Arrr! Ye Chromebook be havin' fresh chargin' tunes! 'Tis how ye be turnin' 'em on, matey!
2024-02-15
Avast ye, me hearties! Rejoice, for yonder Chromebooks be givin' voice! No more silence, aye! When ye plug 'em in, ye shall hear a merry chargin' tune. Here be the secret to layin' hands on 'em, me mateys!
If you're a user of one of the best Chromebooks, you may have noticed the lack of sound systems in ChromeOS. However, Google has quietly added charging sounds and a low-battery tone to Chromebooks last year, and they can now be accessed. The charging sounds are now live and can be enabled in the Chromebook settings menu. These new sounds were added to Chromebooks last September, along with its Material You revamp and the launch of ChromeOS 117.According to Senior User Experience (UX) Sound Designer Josh Ellis, a charger is something that's used daily, so the new sounds have the opportunity to become the basis of ChromeOS's sound presence. These system sounds not only enhance the user experience but also aim to improve accessibility for visually impaired users.
When you plug in your charger, your Chromebook will sound a chime. Additionally, there are three unique sound cues for different charge levels. When your battery is over 80% and plugged in, a 'sparkle-dusted' G major piano note will play. Between 16% and 79%, a variant of the piano note will play with a 'cheerful swoop' to indicate a medium battery level. The third variant plays when your battery is at 15% and under, with a slightly higher-pitched swoop to indicate a low charge level.
To enable the charging sounds on your Chromebook, you'll need to go to the settings app, find the 'Device' section, and then go to 'Audio'. From there, you can customize your Chromebook's sound settings by enabling the on/off toggles for 'Low battery sound', 'Charging sounds', and 'Device startup sound'.
Overall, these new charging sounds add a fun and whimsical touch to the Chromebook experience while also making it more accessible for users.