WringHow to run a hearing frequency test in two minutes
You only need a quiet room, headphones and a tone generator. Open the free online tone generator, choose the sine waveform and follow these steps.
Keep the volume the same for the whole test. If you turn it up every time a tone fades, you are measuring how loud your headphones can go, not how high you can hear.
- Use wired headphones or good earbuds. A phone speaker is a poor choice for the top end (more on that below).
- Start at 1 kHz and set the volume so the tone is clearly audible but quiet, roughly the level of a soft conversation.
- Jump to 8 kHz, then move up in steps: 10, 12, 14, 15, 16, 17 kHz and so on.
- Write down the last frequency you can still hear. Then start above it and come back down until the tone reappears. The two numbers should be close.
- Test one ear at a time by wearing a single earbud or using the left/right buttons of a speaker test.
What your result means
The textbook range of human hearing is about 20 Hz to 20 kHz, but the 20 kHz end belongs mostly to children and teenagers. With age the upper limit slides down a little at a time. Age-related hearing loss starts with high-pitched sounds and affects both ears, which is why a frequency test picks it up first.
Treat the number as a rough snapshot. Many adults in their twenties and thirties can no longer hear the 17 kHz region, and the limit keeps creeping down in later decades. If both ears land in a similar place and everyday speech is easy to follow, a lower limit on its own is not a reason to worry.
What matters more is a difference between ears or a change you notice. If one ear stops several kilohertz earlier than the other, repeat the test with different headphones. If the gap stays, mention it to a doctor or audiologist.
The mosquito sound: why teenagers hear it and adults don't
The mosquito sound (or mosquito tone) is a nickname for a very high pitch, around 17 kHz. It became famous because many teenagers hear it as an irritating whine while many adults hear nothing at all. That is the same age effect as above, packed into one frequency.
You can try it yourself: set the tone generator to 17,400 Hz at low volume. If you hear nothing, check that your headphones can play it by trying 15 kHz first. Do not turn the volume up to chase it.
Why a phone can give the wrong answer
Your result can only be as good as the thing playing the tone. Small phone speakers and cheap earbuds often roll off above 15 kHz, and some Bluetooth connections compress or trim the very top of the range. In those cases the tone stops because the hardware stops, not because your ears did.
If a tone vanishes suspiciously early, try wired headphones or another pair. To rule out a weak or damaged phone speaker, run the speaker test and compare both channels. Our bass test guide covers the opposite end of the range.
The Wring app includes a tone generator for iPhone and Android, so you can repeat the check on your phone without a browser. It is free with ads and limits; Pro removes both.
What not to do
A hearing frequency test is quick and harmless if you keep it quiet. Avoid these habits:
- Don't raise the volume to hear a fading high tone. High frequencies can feel quiet right up to the point where they are uncomfortable.
- Don't use square or sawtooth waves for this test. They add extra tones and are much harsher at the same volume.
- Don't run long sessions. A few minutes is enough; steady tones are tiring.
- Don't play loud high tones to children or pets, or use them as a prank.
- Don't treat the result as a diagnosis. It shows your upper limit, not how well you hear speech.
This check vs a real hearing test
An online frequency test answers one question: where does your hearing stop? A clinical hearing test, called an audiogram, asks a different one: how quiet can each frequency get before you miss it? That is what reveals hearing loss in the range used for speech.
If you have AirPods Pro 2 or AirPods Pro 3 and an iPhone or iPad, Apple's Hearing Test feature takes about five minutes and shows your hearing at different frequencies in decibels hearing level (dBHL). It is intended for adults 18 and over. Otherwise, an audiologist can run a full test.
When to see a doctor or audiologist
Sudden hearing loss, often in one ear, should be treated as a medical emergency: see a doctor straight away rather than waiting to see if it clears.
Ringing, buzzing or hissing that nobody else can hear is called tinnitus. Start with your GP, who can refer you to an ear specialist.
If you find yourself asking people to repeat themselves or turning the TV up, book a hearing check. Noise is the cause you can prevent: sounds at or below 70 dBA are unlikely to harm hearing, while long or repeated exposure at 85 dBA or more can. A decibel meter on your phone gives a rough idea of how loud your day is.
Quick answers
Short answers to the questions people search for most.
- What frequency should I be able to hear? Young people often hear up to about 17 to 20 kHz. Adults usually stop lower, and the limit keeps dropping slowly with age.
- What frequency is the mosquito sound? Around 17 kHz. Many teenagers hear it; many adults do not.
- Can I do a hearing test on my phone? You can check your upper frequency limit with headphones and a tone generator. For a real hearing test, use a clinically designed test or see a professional.
- Why do I hear a tone in one ear only? First swap headphones and repeat. If the difference stays, have your hearing checked.
- Is a hearing frequency test safe? Yes, at low volume and for a few minutes. Never turn it up to chase a tone you can't hear.