As we age, the highest pitches go first. This tool lets you check, right now, how high your ears still reach. I built it as someone who makes music, to make sure I am not sending people sounds I can no longer hear myself.
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1. Reference tone (1,000 Hz)
First, set your device volume so that this tone is clear but not loud. Do not change the volume during the test. Turning it up to catch a high tone you cannot hear can damage your hearing.
No sound on iPhone? Turn off the silent switch on the side of the phone.
If the waveform moves, sound is being sent to your device (whether the speaker or earphones actually reproduce it depends on the hardware).
Result
- Highest tone you heard
- –
- Commonly used guide
- –
- This device’s upper limit
- –
Even 4,000 Hz was not heard. Check the volume setting and your device’s playback.
Note: you answered “I heard it” on a round where no sound was played. You may be guessing; try again.
Note: you heard a higher tone after missing a lower one. That may be the device, or guessing.
This guide is a widely circulated rule of thumb, not a medically validated standard. Devices and listening conditions change it a lot. This is the browser’s processing limit. Speakers, earphones and Bluetooth compression often cut off well below it.
How to use it
- Set the volume with the reference tone (1,000 Hz). Clear, but not loud. Leave the volume there until the test is over.
- Press “Start the test,” then repeat “Play” → “I heard it” or “Nothing.” There are 13 steps from 4,000 Hz to 20,000 Hz. The first two, 4,000 and 6,000 Hz, are audible to almost everyone on almost any device; if you do not hear them, the problem is the volume or the hardware, not your ears.
- Two rounds play no sound at all. If you hear nothing, say so. Answering “I heard it” on a silent round adds a warning to your result.
- The result shows the highest tone you heard, the commonly used age guide, and the upper limit your device can play.
Earphones or headphones are recommended. Phone speakers are weak at high pitches and tend to give a lower result than your ears deserve.
Reading the result: the age guide
The “hearing age” guide that circulates widely looks like this.
| Highest tone heard | Commonly used guide |
|---|---|
| 20,000 Hz | teens to around 20 |
| 18,000 Hz | 20s |
| 16,000 Hz | 30s |
| 15,000 Hz | 40s |
| 12,000 Hz | 50s |
| below 12,000 Hz | 60s and over |
This table is not a medical standard. It is a rule of thumb shared widely online, and I could not find a large study behind it. That high pitches fade first with age is well established (age-related hearing loss), but individual variation is large, and the same person gets different results on different devices. If you have any concern about your hearing, see an ENT specialist. This tool is not a substitute.
About your device’s limit
The “upper limit” shown in the result is the limit of the browser’s audio processing (about 19,800 to 21,600 Hz on most devices). In practice the sound often stops well below that.
- Phone speakers: small speakers are weak at high pitches and may fall silent around 16,000 Hz.
- Bluetooth earphones: depending on the codec, everything above 16,000 to 18,000 Hz may be cut.
- Wired earphones or headphones: the combination most likely to reach the top.
“I didn’t hear 18,000 Hz” may mean “my device didn’t play it,” not “my ears can’t.” Another device or a wired pair can change the result.
Why I built this
Making healing music means being careful with high frequencies, because the higher the pitch, the harder it hits the ear at the same volume (play 174 Hz and 963 Hz at the same volume in the Frequency Lab and you will hear it).
Something else bothered me: was I sending people high sounds that I could no longer hear myself? If high pitches fade with age, that applies to the maker’s ears too. Knowing your own ceiling is important information for anyone who makes sound. That is what this tool is for.
Before you use it
- Do not turn up the volume to catch a tone you cannot hear. High pure tones can strain the ear even when you do not perceive them.
- If you have tinnitus or any concern about your hearing, ask a doctor before using this.
- This tool does not diagnose hearing. Treat the result as a rough indication.
Related tools
- Frequency Lab: play and compare the nine Solfeggio tones, 432 Hz and 440 Hz
This article does not guarantee any medical or health benefit and is not a substitute for professional medical care. If you have any health concerns, please consult a physician or other qualified professional.
