Noise
White noise and babies
Background Noises is not a baby product. If you play any sound near a baby, volume and distance come first.
Background Noises is made for people aged 13 and older, and it is not designed or tested as a baby product. Some parents play white noise in a baby's room anyway. If you do, keep the volume low, put the phone or speaker across the room rather than in or beside the crib, set the sleep timer so it stops on its own, and ask your pediatrician about it.
What did researchers measure?
A 2014 study in the journal Pediatrics measured the output of 14 sleep machines sold for infants, played at maximum volume and measured at 30, 100 and 200 centimeters. The abstract reports:
"Maximum sound levels at 30 cm were >50 A-weighted dB for all devices, which is the current recommended noise limit for infants in hospital nurseries."
Hugh and colleagues, Pediatrics, 2014, abstract (PubMed record read October 18, 2026)
Its conclusion, in its own words:
"ISMs are capable of producing output sound pressure levels that may be damaging to infant hearing and auditory development."
The same abstract; ISMs are the infant sleep machines the study tested
A phone or a smart speaker playing white noise is not one of the machines that study tested, but it can be just as loud up close. That is the point to take away: the setting and the distance decide how much sound reaches the baby.
How do I keep it quiet with an app?
- Start with the volume very low, then stop raising it as soon as the household sounds you want to cover fade.
- Put the phone or speaker across the room, never in the crib or on its rail.
- Set the sleep timer instead of leaving it on: it stops the sound after 15, 30 or 45 minutes, or 1, 1.5, 2, 4 or 8 hours.
- Use a speaker, never headphones or earbuds, near a baby.
Which noise color is gentlest?
None of them is gentle at a high volume; the level matters more than the color. That said, white noise carries more of its power in the treble, and pink and brown carry less, so at a low setting they can sound softer to adult ears. If you are unsure, ask your pediatrician which, if any, they suggest.
Who is Background Noises for?
People aged 13 and older, choosing sounds for themselves. Our Terms of Service set that age floor. The white noise page explains the sound itself, and the FAQ covers accounts, plans and safety.