What is it?
The Hearing Frequency Test plays pure tones from 125 Hz to 20 kHz in each ear, one at a time, to find the highest pitch you can hear. Our ability to hear high sounds fades naturally with age and loud noise.
Who is it for?
Curious adults, people who often say “pardon?”, musicians, and people working in noisy places who want a rough check.
How to use it
- Use headphones in a quiet room; set Volume (keep it low).
- Tap Play tone and answer I hear it ✓ or I can’t hear it; move with ◀ Lower and Higher ▶.
- When you see All tones done for this ear. Switch ears to compare., test the other ear.
Typical upper limits
Children: around 20 kHz. Age 30: about 16–17 kHz. Age 50: about 12 kHz. Keep volume low; loud high tones can harm hearing.
Not a medical test. It’s a quick screening aid; see an optometrist, audiologist or doctor for a proper check, especially if you notice changes.
Errors and how to fix them
- “This browser cannot play tones here”
- Can’t hear very high tones: normal with age; many adults over 30 can’t hear above about 15–17 kHz. Also, cheap headphones may not play them.
- One ear much worse: swap headphone sides to rule out the headphones.
Open the tool: Hearing Frequency Test
Still stuck?
Contact support. Tell us which tool or page you were using, what you tapped, what you saw, and your phone or computer and browser (for example: Android phone, Chrome). We reply by email.
Questions, or an error not listed here?
Tell us in the comments: what you were doing, the exact message you saw, and your device and browser. We read every comment and add new fixes to this article.