How to use the Hearing Test
- Find a quiet room and wear wired or Bluetooth headphones (not speakers); turn off sound enhancements.
- Set the volume first: play the 1 kHz reference and adjust system volume until it is clear but not loud. Do not change system volume during the test.
- During the test each tone starts very quiet and grows louder; click I hear it as soon as you do. Each frequency is tested in each ear.
- Review your relative curves and high-frequency limit. If the ears differ clearly or high frequencies drop sharply, see a hearing professional.
What this test measures
The tool uses an ascending method to find the quietest level you can hear at each frequency (in dB relative to digital full scale) and plots both ears. Because your headphone sensitivity and system volume are unknown, the results are not clinical dB HL thresholds; they show differences between ears, relative differences across frequencies and changes against your own earlier results.
High-frequency hearing declines with age
Young people often hear up to about 17–20 kHz. With age the upper limit falls gradually (age-related hearing loss), and long-term noise exposure often shows a dip around 4 kHz first. The high-frequency limit result depends heavily on your headphones, many of which are weak above 16 kHz.
When to see a doctor
See a doctor promptly if one ear is clearly worse, hearing drops suddenly, tinnitus persists, or your ear feels blocked or painful. Sudden hearing loss needs early treatment. Clinical pure-tone audiometry, using calibrated equipment in a sound booth, is the standard assessment.
Frequently asked questions
Is an online hearing test accurate?
Only as a self-screening aid. Headphones, system volume and room noise all affect the result, so it cannot give a clinical hearing grade or replace a professional test.
Can I use laptop or phone speakers?
Not recommended. Speakers cannot separate the ears, and room echo and noise distort the results. Use headphones.
Can the test tones hurt my ears?
Tones start very quietly, rise gradually and stop at a capped level. Set a comfortable system volume in step one and do not raise it during the test. Stop if you feel discomfort.
Why can I not hear high frequencies?
It may be a normal age-related change, or your headphones may not reproduce high frequencies. Retest with another pair to compare.
Can children take it?
Children can explore left/right differences with a parent, but childhood hearing screening should be done by a school or clinic.