Appliances beeping. Water running. Dogs barking. These are all sounds that are meant to grab your attention when something important is happening. But, if you have hearing loss or are wearing headphones, these sounds might not be able to draw your attention like they’re intended to. Sound Notifications is a new feature on Android that provides push notifications for critical sounds around you.
Sound Notifications works completely offline and uses your phone’s microphone to recognize ten different noises—including baby sounds, water running, smoke and fire alarms, appliances beeping and door knocking.
Here is how to get push notifications for critical sounds around you
- Step 1: Download Live Transcribe & Sound Notifications.
- Note: If you have a Pixel phone, skip to Step 2 below. Sound Notifications are already installed on Pixel phones and select other Android phones.
- Step 2: Turn on Sound Notifications
- To turn on Sound Notifications, follow these steps:
- Open your device’s Settings app.
- Tap Accessibility, then tap Sound Notifications.
- Tap Open Sound Notifications.
- To accept the permissions, tap OK.
Optional: Change your Sound Notifications shortcut. Learn about accessibility shortcuts. - To start Sound Notifications, use your Sound Notifications shortcut (2-finger swipe up, or tap the Accessibility button Accessibility).
Choose sounds to detect
- Open your device’s Settings app.
- Tap Accessibility, then tap Sound Notifications.
- Tap Open Sound Notifications, then tap Settings.
- Tap Sound Notifications are active.
- Choose the sounds that you’d like to detect:
- Smoke and fire alarms
- Siren
- Shouting
- Baby sounds
- Doorbell ringing
- Knocking
- Dog barking
- Appliance beeping
- Water running
- Landline phone ringing
Choose how you get notified
- Open your device’s Settings app.
- Tap Accessibility, then tap Sound Notifications.
- Tap Open Sound Notifications, then tap Settings.
- Tap Notification preferences.
- Choose how you’d like to get notified:
- Vibrate
- Flashing light
