Your iPad can continuously listen for certain sounds—such as a doorbell, siren, or crying baby—and notify you when it recognizes these sounds. With Sound Recognition, iPad can also recognize a custom alarm, appliance, or doorbell you set up, if it isn’t recognized automatically.
Once it’s on, iPad may need a moment to download the available sounds on your device. You can turn Sound Recognition on or off quickly from Control Center, too, and even use iPad as a remote microphone with Live Listen.
Note: Don’t rely on your iPad to recognize sounds in circumstances where you may be harmed or injured, in high-risk or emergency situations, or for navigation.
Set up Sound Recognition
- Start the Settings app on your iPad.
- Tap Accessibility, tap Sound & Name Recognition, tap Sound Recognition, and turn on Sound Recognition.
Note: After you turn on Sound Recognition, you may need to wait for iPad to download the available sounds on your device.
- Tap Sounds, then turn on the sounds you want iPad to recognize.
Quick tip: Add Sound Recognition to Control Center to quickly turn it on or off.
Add a custom alarm, appliance, or doorbell
When a custom alarm, appliance, or doorbell isn’t recognized automatically, you can set up iPad to recognize it.
- Start the Settings app on your iPad.
- Tap Accessibility, tap Sound & Name Recognition and tap Sound Recognition. Tap Sounds.
- Tap Custom Alarm or Custom Appliance or Doorbell and enter a name.
- When your alarm, appliance, or doorbell is ready, place iPad near the sound and minimize background noise.
- Tap Start Listening, then follow the onscreen instructions.
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