Hearing Range
Play pure tones from 8 kHz to 20 kHz. Find the edge of your hearing range — and see what age it matches.
Use headphones for accurate results. High-frequency tones are nearly inaudible through laptop speakers. Set volume to a comfortable level before starting.
We'll play tones from 8 kHz up to 20 kHz. Click yes or no for each one — the test ends when you can't hear a tone. Takes about 60 seconds.
Your hearing range
6 kHz
typical for someone in their 70s+
Auditory age
70s+
based on range
Better than
10%
of all ages
Hearing range by age
The human ear can theoretically detect 20 Hz–20 kHz, but high-frequency hearing declines from the mid-20s onward. By 50, most people can't hear above 12–14 kHz. This test uses your browser's Web Audio API — headphones give the most accurate results.
Put It In Context
Age-related hearing loss (presbycusis) is the most common sensory disorder in older adults — affecting 1 in 3 people over 65. High-frequency decline begins in the mid-20s and is driven by the gradual death of hair cells in the cochlea, which unlike most cells, do not regenerate. Prolonged noise exposure (concerts, earbuds at high volume) accelerates this process. Interestingly, young people often use high-frequency ringtones (the "Mosquito tone" at 17.4 kHz) specifically because adults can't hear them.
Curiosity Trail — explore next