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Microsoft Introduces Darker Sounds For Dark Mode Users

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Dark but soft

Microsoft is introducing theme-specific UI sounds with Windows 11 to further enhance the user experience. According to Bleeping Computer, light mode will have brighter and louder audio queues. Meanwhile, dark mode will feature slightly lower tones and subdued echoes, matching dark mode's darker UI elements.

But dark mode's audio is in no way harsh or scary -- Microsoft says Windows 11's audio experience needed to be refreshed to match Windows 11's new rounded UI. So all the sounds you experience in Windows 11 (whether in light or dark mode) will have a much softer experience compared to Windows 10's sharp and decisive audio queues.

You can hear several samples of the new UI sounds for light and dark modes from Bleeping computer. The difference between the light and dark versions is very subtle and only noticeable if you play the audio files back to back. 

So once you permanently switch between dark mode or light mode in the new Windows 11 operating system, you'll probably forget that there is even a difference in audio design.

We're not sure if Microsoft will allow you to change audio modes individually apart from the dark and light mode UI elements. But, with how customizable the light and dark modes are for Windows 10, we wouldn't be surprised if Microsoft adds a new customization menu for changing Windows 11's new audio system in the future.

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Aaron Klotz
Aaron Klotz
Contributing Writer

Aaron Klotz is a contributing writer for Tom’s Hardware, covering news related to computer hardware such as CPUs, and graphics cards.

23 Comments Comment from the forums
  • Colif
    darker sound? Black Sabbath?

    It might slow down startup but I remember people used to play songs at startup, that was when hdd took 2 minutes to boot, now we get people wondering how they can boot faster than 10 seconds.
    Reply
  • velocityg4
    Colif said:
    darker sound? Black Sabbath?

    It might slow down startup but I remember people used to play songs at startup, that was when hdd took 2 minutes to boot, now we get people wondering how they can boot faster than 10 seconds.

    I remember customizing the sounds on my Mac in System 7. The various errors and beeps were replaced with Monty Python dialogue. That and Star Trek alerts.

    I vaguely recall. Whenever I got an e-mail on AOL 2.0. "You got mail" was replaced with "Message for you sir". Then again it may have just been something I did for error messages. But I'm pretty sure there was a way to replace the AOL sound files.

    I can't recall if there was a way to add startup sounds during boot to System 7.
    Reply
  • Colif
    i wonder how long it take before guides are released to remove the start up noises as people will percieve them as slowing down their PC.

    I wonder why they stopped having them. Its not like we haven't before, its remove a feature and 10 years later reintroduce it as new... oh wait, widgets. Nvm, carry one :)

    there isn't much to windows, you have to remove features just to make a big thing about their reintroduction a few years later.
    Reply
  • husker
    All the sounds are basically the same 3 notes (sometimes just 2) played in a different order or slightly altered rhythm , so as to be totally meaningless and without impact. This is clearly a design by committee outcome.
    Reply
  • Colif
    I only hear them on restarts as often my speakers aren't on at startup. Its clearly for laptop users like most of the features in Windows 11 are.

    I have to think about what is new in win 11 I use... I have insiders, there is nothing new I regularly use
    Reply
  • MMorris666
    slow news day...
    Reply
  • TechLurker
    I'm reminded of how much I liked hearing the old start-up and shutdown sounds, even though nowadays my PCs are usually put to sleep or hibernate instead. Would be kind of neat if Dark Mode upped the bass some and changed the start-up/shutdown melody.
    Reply
  • King_V
    velocityg4 said:
    I remember customizing the sounds on my Mac in System 7. The various errors and beeps were replaced with Monty Python dialogue. That and Star Trek alerts.

    I vaguely recall. Whenever I got an e-mail on AOL 2.0. "You got mail" was replaced with "Message for you sir". Then again it may have just been something I did for error messages. But I'm pretty sure there was a way to replace the AOL sound files.

    I can't recall if there was a way to add startup sounds during boot to System 7.
    ROFL!! Holy crap! On my Windows 9x machines I used an email client called Eudora Lite.

    For incoming messages, it was a sound file that was EXACTLY this, less the sound from him falling down:

    DgK25o__0Hw
    Reply
  • velocityg4
    King_V said:
    ROFL!! Holy crap! On my Windows 9x machines I used an email client called Eudora Lite.

    For incoming messages, it was a sound file that was EXACTLY this, less the sound from him falling down:

    DgK25o__0Hw
    Yes that's the exact one. Thinking of using it for Thunderbird or my phone now.
    Reply
  • deesider
    Back in Windows 95 days it was super fun to play with all the themes and select different sounds. The startup sounds got played a lot, since most games (Doom!) had to be played in DOS.

    These days I disable all system sounds, just like I keep my phone on silent :)
    Reply