windows xp shutdown

A sound from the 🔔 Notifications & System category

Free download 🎬Make a video

Also as: Discord-ready (≤5 s) · iPhone ringtone (.m4r) · Android ringtone (MP3) · how to add it to Discord · how to set it as a ringtone

📖 What is the “windows xp shutdown” sound?

This is the short descending chime that played whenever a Windows XP machine was shut down. It lasts a little under seven seconds and consists of a soft, bell-like orchestral phrase that falls in pitch, giving a sense of closure or power-down, paired with the faint hum of the PC speakers fading out. The sound was composed by Bill Brown with sound designer Tom Ozanich and recorded with the Seattle Symphony Orchestra when Windows XP launched in 2001, making it one of the most recognizable pieces of computer audio from that era. In meme culture, the clip is used as an audio cue for abrupt endings, shutting someone down conversationally, or signaling that a bit, video, or stream is over. It also gets paired with the XP startup chime to create jarring on/off jokes, and has been covered on real instruments by musicians online. Because so many people grew up hearing this exact sound on home and school computers, it carries strong nostalgic weight, instantly evoking early-2000s desktop computing. The combination of familiarity and finality makes it a popular stinger in short-form video editing, where creators want a quick, recognizable way to say 'that's it, we're done here' without recording new audio.

🧭 Where it comes from

Origin: Microsoft / Windows XP operating system (2001) — well documented

Windows XP shipped on October 25, 2001, with a built-in set of system sounds, including the shutdown chime. The sound is credited to composer Bill Brown, who worked with Emmy-winning sound designer Tom Ozanich; the audio was recorded with the Seattle Symphony Orchestra. The sound later found new life online, including TikTok edits starting around 2019 and instrument covers that circulated afterward.

🎬 How to use it in your edits

Drop it at the very end of a video or sketch right as the screen fades to black, mimicking an actual computer shutting down. It also works well as a punchline sting right after someone says something dumb or gets 'shut down' in an argument, reinforcing the joke visually and audibly.

Download the file above, then import it into CapCut, Premiere Pro, DaVinci Resolve — or straight into TikTok / Instagram. The sound is free for your videos.

💬 Questions about this sound

Who made the Windows XP shutdown sound?

It was composed by Bill Brown along with sound designer Tom Ozanich, recorded with the Seattle Symphony Orchestra for the 2001 release of Windows XP.

Why is this sound used in memes?

Its instant recognizability as a 'power off' cue makes it a popular way to signal abrupt endings, jokes about shutting someone down, or nostalgic references to early-2000s computers.

Is this the same as the Windows XP startup sound?

No, it's the separate shutdown chime, though the two are often used together in memes to create a quick power-on/power-off gag.