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Is it possible for a PWA to play a sound upon receiving a push notification?
Is it possible for a PWA to play a sound upon receiving a push notification?

Everything you need to know about audio playback and sounds for web push notifications.

Kevin Basset avatar
Written by Kevin Basset
Updated over a week ago

Does the Web Push API support audio?

The Web Push API does not currently support playing specific sounds or audio for notifications. However, whether the receiving device plays audio depends on the preferences of the user, which may vary from having sound enabled, to being on vibrate or silent, or even having notifications disabled altogether.

As developers, we need to respect the individual preferences of each user and ensure that our push notifications are sent successfully, but we cannot control whether they are received or seen.

Can iPhones/iPads play sound for push notifications?

iOS does not support playing sounds for push notifications coming from progressive web apps at all.

Can push notifications play a specific audio file?

No. It's not possible to play a specific track even on devices that support audio.

Will the Web Push API allow using audio in the future?

Although sound was considered for the Web Push API at some point, the spec was never completed due to a lack of interest, so it is unlikely to be added back anytime soon.

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