Online Hearing Test — How High Can You Hear?
Use headphones in a quiet room. Speakers can't reproduce the highest frequencies — your result would be capped by the device, not your ears.
Your result will appear here after the test.
You can hear up to
— kHz
Not a medical measurement — see the disclaimer below.
First, set a comfortable level — then find the highest pitch you can hear.
Tip: press Space to start, and again the moment the tone fades.
Current frequency
2.00 kHz
…or press Space
Can you hear this tone?
We're sweeping a narrow range around — to confirm.
Manual mode — find the edges yourself ▸
Advanced ▸
Most speakers and headphones roll off below ~40 Hz, so a low result here is usually the hardware.
High frequencies are volume-capped for safety. Keep it comfortable.
Runs entirely in your browser — no recording, no uploads.
What Is an Online Hearing Test?
An online hearing test plays a tone that rises in pitch and asks you to mark the moment it disappears — revealing the highest frequency you can hear. It's a quick way to explore how high you can hear, estimate a playful "hearing age," and see age-related high-frequency loss in action. Healthy young adults hear up to around 17–20 kHz; most people lose the very top of that range as they get older.
This test runs entirely in your browser using the Web Audio API — nothing is recorded or uploaded, and it works in Safari, Chrome, and Firefox without an app or signup. For a specific reference pitch instead of a sweep, use our tone generator. Because consumer headphones and speakers aren't calibrated, treat the number as a fun, approximate snapshot — not a clinical reading.
How to Test Your Hearing
- Put on headphones in a quiet room — speakers can't reproduce the highest frequencies.
- Set a comfortable volume using the 1 kHz reference tone before you begin.
- Start the sweep — the tone rises slowly from a low, easily heard pitch toward 20 kHz.
- Tap when it fades (or press Spacebar) the instant you can't hear it. We confirm with a short replay and show your result.
What Your Result Means
The highest frequency you can hear drops gradually with age — the ear loses sensitivity to the top end first, a normal process called presbycusis. These are rough population averages, heavily affected by your headphones, volume, and room noise:
| You can hear up to | Approximate hearing age |
|---|---|
| ~20 kHz | Under 20 (rare — and few devices reproduce it) |
| ~17–18 kHz | Under ~30 |
| ~15–16 kHz | Under ~40–50 |
| ~14 kHz | Around 50s |
| ~12 kHz | 60+ |
If you stopped well below 12 kHz, that's almost always your headphones, volume, or room — not your ears. Try good headphones in a quiet room and retest before reading anything into it.
The Mosquito Tone (17 kHz) — Can You Hear It?
The "mosquito tone" is a roughly 17 kHz sound that most people over about 25 can no longer hear. It became famous twice: as the Mosquito anti-loitering device that emitted an irritating high tone aimed at teenagers, and as the "teen ringtone" students used in class because teachers couldn't hear it. It's a fun, instant way to check your high-frequency hearing.
Why Headphones & Volume Matter
Unlike a clinical audiogram, this test runs on uncalibrated consumer hardware — so a few honest caveats. Laptop and phone speakers physically can't reproduce much above 15–18 kHz, so without headphones your result is capped by the device. Room noise masks faint high tones, making you stop early. And most headphones roll off below ~40 Hz, so the low-end test is limited by hardware too.
That's why a low result is usually fixable: better headphones, a quieter room, and a comfortable volume often add several kHz. We deliberately run the sweep at a higher volume so the safety-capped high frequencies stay audible — and we never map a low result to a scary "see a specialist" verdict, because on bad hardware that would just be wrong.
Frequently Asked Questions
How high should I be able to hear?
Healthy young adults hear up to about 17–20 kHz. High-frequency hearing declines naturally with age — by your 30s most people top out around 15–16 kHz, and by 50 around 12–14 kHz. These are rough averages, not a diagnosis.
Is this a real medical hearing test?
No. This is for curiosity and entertainment, not a medical hearing test. It cannot diagnose hearing loss. Results aren't calibrated clinical units (dB HL) and depend on your device, headphones, and room. If you're concerned about your hearing, see an audiologist.
Do I need headphones?
Strongly recommended. Laptop and phone speakers can't reproduce the highest frequencies, so without headphones your result is capped by the device rather than your ears. Headphones are required to test each ear separately.
Why can't I hear above 15 or 16 kHz?
That's normal with age — the ear loses sensitivity to the highest frequencies first (presbycusis). It can also simply be your headphones, volume, or background noise rather than your ears.
Why does the tone get quieter at high frequencies?
High-frequency tones at full volume can be uncomfortable and damaging, so the volume is automatically capped above a few kHz for safety. The sweep runs at a higher overall volume so those capped highs stay clearly audible.
Can I test each ear separately?
Yes — open Advanced settings and pick Left or Right. The tone is routed to a single channel, so it only works on headphones. Test one ear at a time.
What's the mosquito tone?
A roughly 17 kHz tone most people over 25 can't hear, used in anti-loitering devices and as a "teen ringtone." There's a Play 17 kHz button above to check whether you can still hear it.
What audio formats are supported?
MP3, WAV, OGG, FLAC, M4A, AAC, and WebM. The output is always a 320 kbps MP3 file.
Is my audio uploaded to a server?
No. All processing happens locally in your browser using the Web Audio API. Your files never leave your device.
How good is the audio processing quality?
We use the same techniques found in professional audio software: convolution reverb with real impulse responses, phase vocoder time-stretching, HRTF-based spatial audio, EBU R128 peak limiting, and LUFS loudness normalization. What you hear in the preview is exactly what you get in the export — we guarantee preview/export parity across every tool.
Related tools
Generate a precise frequency from 20 Hz to 20 kHz — sine, square, sawtooth, triangle.
Online MetronomeKeep time while practicing — tap tempo, time signatures, subdivisions.
Audio EqualizerShape your audio with a 10-band graphic EQ — real-time preview.
8D Audio EffectTrue 3D binaural audio with HRTF — best experienced on headphones.