ElevenLabs Sound Effects v3 (SFX v3)

Overview

Sound Effects v3 (SFX v3) is ElevenLabs’ text-to-sound model for generating short, high-quality sound effect clips from written descriptions. It turns a single prompt into a ready-to-use audio file, which helps you prototype scenes fast and avoid digging through stock libraries. SFX v3 is designed to follow multi-part prompts more reliably than earlier versions, and it handles prompts with musical or vocal elements better.

What you can build

• Game audio packs like UI clicks, weapon shots, footsteps, and environmental ambiences
• Video sound design for trailers, social clips, and motion graphics
• Foley-style one-shots like glass breaks, doors, fabric movement, and object impacts
• Seamless background loops like rain beds, room tone, wind, engines, and crowds
• Rapid iteration boards for sound direction before a final mix

Inputs

• A written description of the sound you want, in plain language or audio terms. Keep it specific about action, setting, atmosphere, and performance. Very long prompts may be rejected.
• A target clip length, selected in whole seconds. The supported range is 1 to 30 seconds.
• An MP3 quality preset that sets sample rate and bitrate. Options include 22.05 kHz at 32 kbps, or 44.1 kHz at 32, 64, 96, or 128 kbps.
• An optional looping toggle. Turn it on when you need a seamless loop with no obvious start or end.
• An optional prompt-adherence control from 0 to 1. Higher values track the description more literally with less variation.

Outputs

• One generated sound effect as an MP3 audio file.
• The file uses the sample rate and bitrate from the selected MP3 preset.
• The audio content matches the described scene as a single clip, which can include multiple events if your prompt describes a sequence.

Limitations

• Maximum clip length is 30 seconds per generation.
• The model may not follow requests for an exact count of repetitions (example: a sound “4 times”).
• Looping is designed to blend the end into the start, but some prompts can still produce a noticeable seam.
• Vague prompts can produce generic audio. Overloaded prompts can cause missing or merged events.
• Noisy, inconsistent, or poorly structured descriptions increase the risk of artifacts like clipping, harsh highs, or unintended background sounds.
• SFX v3 availability can be limited by account access and region in ElevenLabs-hosted environments.

Safety & compliance

• Follow ElevenLabs’ Prohibited Use Policy. Don’t generate content for harm, illegal activity, or deception.
• Don’t use outputs to mislead people about real events or imply real-world danger where none exists.
• Sound Effects output is meant to be used as part of a larger production. Don’t resell or distribute generated clips as a standalone sound library.
• Treat prompts as potentially logged content in standard configurations. Use extra care with sensitive or regulated data.