Sounds on The Web

Sound is underutilized in web design despite its effectiveness in native apps and games. Audio feedback processes faster than visual cues (25ms vs 250ms) and provides immediate confirmation, emotional context, and environmental presence. Strategic use cases include confirmations, errors, state changes, and notifications. Implementation should be subtle, optional, respect user preferences like prefers-reduced-motion, and always complement rather than replace visual feedback. The web's silence is cultural inertia, not a design principle.