The Windows 95 startup sound comes from Microsoft's Windows 95 operating system, released in 1995. The chime was composed by Brian Eno and was designed to match the system's new, welcoming feel. Over time, it became one of the most recognizable computer sounds ever made. Online, it spread through retro computing videos, nostalgia compilations, and meme edits that use it to instantly suggest old PCs, early internet culture, or a fresh digital beginning.
About this sound
The classic Windows 95 startup chime, the short boot sound from Microsoft's 1995 operating system, often used for retro tech jokes and nostalgic edits.
This sound is the iconic Windows 95 startup chime, a short, airy electronic tone sequence that plays when the operating system finishes booting. It feels clean, optimistic, and unmistakably tied to the early PC era, with a polished digital sound that still stands out today. In videos, it instantly signals old computers, dial-up internet days, office nostalgia, or a throwback to 1990s technology. Even people who never used Windows 95 often recognize it as the sound of a computer starting up in classic tech memes and retro-themed clips.
