# Free paper sound effects

> Free paper sounds: page turns, crumpling, tearing, folding and writing, for foley, ASMR, podcasts and crisp percussion in beats, each with a licence verdict.

36 samples from 5 sources (Wikimedia Commons 13, Openverse 12, Orange Free Sounds 5, SoundBible 4, OpenGameArt 2), updated 2026-10-23. Picked from a live search and refreshed daily.

- Same search in the browser: https://sound.shep.bot/search?q=paper&category=foley
- Same search over the API: `curl "https://sound.shep.bot/v1/search?q=paper&category=foley"`
- Details, files and the credit line: `GET https://sound.shep.bot/v1/samples/{id}` with an id from the table below.
- Licence verdicts: "Commercial use OK" (with or without credit) is cleared for a release; anything else must be checked or is non-commercial. See https://sound.shep.bot/docs/licences.md

## Small sounds, big detail

Paper is quiet, but close up it is rich in texture: a page turning, a sheet crumpling into a ball, a tear, a pen scratching. Film and game sound designers use these to make on-screen actions believable, podcast producers to add life to a scene, and ASMR creators for the sounds themselves.

## Using paper sounds

Because they are recorded close and quiet, paper recordings often carry room noise and handling sounds. A gentle noise reduction or gate cleans them up. In music, try them as replacements for hi-hats and shakers, or layer a crumple with a snare for grit.

Paper foley is a favourite of hobbyist recordists, so the free libraries have plenty, often CC0. Each card shows the licence verdict.

