Frequently asked questions
Is Hit The Hay really ad-free?
Yes. There are no adverts, no pop-ups, no tracking, no analytics and no accounts – and there never will be. Nothing loud will ever interrupt a sleeping baby or a study session.
Does it keep playing with the screen off?
Yes, on most phones. Start a sound, then lock your phone – it carries on, and you can pause it from the lock screen. Some phones with aggressive battery saving may stop background audio; if yours does, turn on “Keep screen on while playing” in Settings and night mode will keep the screen very dim.
Does it work offline?
Yes. Once a sound has played it is saved on your device and works with no signal – handy on planes, in the car or in a hotel. Tap “Save all sounds for offline” in Settings to download everything at once, and add Hit The Hay to your home screen to use it like an app.
What is free and what is premium?
70 of the 88 sounds are free for ever, including white, pink and brown noise, shushing, rain, ocean waves, fireplace and lo-fi study music. 18 extra sounds (such as thunderstorm, womb sounds, a lullaby hum, a creaky storm cabin and Christmas carols) are premium. Premium purchases are not open yet; everything else stays free with no ads.
Where do the sounds come from?
They are real recordings, not computer-generated imitations: public-domain (CC0) recordings from BigSoundBank by Joseph Sardin, plus sounds, lo-fi music and photos from Pixabay – and the shushing was recorded by Mrs Hit The Hay herself. We trim, clean and loop them seamlessly so there is no noticeable repeat. The noise colours (white, pink, brown, soft white, deep brown, grey and green) are generated in the app. Every source is listed on the credits page.
Can I save my own mix?
Yes. Tap a few sounds to layer them, set each volume, then tap “Save mix”. Your mixes appear in the ★ Mixes tab, along with ready-made ideas, and stay on your device.
Are there seasonal sounds?
Yes. Around Halloween, Bonfire Night and Christmas a “Seasonal” section appears next to Babies & Children, Adults and Students, with a tab for each season – cosy-spooky owls, rain on leaves and a creaky cabin (never screams or sirens), a crackling bonfire with soft, distant fireworks and sparklers, and log fires, sleigh bells, a music box, gentle piano carols and a cosy Christmas café. Seasonal sounds only appear in the Seasonal section, and each one is marked “Baby-safe” or “Not for babies”.
Is it safe to use white noise for a baby?
Keep the phone at least 2 metres from the cot, keep the volume low – about as loud as a soft shower – and leave the baby volume limit switched on (it stops the volume going above 60%). Use the sleep timer where you can. Always follow safe-sleep advice from your health visitor or the NHS.
Full source list: sound and photo credits. Privacy details: privacy note.