Microsoft teases Windows 11 with startup sound slo-fi remix

Windows 10 20h2 Start Hero
Windows 10 20h2 Start Hero (Image credit: Windows Central)

What you need to know

  • Microsoft released a slo-fi remix of Windows startup sounds from Windows 95, Windows XP, and Windows 7.
  • The remix slows down the startup sounds to 4,000% reduced speed.
  • The video is, oddly, exactly 11 minutes in length.
  • The video is a tease for Windows 11, and ends with an invitation to watch Microsoft's livestream on June 24 at 11 AM ET.

Microsoft released a slo-fi remix of the Windows startup sounds from throughout history. The video appears on the official Windows YouTube channel and points people to Microsoft's upcoming event on June 24, which will showcase the next generation of Windows. The video itself plays the startup sounds from Windows 95, Windows XP, and Windows 7 slowed down to 4,000% reduced speed, but the most interesting thing about the video is what it teases.

It's also exactly 11 minutes long. 😏

The slo-fi remix isn't just a soothing trip down memory lane. It's a tease of Windows 11. Microsoft famously ditched the startup sound with Windows 8. Some, including the majority of people who voted in our poll about the startup chime, have wanted it to return as an optional feature.

If the video is too subtle, its description also tries to get people excited for the June 24 event:

Having trouble relaxing because you're too excited for the June 24th Microsoft Event? Take a slow trip down memory lane with the Windows 95, XP, and 7 startup sounds slowed down to a meditative 4,000% reduced speed.

It also links to a page you can use to set a reminder for the event.

Windows 11 will bring a visual overhaul to the operating system, but will also come with new sounds. Could one of those sounds be a new startup chime? Microsoft's latest video certainly suggests that it will be an option.

Sean Endicott
News Writer and apps editor

Sean Endicott is a tech journalist at Windows Central, specializing in Windows, Microsoft software, AI, and PCs. He's covered major launches, from Windows 10 and 11 to the rise of AI tools like ChatGPT. Sean's journey began with the Lumia 740, leading to strong ties with app developers. Outside writing, he coaches American football, utilizing Microsoft services to manage his team. He studied broadcast journalism at Nottingham Trent University and is active on X @SeanEndicott_ and Threads @sean_endicott_.