This test plays tones at different frequencies and asks whether you can hear them. Your results show which parts of your hearing range are strong and which may have weakened — giving you a useful baseline picture of your hearing health in under five minutes.
Use headphones for the most accurate results. The test works without them, but speaker output varies enough between devices that frequency-specific results are more reliable with over-ear or in-ear headphones.
👂 Online Hearing Test
Discover your hearing thresholds at 6 key frequencies
👂 How to Use
- Find a quiet room (use headphones preferably)
- Adjust volume to comfortable level
- Click "Start Test" to begin
- Listen carefully for soft tones
- Click "I Hear It" immediately when detected
- Click "No Sound" if you don't hear anything
- Wait as we test your right ear
- View results - your personal audiogram
250
Hz
-10.0
dB
📊 Your Hearing Results
How the Test Works
Step 1 — Put on headphones. Over-ear or in-ear headphones give significantly more accurate results than device speakers, which cut off lower and higher frequencies depending on the device. Set your device volume to a comfortable level — not too loud, not too quiet.
Step 2 — Find a quiet environment. Background noise can mask the test tones and make you miss sounds you’d otherwise hear. If your environment is noisy, use the free online decibel meter to check the level first — aim for below 40 dB before testing.
Step 3 — Click when you hear the tone. The test plays a series of pure tones at different frequencies. Press the button as soon as you hear each one. If you’re not sure, it’s better to respond than to wait.
Step 4 — Read your results. After the test, you’ll see your hearing threshold at each frequency tested. Compare your results to the reference ranges below.
What the Results Mean
The test measures your hearing threshold — the softest sound you can detect at each frequency — in decibels (dBHL, hearing level).
| Result (dBHL) | Classification |
|---|---|
| –10 to 25 dBHL | Normal hearing |
| 26 to 40 dBHL | Mild hearing loss |
| 41 to 55 dBHL | Moderate hearing loss |
| 56 to 70 dBHL | Moderately severe hearing loss |
| 71 to 90 dBHL | Severe hearing loss |
| 91 dBHL or above | Profound hearing loss |
These classifications follow the standard audiometric grading system. They don’t replace a clinical diagnosis — they give you a reference point.
The frequencies tested typically include 500 Hz, 1,000 Hz, 2,000 Hz, 3,000 Hz, 4,000 Hz, and 8,000 Hz. Speech intelligibility depends most heavily on the 1,000–4,000 Hz range. A dip in this region is the most common pattern in noise-induced hearing loss (NIHL), particularly around 4,000 Hz — the frequency where the cochlea is most vulnerable to acoustic trauma.
How Hearing Changes With Age
Hearing range naturally narrows as you get older — a process called presbycusis. High-frequency sensitivity typically declines first, starting in the mid-20s and accelerating through the 40s and beyond. Low-frequency hearing often remains intact well into older age.
Approximate upper frequency limits by age:
| Age | Typical Upper Frequency Limit |
|---|---|
| Under 20 | Up to 18,000–20,000 Hz |
| 20s | Up to 17,000–18,000 Hz |
| 30s | Up to 15,000–16,000 Hz |
| 40s | Up to 13,000–14,000 Hz |
| 50s | Up to 10,000–12,000 Hz |
| 60+ | Up to 8,000–10,000 Hz |
These are approximate — individual variation is significant. Noise exposure accelerates the decline considerably. People with a history of loud occupational noise or regular concert attendance typically show earlier and steeper high-frequency loss than age-matched peers.
What Can Affect Your Results
Device and headphone quality. Cheap earbuds often have poor frequency response, particularly at the low and high ends of the range. Over-ear headphones with a flat frequency response give the most accurate results.
Background noise level. Ambient noise masks quiet test tones, making your thresholds appear worse than they are. Test in the quietest environment you can find.
Volume setting. Running the test at too low a volume means you’ll miss tones that you’d actually hear at a proper level. Start with your device volume around 70% and adjust the calibration slider in the test if provided.
Ear wax. Significant earwax blockage can temporarily reduce hearing sensitivity. If you’ve noticed recent changes in hearing, check whether earwax could be a factor before attributing the result to hearing loss.
Is This Test a Replacement for a Clinical Audiogram?
No. This test is a useful screening tool for personal awareness, not a clinical hearing assessment. A professional audiogram is conducted in a soundproof booth using calibrated equipment and is the only method that produces a medically valid result.
Use this test to:
- Get a general sense of your hearing range
- Track changes over time with repeated tests
- Decide whether to book a professional assessment
Book a professional assessment if:
- You notice a significant difference between your left and right ears
- Your results show moderate or greater loss in the speech frequency range
- You’ve experienced sudden hearing loss or persistent tinnitus
- You work in a noisy environment and haven’t had a professional test recently
Tinnitus — persistent ringing in the ears — is often an early sign that noise-induced damage has already begun. The hearing damage decibel chart explains the physical mechanism and the dB levels that typically cause it.
Protecting the Hearing You Have
If your results are in the normal range, the most effective thing you can do is protect that baseline. Noise-induced hearing loss is entirely preventable and entirely irreversible — the cochlear hair cells damaged by loud sound don’t regenerate.
The two key numbers to keep in mind: NIOSH sets 85 dBa as the maximum safe 8-hour exposure. Every 3 dB above that halves your safe listening time. A concert at 110 dB gives you roughly 1.5 minutes before NIOSH considers the exposure unsafe without protection. For the full exposure table, see the noise exposure time limits guide.
You can check whether any environment you spend time in regularly is above the safe threshold with the free online decibel meter — a 30-second reading is enough to know whether you should be wearing protection.
FAQ
Are online hearing tests accurate?
Browser-based hearing tests are accurate enough for personal screening and awareness — not for clinical diagnosis. They’re subject to variation based on headphone quality, device output, and ambient noise. A professional audiogram in a soundproof booth with calibrated equipment is the medically valid standard.
Do I need headphones for the test?
Headphones are strongly recommended. Device speakers have inconsistent frequency response, particularly at lower and higher frequencies, which skews the results. Any over-ear or in-ear headphones will give significantly more accurate readings than built-in speakers.
What does it mean if I can’t hear the high-frequency tones?
High-frequency loss — particularly above 4,000 Hz — is the most common early pattern of both noise-induced hearing loss and age-related hearing decline. If you’re under 40 and showing significant loss above 6,000 Hz, it’s worth booking a professional assessment to investigate whether noise exposure is a contributing factor.
Can I test one ear at a time?
If the test interface allows left/right selection, yes. Testing each ear separately gives a more useful result — particularly if you suspect asymmetric hearing loss, which can indicate a different cause from the bilateral loss typical of noise exposure or ageing.
How often should I test my hearing?
If you work in a noisy environment, OSHA recommends an annual audiometric test as part of a hearing conservation programme. For general personal monitoring, repeating this test every 6–12 months gives a useful long-term picture of whether your hearing thresholds are changing.