How to play ambient sounds on the Mac and improve our concentration

In a world where distractions are the order of the day, finding ways to stay focused is essential. Apple, aware of this, has included a feature very much in macOS since Ventura and later versions: background sounds. A function, designed to encourage concentration and calm, that offers a very effective solution to minimize distractions in our work or study environment.

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A source of sounds for better concentration

Originally introduced on the iPhone, background sounds on the Mac serve the same purpose: to provide ambient soundscapes that help mask unwanted ambient noises. This is particularly useful in work or study spaces, where external noise can be a constant source of distraction.

The variety of available sounds is one of the strong points of this function. Being able to use them without an internet connection – so we won’t have to share the connection from the iPhone – is another. We can choose between balanced, bright and dark noises, as well as natural sounds such as the ocean, rain and stream. We can play them all in the background, blending or attenuating under other system sounds, which is ideal for creating a more personalized work or rest environment.

Accessing background sounds is as easy as following these steps:

1. From the Apple menu () we choose System Settings.
2. In the sidebar we select Accessibility.
3. We enter in Audition under the section “Audio”.
4. In the selection of Background Sounds we touch on Choose and select the one we are interested in listening to.
5. Once the file has been downloaded, click on Done.
6. Activate or pause the playback with the switch next to Background Sounds.

Note also that we can adjust the volume of the background sounds independently using the slider just below the options we have just discussed. There is also an option to disable the background sounds when the Mac is not in use, which will automatically pause their playback when we are in the lock screen or the screen saver is active.

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The background sounds function of macOS, although simple, can be very useful in more than one circumstance. Even more so if we combine it with the Do Not Disturb mode. It is true that there are much more complete alternatives, but for those moments when all we want is to be able to concentrate on our tasks with some ambient sound that avoids other noises, it is more than enough. We just choose the sound we are interested in and activate it.