I can’t quite tell if Apple putting handy utilities (e.g. white noise) and options (e.g. reduce motion) within Accessibility settings, along with controls for braille readers and joystick controls, is part of a universal provision initiative (i.e. reducing stigma in having to use Accessibility settings).

I've been trying to use this since they introduced it, but something on my Mac is constantly turning it off, seemingly at random. Sometimes it'll happen 3-4 times per minute until I give up and turn on a YouTube video.

Only affects the background noise feature, doesn't affect any other sound, music or video. I have no idea what causes it.

Yes! It also exists on iOS, where it’s possible to play both brown/white/pink/fire/seaside noise at the same time as other media

I had no idea this existed, thank you!

Is "Dark noise" the equivalent of "Brown noise"?

iOS and iPadOS also have that under Accessibility-Audio Visual settings.

I use brown noise sometimes to focus. It’s like an auditory blank wall.

I’m sure I could train my brain to ignore the random sounds around me, since I grew up in a not super noisy city.

It really does help me ignore the distracting sounds. It gives my easy something to focus on rather than distracting noises.

The colors refer to variations in wavelength (light ~ sound) adjusted to human perception of soundwaves (https://tinyurl.com/3bzy7a7s). It helps muffle ambient sound that might distract your brain. Studies show they have effects: brown = executive function/memory, pink = sleep/concentration, green = calming, white = productivity/annoying.

Dark noise isn't an accepted term, it's a marketing term for a tweaked version of brown noise

That’s “brown note”:

https://southpark.wiki.gg/wiki/The_Brown_Note

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Brown_note