How to take the hearing age test
- Put on headphones in a quiet room and set your device volume to about 30%. Never turn the volume up to hear high tones; that can damage your hearing.
- Press Start test. A pure tone starts at 8,000 Hz and rises by 500 Hz every 1.5 seconds.
- Press I can't hear it now the moment the sound disappears. The last frequency you heard gives your estimated hearing age.
- Share your result and challenge your friends: the link shows them your score.
Why we lose high frequencies
Healthy young ears can hear sounds from about 20 Hz to 20,000 Hz. With age, the hair cells in the inner ear that detect the highest pitches wear out first, a process called presbycusis. Most teenagers can still hear 17–19 kHz, which is why "mosquito" tones around 17.4 kHz were once used to deter teenagers, while many adults over 25 cannot. Loud noise exposure from concerts, headphones and power tools accelerates the loss.
The age bands used here follow commonly cited averages: roughly 17–18 kHz in the early twenties, around 16 kHz by 30, 15 kHz by 40 and 12 kHz by 50 to 60. Individual hearing varies a lot, and many speakers, earbuds and Bluetooth codecs cut off frequencies above 15–16 kHz, so a low result may be your equipment rather than your ears. Try wired headphones.
This is an entertainment and awareness tool, not a clinical audiogram, which tests lower frequencies and both ears separately at calibrated levels. The tones are generated in your browser with the Web Audio API.
What frequency can a 30 year old hear?
Typically up to about 16,000–17,000 Hz, although it varies from person to person.
Why can't I hear anything above 15 kHz?
It may be your speakers or headphones. Many devices filter high frequencies. Try different wired headphones before drawing conclusions.
Is this test safe?
Yes at a moderate volume. Never raise the volume to try to hear a tone you can't hear, and stop if you feel discomfort or ringing.