Bedtime Setup
Rain Sounds on iPhone: Background Sounds and Timers
Your iPhone can play rain without installing a sound app. Open Settings > Accessibility > Audio & Visual > Background Sounds, turn it on, then choose Rain under Sound. Apple includes Background Sounds on iOS 15 and later. On iOS 26 and later, the same settings also include a timer to stop the sound after a duration or at a specific time.
At a glance
- Start with the built-in Rain or Ocean sound if you want a simple background.
- Turn off Stop Sounds When Locked if you want the sound to continue after locking your iPhone.
- The Background Sounds timer requires iOS 26 or later. It is separate from Clock > Stop Playing.
In this article
How to turn on rain sounds on iPhone
You do not need an Apple Music subscription for this built-in feature. Menu wording can vary with your iPhone language and iOS version. Set it up while you are awake so you can choose a comfortable volume before bedtime.
- Open Settings and tap Accessibility.
- Choose Audio & Visual, then Background Sounds.
- Turn on Background Sounds, open Sound and choose Rain. Choose Ocean instead if you prefer waves.
- Adjust the volume while listening. Start low and keep important alarms audible.
Use Control Center for quicker access
Apple also provides a Background Sounds control in Control Center. If it is available in your layout, touch and hold it to switch playback on or off and choose a sound. If you do not see it, the Settings path above is the reliable place to start; Control Center layouts differ across iOS versions.
In Background Sounds settings, Use When Media Is Playing controls whether the background continues alongside other audio. The media volume setting controls how loud that background is while other content plays. If rain becomes quieter when you start music, check this setting before raising the main volume.
Set a Background Sounds timer on iOS 26 or later
Apple added Stop Sounds with a Timer in iOS 26. Use this setting for the accessibility Rain or Ocean sound. The Clock timer described in our other guide is a separate option for audio or video playback; do not assume it controls Background Sounds in the same way.
- Return to Settings > Accessibility > Audio & Visual > Background Sounds.
- Open Stop Sounds with a Timer and turn on Timer.
- Choose At a Specific Time or After a Duration, then set when the sound should stop.
- Try a short duration while awake to confirm the result with your settings.
Set a Clock sleep timer for Apple Music or other bedtime audio
Why do rain sounds stop when my iPhone locks?
Check Stop Sounds When Locked in Background Sounds settings. Turn it off if you want the built-in rain to continue with the screen locked. This switch belongs to Apple Background Sounds; it does not configure playback inside SleepBetter or Apple Music.
If the sound stops later instead, check the Background Sounds timer. If that timer option is missing, check your iOS version: Background Sounds is available from iOS 15, but its built-in timer requires iOS 26 or later. On an earlier version, you can stop it manually or use a separate audio app with its own timer.
Built-in iPhone sounds or a rain sounds app?
Apple Background Sounds is a useful starting point for a small selection of background textures. A separate app makes sense when you want to choose particular recordings or keep favorites together. SleepBetter includes Rain, Sleeping Rain and Ocean Waves alongside prerecorded no-talking ASMR.
These two samples come from SleepBetter, not from the iPhone accessibility sound library. Each website preview lasts 45 seconds. Compare the textures at a similar low volume; the website previews are for choosing a sound, while the app provides the listening library.
Build a simple evening routine in SleepBetter
If you want nature sounds and no-talking ASMR in the same app, start with one familiar recording. Favorites make it easier to return to that choice. SleepBetter has its own sleep timer on the player; it does not use the Background Sounds timer in Settings.
- Open Rain, Sleeping Rain or Ocean Waves in SleepBetter and start playback.
- Lower the volume until it feels comfortable, then save the recording as a favorite.
- Tap Set timer on the player and choose a preset or custom duration.
Common questions
Does iPhone have free rain sounds?
Yes. Apple includes Rain in Background Sounds on iOS 15 and later. You do not need a separate sound app or an Apple Music subscription to use that built-in sound.
Can I put a timer on iPhone Background Sounds?
On iOS 26 and later, open Background Sounds settings and choose Stop Sounds with a Timer. Set a specific stopping time or a duration. Earlier iOS versions do not have this built-in timer option.
Can rain keep playing with the screen off?
For Apple Background Sounds, turn off Stop Sounds When Locked. Also check that its timer is not ending the session. These settings do not control a separate audio app.
Are SleepBetter rain sounds the same as Apple Background Sounds?
No. SleepBetter has its own recording library. The Rain and Ocean Waves previews on this page are excerpts from SleepBetter, not samples of the built-in iPhone sounds.
