Auditory Icon

A non-speech sound used in a user interface that represents an object, action, or event by mimicking its real-world sound — for example, the sound of crumpling paper to indicate deleting a file, or a camera shutter sound for taking a screenshot. Auditory icons rely on causal listening, where the listener identifies the sound's source, making them more intuitive than abstract earcons which must be learned. In accessible design, auditory icons have been proposed as alternatives to visual representations for conveying symbolic or contextual meaning to users who cannot see images, going beyond descriptive text alternatives to preserve the communicative and emotional qualities of visual design elements.