Windows 11 launched in October 2021 as Microsoft's successor to Windows 10, bringing a softer and more minimal sound design. Its startup chime was designed to feel calm and welcoming compared with the brighter Windows 10 version and earlier Windows sounds that many long time users grew up hearing. Clips of the chime spread through YouTube tutorials, installation guides and tech forums as people upgraded, then moved into edited videos as a shorthand for turning on, rebooting or starting something digital from scratch.