Facebook’s iOS app has recently been updated with new sound effects that play when performing certain actions like scrolling, tapping buttons, refreshing your feed, etc. For many users, these sounds are annoying and distracting. Let’s discuss the reasons why Facebook added these sounds, troubleshoot the chirping issue when scrolling, and show you how to disable these in-app sounds on your iPhone.
Key Points We Have Discussed Here:
- Facebook recently added interactive sound effects to their iOS app, including chirping noises when quickly scrolling.
- These sounds likely aim to increase engagement and retention, though many users consider them annoying.
- The chirp when scrolling tends to occur when refreshing your feed or loading new posts and content.
- You can disable in-app Facebook sounds completely by toggling off “In-App Sounds” in your app settings. A step-by-step guide is given below.
Why Does Facebook Chirp When I Scroll on iPhone?
The chirping sound occurs when scrolling quickly through your Facebook feed on iOS devices. It seems to happen when the app is struggling to load new content fast enough.
Here are three likely technical explanations for the chirping sound effect when scrolling:
1. Feed Refreshing
The chirp noise indicates your feed is refreshing with updated content. Scrolling fast forces a refresh more often.
2. Page Loading
Rapid scrolling may outpace the app’s ability to load each post. The chirp notifies you to slow down while it loads.
3. Connection Buffering
If you have a poor internet connection, the chirp could signal that the app is buffering data from Facebook’s servers.
How to Stop Facebook Chirping When Scrolling on iPhone
If you find the chirping sounds in Facebook annoying, you can disable them completely:
- Open the Facebook app and tap the “More” tab on the bottom toolbar
- Tap “Settings & Privacy” then tap “Settings“
- Scroll down and tap “Media“
- Under “Sounds“, switch the toggle off for “In-App Sounds“
This will mute all sounds across the Facebook app on your iPhone.
Alternatively, you can reduce the chirping when scrolling specifically by ensuring you have a strong Wi-Fi or cellular data connection. Also, check for any Facebook app updates which may address audio issues.
Why Did Facebook Add Sounds to the App?
Facebook has not provided an official explanation for adding sounds to their iOS app. However, technology experts speculate a few potential reasons:
User Engagement
The sounds provide audio feedback to reinforce the app’s responses to user actions. This audio feedback loop aims to increase user engagement by making the app feel more interactive.
Accessibility
The audio cues can aid visually impaired users by confirming their taps and gestures. However, the current implementation seems too annoying for general accessibility.
Habit Formation
The sounds help drive habit formation and retain users by making the app more stimulating. The audio feedback triggers releases of dopamine, which makes users more likely to continue scrolling.
Bug or Unintended Behavior
There’s a small chance the sounds were enabled unintentionally or are a bug. However, they have persisted for too long across too many users to likely be a bug.
Hence, Facebook’s new audio feedback encourages more usage but many iPhone users find it disruptive. If you want to mute the chirping when rapidly scrolling your feed, simply disable in-app sounds through the settings menu.