What does it mean when you hear a beep on your phone?
A beep is an audible notification sound that smartphones make to alert users about various events and notifications. Beeps come in different tones, lengths, and volumes depending on the specific trigger. Smartphones beep for a variety of reasons including incoming calls, new text messages, app alerts, calendar reminders, low battery warnings, and alarms going off.
Phone beeps serve an important function by grabbing the user’s attention even when the device is muted or out of sight. The familiar beep sounds allow users to quickly identify events happening on their phone without having to look at the screen. For example, a short double beep likely signals a new text message while a longer single beep indicates an incoming call.
Understanding the different beep meanings helps users manage notifications and respond promptly to the most important ones. While some find phone beeps annoying at times, they provide valuable audible cues that keep users connected and informed.
Incoming Calls
The most common ringtone heard for incoming calls on an iPhone is called “Marimba.” This upbeat, xylophone-like melody has been the default ringtone included on every iPhone model since the original iPhone launched in 2007 (source). According to polls and surveys, Marimba remains the most popular preset ringtone on iPhones today, over a decade after its debut (source). Most iPhone users don’t change the default ringtone and opt to keep Marimba to alert them of incoming calls.
The familiar Marimba melody is recognizable as the classic iPhone ringtone sound. It stands out from ringtones used on other phones, making it easy for iPhone owners to identify their device ringing, even from a distance. When you hear the rhythmic xylophone tones of Marimba, you know it’s an iPhone calling.
Voicemail
When someone leaves a voicemail for your phone number, most phones will make a beeping sound to notify you of the new voicemail message. This beep is designed to get your attention so you know to check your voicemail inbox for the message.
On an iPhone, you’ll hear a single beep when a new voicemail comes in [1]. The beep may repeat periodically until you listen to the message. You’ll also see a voicemail icon in the Phone app. If you miss the beep, the voicemail icon serves as a persistent alert of an unheard message.
Android phones like Samsung Galaxy models also play a beep tone for new voicemails. You can customize the notification sound in your device settings. Like iPhones, Android phones display a voicemail icon in the Phone app as well [2].
So in summary, hearing a beep on your phone likely signals that someone left a voicemail that you need to listen to. It’s a prompt to open your voicemail inbox and check the new message.
Text Messages
One of the most common notification sounds you may hear on your iPhone is for new incoming text messages. When you receive a new text message, your iPhone will play a short chime or beep sound to alert you. This is the default text message notification sound on iPhones.
The default text message sound on iPhones is a short, high-pitched chime. Many users are familiar with this sound that indicates a new text message has arrived. You can customize the notification sound for text messages in your Settings if you prefer a different alert tone.
To change the text message notification sound on your iPhone, go to Settings > Sounds & Haptics. Here you can select a different sound or tune for your new text message alerts from the available options or your own custom sounds added to your device. You can also adjust the volume of the text message notification sound in Settings.
If your iPhone is not making the chime/beep sound when you receive a new text message, you may have your notifications silenced or text message notifications turned off. Check Settings to make sure text message notifications are enabled and the volume is turned up.
The familiar chime for new text messages has become a ubiquitous sound in the digital age. Customizing your text message notification sound allows you to personalize your iPhone alerts. But for many, the default chime remains the classic sound of an incoming text.
App Notifications
One of the most common reasons your phone might beep or make a sound is to alert you of a notification from an app. Apps like Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, email, chat and messaging apps, games, news apps, and many others rely on sending notifications to get your attention.
App notifications come in many different forms, and can make a whole range of sounds. Some common notification sounds include:
- A simple beep or chime sound
- A musical jingle or tone
- A robotic or computerized voice saying “You’ve got mail!” or similar
- Custom sounds chosen by the app developer
- Your own personalized notification sounds and ringtones
Notifications help apps connect with you even when you aren’t directly using the app. They alert you to new messages, updates, news, events, and other real-time information you might be interested in. You can customize notification settings on a per-app basis to control which apps can send notifications and what sounds they use.
Low Battery
One common reason your iPhone may beep is to indicate a low battery level. The iPhone is designed to play a warning sound when the battery level drops below 20% and again at 10%. This serves as a reminder to charge your phone soon before it runs out of power and shuts down.
The low battery beep is a single chime that repeats every minute or so. It starts out subtle but gets increasingly louder if you continue to drain the battery. The sound is meant to be annoying so that you don’t ignore it.