## Samples

| Sample | id | What | Source | Licence | Commercial use | Direct download |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| [Paper Crumpled 001](https://freesound.org/people/razrox/sounds/197179) | `openverse:13c3b941-feb0-4e77-b7c7-3b3fb965b538` | Foley, 3.1 s | Openverse | CC0 1.0 | Commercial use OK | yes |
| [Book paper pages assorted](https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Book_paper_pages_assorted.ogg) | `wikimediacommons:Book_paper_pages_assorted.ogg` | Foley, 1:18 | Wikimedia Commons | Public domain | Commercial use OK | yes |
| [Clean Paper Rip](https://soundbible.com/1930-Clean-Paper-Rip.html) | `soundbible:1930-Clean-Paper-Rip` | Foley | SoundBible | CC BY 3.0 | Commercial use OK with credit | yes |
| [Pencil On Paper Writing Short Sound](https://orangefreesounds.com/pencil-on-paper-writing-short-sound/) | `orangefreesounds:40114` | Foley, One-shot, 1.0 s | Orange Free Sounds | CC BY-NC 4.0 | Non-commercial only | yes |
| [Paper Pages Sounds](https://opengameart.org/content/paper-pages-sounds) | `opengameart:paper-pages-sounds` | Foley | OpenGameArt | OpenGameArt per-item licence | Unclear: check the terms | yes |
| [paper flip 3.wav](https://freesound.org/people/gynation/sounds/82379) | `openverse:bbca2d79-dd67-476e-9df2-45190cff3876` | Foley, One-shot, 0.5 s | Openverse | CC0 1.0 | Commercial use OK | yes |
| [Paper Radio - Introduction](https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Paper_Radio_-_Introduction.opus) | `wikimediacommons:Paper_Radio_-_Introduction.opus` | Foley, 58 s | Wikimedia Commons | Public domain | Commercial use OK | yes |
| [Slow Paper Rip](https://soundbible.com/1925-Slow-Paper-Rip.html) | `soundbible:1925-Slow-Paper-Rip` | Foley | SoundBible | CC BY 3.0 | Commercial use OK with credit | yes |
| [Paper Falling Sound Effect](https://orangefreesounds.com/paper-falling-sound-effect/) | `orangefreesounds:29396` | Foley, 3.0 s | Orange Free Sounds | CC BY-NC 4.0 | Non-commercial only | yes |
| [Paper Crush Sounds](https://opengameart.org/content/paper-crush-sounds) | `opengameart:paper-crush-sounds` | Foley | OpenGameArt | OpenGameArt per-item licence | Unclear: check the terms | yes |
| [paper flip 1.wav](https://freesound.org/people/gynation/sounds/82377) | `openverse:9f6c8594-c8a1-4366-9ee4-7cf1ea801467` | Foley, One-shot, 0.44 s | Openverse | CC0 1.0 | Commercial use OK | yes |
| [Paper Radio - Typewriters](https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Paper_Radio_-_Typewriters.opus) | `wikimediacommons:Paper_Radio_-_Typewriters.opus` | Foley, 1:00 | Wikimedia Commons | Public domain | Commercial use OK | yes |
| [Tearing Paper](https://soundbible.com/214-Tearing-Paper.html) | `soundbible:214-Tearing-Paper` | Foley | SoundBible | CC BY 3.0 | Commercial use OK with credit | yes |
| [Paper Crumpling Sound Effect](https://orangefreesounds.com/paper-crumpling-sound-effect/) | `orangefreesounds:29389` | Foley, 4.0 s | Orange Free Sounds | CC BY-NC 4.0 | Non-commercial only | yes |
| [paper flip 2.wav](https://freesound.org/people/gynation/sounds/82378) | `openverse:43e2d82b-6473-4769-9dab-577bcf934d7b` | Foley, One-shot, 0.5 s | Openverse | CC0 1.0 | Commercial use OK | yes |
| [Paper Radio - HOOT!](https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Paper_Radio_-_HOOT!.opus) | `wikimediacommons:Paper_Radio_-_HOOT!.opus` | Foley, 60 s | Wikimedia Commons | Public domain | Commercial use OK | yes |
| [Stapling Paper](https://soundbible.com/1537-Stapling-Paper.html) | `soundbible:1537-Stapling-Paper` | Foley | SoundBible | Public domain | Commercial use OK | yes |
| [Scissors Cutting Paper Sound Effect](https://orangefreesounds.com/scissors-cutting-paper-sound-effect/) | `orangefreesounds:16747` | Foley, One-shot, 1.0 s | Orange Free Sounds | CC BY-NC 4.0 | Non-commercial only | yes |
| [Pencil Drawing on Paper](https://freesound.org/people/rylandbrooks/sounds/387926) | `openverse:511c217f-d4e0-4f25-8ecf-d01cd75f0949` | Foley, 15 s | Openverse | CC0 1.0 | Commercial use OK | yes |
| [Paper Radio - Opuntia](https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Paper_Radio_-_Opuntia.opus) | `wikimediacommons:Paper_Radio_-_Opuntia.opus` | Foley, 1:00 | Wikimedia Commons | Public domain | Commercial use OK | yes |
| [Ripping Paper](https://freesound.org/people/aldenroth2/sounds/272028) | `openverse:9f96d0d6-36b1-4f00-a931-a21c8ef39093` | Foley, One-shot, 2.0 s | Openverse | CC0 1.0 | Commercial use OK | yes |
| [Ripping Paper Sound effect](https://orangefreesounds.com/ripping-paper-sound-effect/) | `orangefreesounds:3610` | Foley, One-shot, 1.0 s | Orange Free Sounds | CC BY-NC 4.0 | Non-commercial only | yes |
| [Hy-Դատարկ թուղթ (Blank piece of paper)](https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Hy-%D4%B4%D5%A1%D5%BF%D5%A1%D6%80%D5%AF_%D5%A9%D5%B8%D6%82%D5%B2%D5%A9_(Blank_piece_of_paper).ogg) | `wikimediacommons:Hy-Դատարկ_թուղթ_(Blank_piece_of_paper).ogg` | Foley, 5:13 | Wikimedia Commons | CC BY-SA 4.0 | Restricted: read the conditions | yes |
| [Paper Radio - NASWA](https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Paper_Radio_-_NASWA.opus) | `wikimediacommons:Paper_Radio_-_NASWA.opus` | Foley, 1:19 | Wikimedia Commons | Public domain | Commercial use OK | yes |
| [Paper rip 1](https://freesound.org/people/zachfbstudios/sounds/136496) | `openverse:a3579360-d26d-4e99-9161-b76160eaacda` | Foley, 27 s | Openverse | CC0 1.0 | Commercial use OK | yes |
| [Paper Radio - Organizational Newsletters](https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Paper_Radio_-_Organizational_Newsletters.opus) | `wikimediacommons:Paper_Radio_-_Organizational_Newsletters.opus` | Foley, 60 s | Wikimedia Commons | Public domain | Commercial use OK | yes |
| [Tearing paper](https://freesound.org/people/sphion/sounds/158526) | `openverse:1671ffcd-5419-46f4-8455-0f1f422e22fc` | Foley, 9.6 s | Openverse | CC0 1.0 | Commercial use OK | yes |
| [Paper Radio - Half Gifts](https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Paper_Radio_-_Half_Gifts.opus) | `wikimediacommons:Paper_Radio_-_Half_Gifts.opus` | Foley, 1:03 | Wikimedia Commons | Public domain | Commercial use OK | yes |
| [En-uk-paper](https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=9023294) | `openverse:182abb8c-4c45-4572-b569-2321068b6528` | Foley, One-shot, 1.3 s | Openverse | CC BY 3.0 | Commercial use OK with credit | yes |
| [Paper Radio - Community Zines](https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Paper_Radio_-_Community_Zines.opus) | `wikimediacommons:Paper_Radio_-_Community_Zines.opus` | Foley, 1:06 | Wikimedia Commons | Public domain | Commercial use OK | yes |
| [Paper slide](https://freesound.org/people/Kingofgamers_cz/sounds/352914) | `openverse:7092906e-188e-4593-88b8-882b7e1fd4a1` | Foley, One-shot, 1.2 s | Openverse | CC0 1.0 | Commercial use OK | yes |
| [Paper Radio - Node Pajomo](https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Paper_Radio_-_Node_Pajomo.opus) | `wikimediacommons:Paper_Radio_-_Node_Pajomo.opus` | Foley, 60 s | Wikimedia Commons | Public domain | Commercial use OK | yes |
| [paper slide.wav](https://freesound.org/people/semccab/sounds/154403) | `openverse:05745fd2-cbfe-4677-a67c-348712d7adc7` | Foley, One-shot, 1.4 s | Openverse | CC0 1.0 | Commercial use OK | yes |
| [Paper Radio - Snowy Egret](https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Paper_Radio_-_Snowy_Egret.opus) | `wikimediacommons:Paper_Radio_-_Snowy_Egret.opus` | Foley, 1:04 | Wikimedia Commons | Public domain | Commercial use OK | yes |
| [drawing on paper with pencil, paper moving, dropping pencil.wav](https://freesound.org/people/Yuval/sounds/185601) | `openverse:e6d40e6b-6b0b-4af9-93f5-47db1bdf8b5f` | Foley, 1:28 | Openverse | CC0 1.0 | Commercial use OK | yes |
| [Paper Radio - The Reluctant Famulus](https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Paper_Radio_-_The_Reluctant_Famulus.opus) | `wikimediacommons:Paper_Radio_-_The_Reluctant_Famulus.opus` | Foley, 1:02 | Wikimedia Commons | Public domain | Commercial use OK | yes |

