# `winsound` — Sound-playing interface for Windows

Source code: PC/winsound.c

The `winsound` module provides access to the basic sound-playing machinery provided by Windows platforms. It includes functions and several constants.

Availability: Windows.

## Functions

winsound.Beep(frequency, duration)

  Beep the PC’s speaker. The frequency parameter specifies frequency, in hertz, of the sound, and must be in the range 37 through 32,767. The duration parameter specifies the number of milliseconds the sound should last. If the system is not able to beep the speaker, `RuntimeError` is raised.

winsound.PlaySound(sound, flags)

  Call the underlying `PlaySound()` function from the Platform API. The sound parameter may be a filename, a system sound alias, audio data as a bytes-like object, or `None`. Its interpretation depends on the value of flags, which can be a bitwise ORed combination of the constants described below. If the sound parameter is `None`, any currently playing waveform sound is stopped. If the system indicates an error, `RuntimeError` is raised.

winsound.MessageBeep(type=MB_OK)

  Call the underlying `MessageBeep()` function from the Platform API. This plays a sound as specified in the registry. The type argument specifies which sound to play; possible values are `-1`, `MB_ICONASTERISK`, `MB_ICONEXCLAMATION`, `MB_ICONHAND`, `MB_ICONQUESTION`, and `MB_OK`, all described below. The value `-1` produces a “simple beep”; this is the final fallback if a sound cannot be played otherwise. If the system indicates an error, `RuntimeError` is raised.

## Constants

winsound.SND_FILENAME

  The sound parameter is the name of a WAV file. Do not use with `SND_ALIAS`.

winsound.SND_ALIAS

  The sound parameter is a sound association name from the registry. If the registry contains no such name, play the system default sound unless `SND_NODEFAULT` is also specified. If no default sound is registered, raise `RuntimeError`. Do not use with `SND_FILENAME`.

  All Win32 systems support at least the following; most systems support many more:

  `PlaySound()` name | Corresponding Control Panel Sound name
  --- | ---
  `'SystemAsterisk'` | Asterisk
  `'SystemExclamation'` | Exclamation
  `'SystemExit'` | Exit Windows
  `'SystemHand'` | Critical Stop
  `'SystemQuestion'` | Question

  For example:

      import winsound
      # Play Windows exit sound.
      winsound.PlaySound("SystemExit", winsound.SND_ALIAS)

      # Probably play Windows default sound, if any is registered (because
      # "*" probably isn't the registered name of any sound).
      winsound.PlaySound("*", winsound.SND_ALIAS)

winsound.SND_LOOP

  Play the sound repeatedly. The `SND_ASYNC` flag must also be used to avoid blocking. Cannot be used with `SND_MEMORY`.

winsound.SND_MEMORY

  The sound parameter to `PlaySound()` is a memory image of a WAV file, as a bytes-like object.

  Note

  This module does not support playing from a memory image asynchronously, so a combination of this flag and `SND_ASYNC` will raise `RuntimeError`.

winsound.SND_PURGE

  Stop playing all instances of the specified sound.

  Note

  This flag is not supported on modern Windows platforms.

winsound.SND_ASYNC

  Return immediately, allowing sounds to play asynchronously.

winsound.SND_NODEFAULT

  If the specified sound cannot be found, do not play the system default sound.

winsound.SND_NOSTOP

  Do not interrupt sounds currently playing.

winsound.SND_NOWAIT

  Return immediately if the sound driver is busy.

  Note

  This flag is not supported on modern Windows platforms.

winsound.SND_APPLICATION

  The sound parameter is an application-specific alias in the registry. This flag can be combined with the `SND_ALIAS` flag to specify an application-defined sound alias.

winsound.SND_SENTRY

  Triggers a SoundSentry event when the sound is played.

  Added in version 3.14.

winsound.SND_SYNC

  The sound is played synchronously. This is the default behavior.

  Added in version 3.14.

winsound.SND_SYSTEM

  Assign the sound to the audio session for system notification sounds.

  Added in version 3.14.

winsound.MB_ICONASTERISK

  Play the `SystemDefault` sound.

winsound.MB_ICONEXCLAMATION

  Play the `SystemExclamation` sound.

winsound.MB_ICONHAND

  Play the `SystemHand` sound.

winsound.MB_ICONQUESTION

  Play the `SystemQuestion` sound.

winsound.MB_OK

  Play the `SystemDefault` sound.

winsound.MB_ICONERROR

  Play the `SystemHand` sound.

  Added in version 3.14.

winsound.MB_ICONINFORMATION

  Play the `SystemDefault` sound.

  Added in version 3.14.

winsound.MB_ICONSTOP

  Play the `SystemHand` sound.

  Added in version 3.14.

winsound.MB_ICONWARNING

  Play the `SystemExclamation` sound.

  Added in version 3.14.