You can view the exact battery percentage in the top right corner of your screen. A low power mode will also activate to conserve remaining battery life. Plugging in your iPhone at this point will stop the alerts and charging sound will play instead.
Some users have complained that the low battery warning keeps going off even when battery percentage is above 20%. This is likely a calibration issue that can often be fixed by letting the phone discharge completely and then doing a full charge cycle. If the problem persists, it’s best to get the battery serviced as capacity may have degraded over time.
Overall, the low battery beep is an important safety feature to prevent your iPhone from dying unexpectedly. While it can be annoying, try not to ignore it or turn it off completely.
Charging
When you plug your phone into a charger, you’ll often hear a sound to indicate that charging has begun. This is the charging notification sound. On iPhones, you’ll hear a “chime” sound by default when you first plug in the charging cable. The sound is triggered to let you know that power is flowing into the device and it has begun charging. Android phones also play a sound when plugged into power, though the default sound may vary between manufacturers. For example, Samsung Galaxy phones play a “popping” sound when charging starts.
The charging notification sound on phones serves as an audible confirmation that your device is receiving power from the charger and the battery is starting to recharge. This can be helpful feedback, especially if you plug your phone in without looking and want confirmation that the connection was made properly. Some people find the repetitive charging sounds annoying, in which case many phones allow you to customize or disable the charging sounds in your device settings.
For example, on an iPhone you can go to Settings > Sounds (or Sounds & Haptics) and toggle off “Charging Sounds” to disable the charging chime [1]. You can also change it to use a different sound, like a song from your music library. This allows you to customize the charging experience on your phone if you want to mute the default sound or replace it with something less abrasive.
Alarm Clock
One of the most common sounds you may hear from your phone is your alarm clock going off in the morning. Most phones come with a variety of built-in alarm tones and sounds to help wake you up. According to research by Travelodge, the most pleasant and effective alarm tone to wake up to is “Here Comes the Sun” by The Beatles. Their study found it was the least likely to be snoozed compared to other popular alarm sounds (source).
Some other typical morning alarm sounds you may hear from your phone include nature sounds, music, beeps, chimes, or even talking alarms. Many people like to wake up to upbeat, energetic songs to start their day on a positive note. Popular examples are “Good Morning” by Kanye West and “Mr. Blue Sky” by Electric Light Orchestra (source). Custom alarm sounds and ringtones can also be downloaded online or created manually for a personalized wake up experience.
The key is finding an alarm sound that is pleasant enough to wake you up, but annoying enough that you won’t want to snooze it. The sound should be loud, clear, and difficult to sleep through. Many people find gentle or ambiguous sounds often get ignored. The ultimate goal is to find the right alarm tone to motivate you to get out of bed and start your day on time.
Calendar Alerts
One common notification sound you may hear from your iPhone is for calendar alerts. Calendar events like meetings and appointments can have custom notification sounds set to alert you when the event is about to begin or remind you ahead of time.
To customize calendar alert tones on an iPhone, go to Settings > Sounds & Haptics > Calendar Alerts and select one of the available tones. You can tap on any tone to hear a preview. This will change the default sound for all calendar alerts.1
The default iPhone calendar alert is called “Radar” but you can change it to one of the alternative alert tones or even use a custom sound for your calendar alerts. If you’ve customized your calendar alerts but aren’t hearing the sounds, make sure the volume is turned up by going to Settings > Sounds & Haptics > Change with Buttons and adjusting the ringer and alert volume.2
Custom calendar alert tones ensure you receive notifications for important events and appointments even when your iPhone is set to silent. Just make sure to set the volume for alerts so you don’t miss these important notifications.
Conclusion
In summary, the main types of beeps you may hear from your phone include:
Incoming Calls: A repetitive beeping sound indicates an incoming phone call.
Voicemail: A single beep typically means you have a new voicemail message waiting.
Text Messages: Most phones beep or play a sound effect when receiving a new text message.
App Notifications: Apps like email, social media, or news may beep to alert you of new notifications.
Low Battery: Hearing multiple beeps in a row often signals your phone’s battery is running low on charge.
Charging: Some phones beep when initially plugged into a charger or fully charged.
Alarm Clock: Beeping alarms alert you that the set time has been reached.
Calendar Alerts: These beeps remind you of upcoming appointments and events.
So in summary, phone beeps communicate incoming alerts, notifications, reminders and battery status. Being familiar with the unique beep patterns can help identify what your phone is trying to tell you.