# Listen to Wikipedia

> Real-time auditory and visual representation of Wikipedia edits. (iPhone/iPad app by Michael Oltman.)

- Source: https://appshunter.io/ios/app/listen-to-wikipedia/id832934300 (this page in markdown: same URL + `.md`)
- Developer: [Michael Oltman](https://appshunter.io/developer/832934303)
- Category: Reference, Entertainment
- Price: Free
- Rating: 4.00/5 from 39 App Store ratings · 40 written reviews indexed
- Age rating: 4+
- Requires: iOS 17.6 · 37 MB
- Languages: English
- Released: 2014-04-08
- Data updated: 2026-06-10
- Monetization: free
- User reviews in markdown: https://appshunter.io/ios/app/listen-to-wikipedia/id832934300/reviews.md

## What is Listen to Wikipedia?

See and hear every edit to Wikipedia, as it happens. Each change appears as an animated bubble — sized by the magnitude of the edit — while a musical note plays in real time. Larger edits produce deeper notes; smaller edits ring higher.

Colors tell the story of who's editing: white circles for registered users, green for anonymous contributors, and purple for bots. Lighter bubbles mark additions to articles; darker ones signal deletions. When a new user joins Wikipedia, a warm pad swells and a blue banner appears to welcome them.

Tap any bubble to see the article title, then tap again to open it in your browser. Tap a new-user banner to visit their talk page and say hello.

Customize the sound to your taste. Choose from over a hundred instruments for additions, deletions, and new-user events. Pick a musical scale — pentatonic or heptatonic — in any of 12 keys and multiple modes. Adjust the root octave and range to shape the melody that Wikipedia writes.

Supports 32 languages, including English, German, Spanish, French, Japanese, Chinese, Arabic, Russian, Hindi, and many more.

Based on Listen to Wikipedia by Hatnote (listen.hatnote.com). Developed by Bryan Oltman (bryanoltman.com).

## Key features

- Real-time Wikipedia edit monitoring
- Auditory representation of additions and subtractions
- Pitch variation based on edit size
- Visual indicators for editor types
- Support for multiple languages

## Recent user reviews (10 of 40)

All indexed reviews: https://appshunter.io/ios/app/listen-to-wikipedia/id832934300/reviews.md

### 5/5 — Not working

*2026-05-01, version 2.0.0*

Might be good if it actually worked!

iPhone 15 Pro
iOS 26.3.1

Received a note from the author suggesting I download an update and everything works perfectly now!

THANK YOU!

### 5/5 — Here it is: your moment of Zen.

*2026-03-11, version 1.1.1*

The pentatonic scale is very soothing.  I downloaded this app during the pandemic, and I'm glad it is still working and being supported today.  In these uncertain and anxious times, it's refreshing to have basic apps that do exactly what they say, and nothing more.

### 1/5 — Don’t work

*2026-03-08, version 1.1.1*

The app doesn’t work on my phone

### 1/5 — Not working

*2026-03-06, version 1.1.1*

Might be good if it actually worked!

iPhone 15 Pro
iOS 26.3.1

### 5/5 — Great app, but please fix this bug.

*2026-03-05, version 1.1.1*

Listen to Wikipedia is a great app, I've been using everyday for years as a crude substitute for a lava-lamp because finding a stores that sell a consistent supply of light-bulbs for them can be problematic. But I would like to suggest a few tweaks. The first and biggest is to include the number of edits being done per-minute like on the website and the option to refresh the app instead of having to reboot it everytime it stops making sound. And also I would really appreciate it if you could please fix the most recent bug with the mobile app. While the website is still functioning fine, the mobile app hasn't been making sound since between 02:30 and 03:00 am last night. I would really appreciate it if you address that bug and have it fixed. Other than that, I really love the Listen to Wikipedia app.

### 4/5 — Awesome, with a suggestion

*2024-08-13*

Awesome app! I do have a suggestion though: I’m not a fan of how the article title cuts off in a bubble. For example, “ Is it possible you could add a text size adjustment thing in the settings? The native iOS text size thing doesn’t work with it.

### 5/5 — Thank you!

*2022-12-23, version 1.1*

Thanks for maintaining your classic app. I thought it was mothballed, and was pleasantly surprised to find you updated it. I really like how you reflect changes in Wikipedia with tones. Happy holidays!

### 5/5 — Update

*2022-04-21, version 1*

Loved this app but it needs an update to work with a newer ios.

### 4/5 — Long time user

*2021-11-26, version 1*

I found this program online back in 2012-13ish, and still have it bookmarked but the app is such a great thing!! There are a few thing that are a little wonky, but I still love this app and use it a few times a week. It’s a great tool for when I’m writing papers, great ‘flow-state’ sound.

### 4/5 — Lovely but no longer compatible

*2021-09-26, version 1*

It's like listening to a wind chime, interesting and abstract. I hope the developer can update it to work on ios 14 & 15.

## Frequently asked questions about Listen to Wikipedia

### What does this app do?

This app provides a real-time auditory and visual experience of every change made to Wikipedia articles. It uses sounds like bells and plucked strings to represent additions and subtractions, with the pitch indicating the size of the edit. Visual cues also highlight different types of contributors.

### How does the app represent edits?

Additions to Wikipedia articles are signaled by bells, while subtractions are represented by plucked strings. The pitch of these sounds changes based on the size of the edit; larger edits produce deeper notes. Green circles indicate edits from unregistered users, and purple circles mark contributions from automated bots.

### Is this app free to use?

Yes, the app is completely free to use. There are no in-app purchases or advertisements, allowing for an uninterrupted experience of observing Wikipedia edits.

### What languages does the app support?

The application offers support for a wide range of languages, including English, German, Spanish, Swedish, Russian, and an additional 27 other languages. This broad language support makes it accessible to a global audience.

### Who is this app for?

This app is designed for anyone curious about the constant evolution of Wikipedia. It's particularly useful for researchers, students, or simply those who want to witness the collaborative process of knowledge creation in a unique and engaging way.

## Version history (last 4 releases)

### 2.0.0 — 2026-04-30

Rewritten from the ground up! In addition to all previously existing features, the app supports deep audio customization:

- Choose from over 100 instruments, independently for additions, subtractions, and new-user events
- Pick any of 12 musical keys
- Switch between pentatonic and heptatonic scales with 12 modes — from Major Pentatonic and Egyptian to Dorian, Phrygian, and Locrian
- Adjust the root octave and octave range to shape the pitch

### 1.1.1 — 2026-03-01

- Fancy new websocket endpoints
- Properly align settings panel switches

### 1.1 — 2022-11-28

Now supports phones with notches! And some other things:

- Sounds now play even if your phone has its ringer muted.
- Updated the logic that chooses which sound a bubble makes to be closer to what listen.hatnote.com does.
- Added a settings button and a mute button.

### 1 — 2014-04-05

No release notes.

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## More apps by Michael Oltman

- [Landmarkle](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/landmarkle/id6444093760)

All apps by Michael Oltman: https://appshunter.io/developer/832934303

## Related topics

[listen to wikipedia](https://appshunter.io/ios/topics/listen-to-wikipedia) · [wikihood](https://appshunter.io/ios/topics/wikihood) · [audio for wikipedia](https://appshunter.io/ios/topics/audio-for-wikipedia) · [wikigacha](https://appshunter.io/ios/topics/wikigacha)

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*Data collected daily from the US App Store and indexed by [AppsHunter](https://appshunter.io/). User reviews are verbatim App Store reviews. Ratings, prices and chart positions refresh continuously; this snapshot is from 2026-06-10.*