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Windows Vista was released by Microsoft in 2007, and its startup sound quickly became one of the most recognisable audio signatures of that era. Designed to feel calm and welcoming, the short melody replaced the louder, more dramatic startup sounds of earlier Windows versions. As Vista machines disappeared, the chime survived online through nostalgia videos, parodies and anniversary tributes, where it now works as instant shorthand for mid-2000s computing. Its gentle tone is why it still feels familiar even to people who never owned a Vista computer.
About this sound
The iconic Windows Vista startup chime, a soft four-note melody from Microsoft's 2007 operating system, used in nostalgic edits, tech memes and retro clips.
This fifteen-second clip captures the Windows Vista startup sound in full, beginning with a quiet, glassy shimmer before four warm, ascending synth notes unfold in a slow, peaceful arc. The tones feel polished and airy rather than loud or playful, with a gentle sustain that fades into silence. It instantly signals an old computer waking up, and for many listeners it triggers a wave of mid-2000s nostalgia, reminding them of first laptops, school computer labs and the softer, more optimistic sound of early personal computing.
