Why Can't You Hear Silence on Your Phone?

Phones can't hear silence because they're always listening. When you record something, the phone thinks it’s recording everything, even when there's nothing to hear. So it adds little background sounds to make sure the recording feels complete.

Take the quiz →

Examples

When you record your voice on your phone and then stop, it still hears your breathing, that’s why the recording ends with a soft hiss.
If you try to record silence by holding your phone in a quiet room, the phone might still pick up the faint hum of the fridge or your heartbeat.
Sometimes, your phone adds little background sounds even when you don't talk at all.

Ask a question

Discussion

Recent activity

Categories: Technology · audio technology· smartphones· sound recording