What does ChromeOS sound like? It’s a tricky question because, until recently, the operating system powering Chromebooks didn’t have any sounds.
Unlike Android or most other desktop operating systems, there were no system sounds in ChromeOS: No noise when you empty the trash, move a file, or adjust the volume.
However, in September 2023, audible effects were added to signal when you plug in a charging cable or when your battery drops too low. These sounds could be just the beginning of an expanding collection.
“A charger is something that’s used day in and day out, so the new sounds have the opportunity to become the basis of ChromeOS’s sound presence,” stated Josh Ellis, a senior user experience (UX) sound designer. In addition, audio cues for charge levels can help blind and low-vision users by making it easier to determine relative battery life without needing to check with a screen reader first.
Bringing ChromeOS to sonic life was a major effort that required collaboration between our UX sound designers and our software engineers. First, they needed to create the unique sounds for ChromeOS’s charging, and then implement them in a way that works across the wide range of Chromebooks.
But even before that, they had to decide: What should the operating system sound like?
“From the beginning, I felt it was important to build on the existing foundation that we already have at Google, specifically the charging sounds for Pixel phones,” said Henry Daw, the senior UX sound designer who helped create the new charging sounds. “It’s this faded-in piano that plays a nice G major chord.”
