How to use the Sound Test
- Turn your volume down a little first, then press Left, Center or Right.
- You should hear the tone only from the matching side. If the sides are swapped, check your headphones.
- Use the bass and treble tones to check low and high frequencies.
Left/right swapped or missing
If the left tone plays on the right, your headphones are on backwards or the channels are swapped in your sound settings. If one side is silent, check the balance slider in your system sound settings, then try another cable or port — a half-inserted plug often drops one channel.
Bass and treble check
The low tone (60 Hz) checks bass: laptop speakers often cannot reproduce it at all. The high tone (10 kHz) checks treble: most young adults hear it clearly, and high-frequency hearing naturally declines with age.
Frequently asked questions
Why can’t I hear anything?
Check that the tab is not muted, the system volume is up and the right output device is selected. Browsers only play sound after you click a button on the page.
Is this a hearing test?
No. It checks your audio equipment. For hearing concerns, see a professional.
Does it work with Bluetooth headphones?
Yes. Bluetooth adds a short delay before the tone starts, which is normal.