White noise for babies — free, all night, with a safe volume guide
Steady, even sound that covers the doorbell, the dog and the older sibling — so a light sleeper stays asleep.
Free · Android · no subscription- White noise
- Pink noise
- Brown noise
- Fan
- Shush
- in the app
Why white noise helps babies sleep
The womb is loud — around the level of a vacuum cleaner — so silence is what feels strange to a newborn, not noise. A steady broadband sound recreates that familiar backdrop and, just as importantly, masks the sudden sounds that jolt a baby awake in the lightest stage of sleep.
A 1990 study in Archives of Disease in Childhood found that 80 % of newborns fell asleep within five minutes of hearing white noise, against 25 % without it. Every parent who has switched on the hairdryer at 3 a.m. already knows the effect.
How loud, and how far away
The American Academy of Pediatrics recommends keeping any sleep sound at or below 50 dB, measured at the crib, and placing the speaker at least 7 feet (2 m) away. Roughly: quieter than a shower, and never on the crib rail. In a 2014 study in Pediatrics, most infant sound machines could exceed that level at full volume, which is why Little Napper starts at a moderate volume and remembers what you set.
Use it for sleep, not for the whole day. Babies need quiet hours to hear speech and learn language.
White, pink or brown?
White noise has equal energy at every frequency and sounds like static or a running tap. Pink noise rolls off the highs and sounds like steady rain; many parents find it gentler. Brown noise is deeper still, like a distant waterfall. All three are in the app — try each for a night and keep the one your baby settles to.
FAQ
White noise: questions parents ask
Is white noise safe for babies?
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Yes, when it is kept at a reasonable volume and distance. The AAP guidance is at or below 50 dB at the crib and the speaker at least 7 feet (2 m) away. Use it for sleep rather than all day.
Can white noise play all night?
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Yes. Choose All night in the timer and the sound loops until morning. The app keeps playing with the screen off and holds the volume you set.
Will my baby become dependent on white noise?
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It is a sleep cue, like a dark room, and most babies wean off it easily between one and two years old by lowering the volume a little each night. There is no evidence it harms development at safe volumes.
Does it work without internet?
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Yes. Every sound is built into the app, so it works on a plane, in the car and in a nursery with no signal.
White noise tonight, in one tap.
Free on Google Play. Works offline, plays with the screen off, fades out on the timer.