The sound comes from the Cityscape sound scheme included with Windows 7, Microsoft's operating system released in 2009. Unlike the default scheme, Cityscape used softer, urban-inspired tones for everyday system events, including the low battery alert. As Windows 7 laptops spread widely, the chime became familiar to millions of users who heard it during work and gaming sessions. It later circulated on soundboards and in video edits, where its clear meaning survived even after newer Windows versions replaced the scheme and most people stopped hearing it daily.