How to Use Winsound in Python?

by

winsound is a module included in the Python Standard Library, exclusively for Windows users. It is designed to interact with the Windows sound-playing capabilities. The module is readily available, so there’s no need for installation through the command line or a package manager.

How to Use Winsound

To use winsound in your Python scripts, initiate it with a simple import statement:

import winsound

After importing, you can use the functions within the winsound module to play, stop, and manage sound playback in various ways.

Minimal Example

Below is a basic example of using the winsound module in Python to play a simple system beep sound:

import winsound

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

# Alternatively, to play a beep sound at 1000 Hz for 1 second
winsound.Beep(1000, 1000)

The first function call PlaySound plays a system sound specified by the sound name and the SND_ALIAS flag, which indicates that the sound name is a system event alias. In this case, “SystemExit” is one of the system event aliases predefined in Windows, which plays the system exit sound.

The second function call Beep generates a simple tone through the speaker. The first argument 1000 specifies the frequency of the beep in Hertz, and the second argument 1000 specifies the duration of the beep in milliseconds.

I have created a tutorial that shows how to use Winsound in a more sophistical manner:

🧑‍💻 Recommended: How to Make a Beep Sound in Python? [Linux/macOS/Win]

How to Install Winsound in Your Terminal?

🧑‍💻 Answer: winsound is a Python module that provides access to the basic sound-playing machinery provided by Windows platforms. It is a built-in module that comes with the standard library of Python when you install it on a Windows system. Therefore, you do not need to install it separately through the terminal or any package manager.

If you have Python installed on your Windows machine, you can simply import the winsound module in your Python script using the following command:

import winsound

If you find that you’re having trouble and winsound isn’t available, you may not have Python installed, or you might be running Python on a non-Windows platform where winsound is not available.

To install Python on Windows, you can download the official installer from the Python website and run it. During the installation process, make sure to check the option that says “Add Python to PATH” to be able to run Python from the terminal.

🧑‍💻 Recommended: How to Install Winsound?

If you’re trying to play sounds on a non-Windows platform, you’ll need to use a different library that is compatible with your operating system, such as pygame for sound functionality, which can be installed using pip:

pip install pygame

In the terminal, you would use this command to install the pygame package, which you can then use to play sounds on non-Windows systems.

Common Issues and Solutions

If you encounter an issue where winsound isn’t available, it could be due to one of the following reasons:

  • Python is not installed: Ensure that Python is installed on your Windows machine. Download it from the Python website and enable the “Add Python to PATH” option during installation.
  • Non-Windows platform: winsound is not available on non-Windows platforms. You will need an alternative library for sound functionalities.

Alternatives to Winsound

For non-Windows users, or those seeking additional features, here are some alternatives:

  • Pygame: A cross-platform set of Python modules designed for writing video games, including sound playback. Install it via pip:
  pip install pygame
  • Playsound: A pure Python, cross-platform, single function module with no dependencies for playing sounds. Install it via pip:
  pip install playsound