## Questions

**Why do producers use paper sounds in beats?**

A crumple or tear has a crisp, noisy attack similar to a snare or shaker, but with an organic texture. Short paper sounds make good percussion layers in lo-fi, trip hop and minimal music.

**How do I record my own paper foley?**

In a quiet, soft-furnished room, with the microphone close. Different papers sound very different: newspaper is soft, printer paper is crisp, and card is stiff and thuddy.

## Related collections

- [Free footstep sound effects](https://sound.shep.bot/samples/free-footstep-sounds.md): Free footstep sounds on wood, gravel, snow, concrete and grass, walking and running, for film, games and textured beats, each with a commercial-use verdict.
- [Free glass sound effects](https://sound.shep.bot/samples/free-glass-sound-effects.md): Free glass sounds: breaking windows, shattering bottles, clinks, chimes and glass hits for film, games and percussion layers, with a licence verdict.
- [Free room tone recordings](https://sound.shep.bot/samples/free-room-tone.md): Free room tone and quiet interior ambience: empty rooms, offices, halls and hums to fill silence in film, podcasts and music, with a licence verdict.
- [Free shaker samples](https://sound.shep.bot/samples/free-shaker-samples.md): Free shaker one-shots and loops: egg shakers, maracas, cabasas and rattles that add movement to house, pop and Latin beats, each with a commercial-use verdict.
- [Free city ambience](https://sound.shep.bot/samples/free-city-ambience.md): Free city ambience: street traffic, crowds, cafés, train stations, sirens and night-time cityscapes for film, games, podcasts and music, with licences.
- [Free door sound effects](https://sound.shep.bot/samples/free-door-sound-effects.md): Free door sounds: creaks, slams, knocks, locks, handles and sliding doors, wooden and metal, for film, games and podcasts, with a licence verdict.

---
Source: https://sound.shep.bot/samples/free-paper-sound-effects