How to Turn on Sound Recognition on an iPhone
It’s a powerful, built-in safety net for anyone who wants to stay alert to their surroundings.
You probably don’t expect your iPhone to listen for doorbells, smoke alarms, or crying babies, but it can. Sound Recognition is an accessibility feature on iPhones that helps users stay aware of important environmental sounds.
Once enabled, your device will continuously listen in the background and alert you when it hears specific sounds, even when your phone is on silent mode.
Whether you have hearing loss or just want extra peace of mind, here’s how to turn it on.
How to Turn on Sound Recognition on iPhone
Step 1: Open Settings app on your device

Step 2: Scroll down and tap Accessibility

Step 3: Select Sound Recognition

Step 4: Toggle Sound Recognition On


Conclusion
Sound Recognition isn’t just a helpful tool for those with hearing impairments, it’s a powerful, built-in safety net for anyone who wants to stay alert to their surroundings.
From fire alarms to knocking sounds, your iPhone can now act as an extra pair of ears. Once set up, it runs quietly in the background, giving you real-time alerts when it detects something important. Whether you're at home, working with headphones on, or simply need extra awareness, this feature is worth enabling.