How to test your speakers or headphones
- Lower the volume. Set your computer or phone volume to about 30%.
- Test the left side. Press “Left”. You should only hear the sound from the left speaker or left earbud.
- Test the right side. Press “Right” and check that the sound comes only from the right. Then press “Both”.
- Check the balance. Use “Alternate left ↔ right” to quickly compare both sides.
What the results mean
- Sound on the wrong side: your headphones are on backwards (check the L and R marks), or the channels are swapped in your audio settings.
- Same sound on both sides: “Mono audio” is on in your accessibility settings, or the speaker is a single mono unit, like most phone and laptop speakers.
- One side quieter: check the balance slider in your system settings and clean the earbud mesh. Wax and dust often block one side.
- No sound at all: see the steps below.
Frequency sweep and hearing range
Humans hear roughly from 20 Hz to 20,000 Hz (20 kHz). The upper limit goes down with age: many adults can’t hear tones above 15–17 kHz. Small laptop and phone speakers produce little below 150–200 Hz, so silence at the start of the sweep is normal. The sweep also reveals rattles or buzzing from loose parts.
Can’t hear anyone in Zoom, Teams or Google Meet?
If the sound test works but you can’t hear people in a meeting, the app is sending sound to another device. Choose your speakers or headphones here:
- Zoom: Settings › Audio › Speaker, then “Test Speaker”.
- Microsoft Teams: Settings and more (…) › Settings › Devices › Speaker. Use “Make a test call”.
- Google Meet: More options (⋮) › Settings › Audio › Speakers, then “Test”.
To check your camera and microphone at the same time, use the video call test.
No sound? Fix it step by step
1. Check volume and mute
Make sure the system volume isn’t muted, and that the browser tab isn’t muted either: right-click the tab and look for Unmute site.
2. Choose the right output device
- Windows: click the speaker icon on the taskbar, then the arrow next to the volume slider, and choose your speakers or headphones.
- macOS: open System Settings › Sound › Output and select your device.
- Monitors connected by HDMI or DisplayPort often become the default output. If you hear nothing, check whether the sound is going to your monitor.
3. Bluetooth headphones
If they’re connected but silent, disconnect and reconnect them, or remove them from the Bluetooth list and pair them again. Also check that another device, like your phone, hasn’t taken the connection.
4. Turn off mono audio
- Windows: Settings › Accessibility › Audio › Mono audio.
- macOS: System Settings › Accessibility › Audio.
- iPhone: Settings › Accessibility › Audio & Visual.
- Android: Settings › Accessibility.
All sounds are generated live by your browser. No audio files are downloaded and nothing is recorded.
Frequently asked questions
How do I know if my headphones are on the right way?
Press “Left”. If the sound comes from the ear marked R, swap them. Most headphones have a small L and R on the band or inside the ear cups.
Why do I hear the left sound in both ears?
“Mono audio” is probably on in your accessibility settings, or your device has only one speaker. Turn mono audio off to hear true stereo.
Why can’t I hear people in Teams or Zoom if the sound test works?
The meeting app is sending audio to another device. Choose your speakers or headphones in the app’s audio settings (Teams: Settings › Devices; Zoom: Settings › Audio).
What is the highest frequency I should be able to hear?
Young people can often hear up to 17–20 kHz. Many adults hear up to 14–16 kHz. Results also depend on your speakers: many can’t reproduce very high tones.
Can this test damage my speakers?
Not at normal volume. Avoid playing high-frequency or square-wave tones at maximum volume for a long time: they can stress small speakers and your ears.