The problem
A chime, a ding, a burst of music from somewhere. You check every window and every tab, and by the time you look, it's over. Your computer keeps no record of what just made noise.
Your Volume Mixer only shows what's playing right now. Short dings are gone before you can look.
How it works
- It listens for the moment a sound starts. What Dinged watches your computer's own audio system, so it catches alert dings, notification sounds and anything that starts playing.
- It writes down who made it. Every sound gets a time and the app that made it, and browser sounds also get the exact tab.
- Click an entry to go there. What Dinged takes you to that app, or straight to the tab. If it's been closed since, it tells you so.
Features
- The five newest sounds are one click away, older ones sit in a submenu, and a full history file sits behind them.
- New sounds stay bold, and the bell stays filled, until you've looked at them.
- One click brings the app or the exact browser tab to the front.
- Background tabs that made a sound can get a ♪ at the start of their title until you visit them. These tab marks are optional and stay off until you turn them on in What Dinged's Settings.
- What Dinged starts when you sign in and stays out of the way in the menu bar or system tray.
- It never records audio, never reads your pages or messages, and keeps everything on your computer.
It isn't an audio mixer. If you want to control volume per app, other tools do that; What Dinged tells you what made a sound after it happens.
On Windows
On Windows, What Dinged sits in the system tray next to the clock and works the same way, whether the sound came from Teams, Outlook, Discord or a video in Edge. It installs for your own Windows account in a few seconds and doesn't need an administrator password.
Works with your browsers
The free What Dinged extension adds tab names for Google Chrome, Microsoft Edge and Firefox, and Brave, Arc, Opera and Vivaldi use the Chrome version. The Chrome, Edge and Firefox extensions are all available now; see the download page. On a Mac, Safari support is built into the app: turn it on in Safari Settings, under Extensions. In Safari, tab names work for audio and video players; a few sites that make sound other ways show as "Safari" without the tab.
Pricing
$9.99 one time, includes a year of updates.
One payment, up to three computers, no subscription.
After that the app keeps working; renew updates anytime for $4.99. There's no subscription and no automatic renewal.
- It's free for 14 days, with everything working.
- One license covers up to 3 of your own computers, Mac or Windows in any mix.
- Every update released in the 12 months after you buy is yours, and after that year What Dinged keeps working on the latest version you received.
- After the trial, What Dinged still notices every sound, but shows "Something made a sound" instead of the name until you unlock it. Sounds it caught while locked are revealed the moment you buy.
- You can get a full refund within 30 days, no questions asked.
FAQ
Does What Dinged record what I hear?
No. It notes only that a sound started, when, and which app or tab it came from. It never records or stores audio.
Does it send my data anywhere?
No. Your sound history stays on your computer. What Dinged goes online only to check your license key with our payment provider, Polar, and to check our website for a newer version.
Why isn't it in the Mac App Store?
Apps in the Mac App Store run in a restricted sandbox that blocks the system information What Dinged relies on to catch dings. Instead, What Dinged is signed with an Apple Developer ID and checked by Apple (notarized), so it opens on your Mac without warnings.
Is the Windows version signed?
Yes. The Windows installer is digitally signed, and Windows lists its publisher as Kimberly Bjers. What Dinged is made by Sean and Kimberly Bjers, ANQA Systems. Because What Dinged is new, Windows may show a brief SmartScreen notice for the first few weeks while it builds reputation. If you see it, the publisher listed will be Kimberly Bjers.
Do I need the browser extension?
Only if you want tab names. Without it, browser sounds still show up under the browser's name.
How many computers can I use it on?
One license works on up to 3 of your own computers, Mac or Windows in any mix.
What happens after my year of updates?
Nothing stops working. You keep using the latest version you received, for as long as you like. If a newer version comes out that you want, you can buy another year of updates for $4.99. For now, email support@anqasystems.com to renew. We'll never charge you automatically.
Is there a Windows version?
Yes. You can get it from the download page.
What happens if I don't buy after the trial?
Nothing breaks and nothing is deleted. The bell keeps working; it just won't say who made each sound until you unlock it.
How do I get help?
Email support@anqasystems.com. We usually reply within two business days.
The Windows app is listed in the Microsoft Store after Microsoft's review.
The free browser extension for Chrome.
Add to Microsoft EdgeThe same free extension for Edge.
The same free extension for Firefox.
Notarized by AppleThe Mac app is signed with our Apple Developer ID and checked by Apple's notarization service before it reaches you, so macOS opens it without warnings.
Signed installer, verified publisherThe Windows installer is digitally signed. Windows shows the publisher as Kimberly Bjers of ANQA Systems, verified by Microsoft.
No tracking, no accountWhat Dinged never records audio and has no analytics or ads. It goes online only to check your license and to see whether a new version is out.
30-day refunds, no questions askedPayments are handled by Polar, our merchant of record, which also processes refunds.
