage if played for more than 8 hours. The simple fixes are distance and volume: sound gets much quieter as you move the speaker away, so across the room at a low setting is a very different thing from full volume beside the crib.
A phone speaker can't match a dedicated machine at full volume, but a Bluetooth speaker can. Whatever you use, start low. If you have to raise your voice to talk over it next to the crib, it's too loud.
White, pink or brown noise for a baby?
All three are steady sounds that cover household noise. White noise is the brightest, with a lot of hiss. Pink noise is softer at the top, which many parents find more pleasant to listen to through a monitor. Brown noise is deeper still, closer to a low rumble.
There's no evidence that one color works better for babies. Pick the one you and your baby find easiest to ignore. The Soft rain and Box fan presets work too, if you'd rather it sound like something familiar.
Questions
Should white noise play all night?
That's up to you. Some parents keep it on so it covers noises that would wake the baby later in the night. Loud sound for many hours is the real risk, so if you keep it on, keep it quiet and far from the crib. The sleep timer lets you play it only while your baby falls asleep.
Will my baby get used to white noise?
Many babies come to link the sound with sleep, which can help at naps and in new places. If you'd rather not depend on it, use it only at bedtime or turn it down little by little over a few weeks.
Does it work on a baby monitor?
If the monitor has audio, it picks up the noise too. Keeping the phone across the room and the volume low helps you still hear your baby through it.
Does it loop or have gaps?
No. Your browser generates the noise live instead of playing a recording, so there's no gap or seam that could startle a sleeping baby.
Does it keep playing when I lock my phone?
Yes. It plays like a music track, so it keeps going with the screen locked and you can pause it from the lock screen. The built-in browser inside some apps may still stop it. If that happens, open this page in Safari or Chrome.
Does it work without internet?
Yes, after the first visit. The page saves itself for offline use, and the sound is generated on your phone, so it works at grandma's house or in a hotel.