Online Speaker Test: Stereo, Sweep, Noise, Phase

How to test your speakers

1. Turn the volume down to about a third. Test tones are louder than music, especially in headphones.
2. Press Test my speakers. You hear three short beeps from the left, then from the right, then from both sides, and the matching side lights up on the screen.
3. Answer What did you hear?. The page tells you whether your speakers work and, if they do not, what to check on your device.
4. For a closer look, use the tests under More tests: single sides, a frequency sweep, a tone generator, noise, a phase test and the speaker cleaner.

The test works the same with laptop speakers, desktop speakers, soundbars, TVs connected to a computer, Bluetooth speakers, headphones and earbuds. It plays through whatever device your phone or computer is using right now.

Testing a phone speaker

Open this page on the phone and press Test my speakers. Phones play web pages, videos and voice messages through the media volume, so raise it with the side buttons while the sound is playing.

• Two speakers or one? Most recent iPhones and many Android phones use the earpiece at the top as a second speaker, so left and right come from opposite ends of the phone (hold it sideways). Phones with a single bottom speaker play both sides from the same place, and that is normal.
• Nothing on iPhone? Silent mode can mute sounds from web pages. Turn it off with the Ring/Silent switch or the Action button, then test again.
• Muffled or quiet? Remove the case and screen protector, and brush dust out of the speaker holes with a dry, soft brush.

Step-by-step help: iPhone speaker not working, Android phone speaker not working, iPad speakers not working.

Left and right channels

Stereo music and films send different sound to the left and the right. If the sides are swapped, voices and instruments appear on the wrong side and games give wrong directions. Use Left, Right and Alternate to check each side on its own.

• One side silent: check the balance setting on your device and the cable or Bluetooth connection of that speaker. Mono audio, an accessibility setting, makes both sides play the same sound.
• Sides swapped: swap the speaker cables, or check that your headphones are not on backwards. L and R are printed on most earbuds and headbands.

Frequency sweep and bass test

The full range sweep glides from 20 Hz to 20 kHz in 14 seconds and shows the frequency it is playing. Listen for three things:

• Rattles and buzzing at particular frequencies. They point to a loose part, a torn speaker cone or something vibrating near the speaker.
• Where the bass starts. Phone and laptop speakers usually stay silent below about 150–300 Hz; small desktop speakers start around 70–100 Hz; a subwoofer goes down to 30 Hz or lower. Use the bass sweep (20–250 Hz) to hear this more slowly.
• Where it ends. Most adults stop hearing the sweep somewhere between 14 and 17 kHz. This depends on your ears, not only on the speakers.

The tone generator plays one frequency for as long as you want, which helps to find the exact frequency of a rattle. Pink noise sounds even across the whole range and is good for comparing two speakers or setting levels; brown noise has more bass.

Speaker cleaner: water and dust

The speaker cleaner plays a low 165 Hz tone in short pulses for 30 seconds. The strong movement of the speaker can help push out water droplets after rain or a splash, and loosen dust. Hold the phone with the speaker facing down, use a medium volume and stop if the sound distorts.

It does not repair a damaged speaker, and it is not a reason to get a phone wet. Do not put a wet phone in rice or near a heater; let it dry in the air with the speaker facing down. If the sound is still muffled after a day, the speaker may need a repair.

No sound? Quick fixes

• Volume and mute. Check the system volume, the mute key, the speakers' own volume knob and whether this browser tab is muted.
• Wrong output. Computers often switch sound to a monitor (HDMI), a headset or a Bluetooth device. Choose your speakers in the sound settings.
• Bluetooth. Earbuds in their case, a smartwatch or a car can keep the sound. Turn Bluetooth off for a moment and test again.

Full guides: no sound on Windows, no sound on Mac. If only one app is silent, see the guides for WhatsApp, Zoom, Microsoft Teams, Discord or Google Meet.

Crackling, buzzing or distorted sound

• Distortion only at high volume is normal for small speakers. Lower the volume in the app or system before blaming the speaker.
• A steady low hum from desktop speakers, even with no sound playing, usually comes from the power or audio cable (a ground loop), not from the speakers. Try another power socket or a different cable.
• Crackling with Bluetooth comes from the connection: move closer, and keep the phone out of your back pocket.
• Sound effects and enhancements (equalizers, Dolby, spatial sound) can make speakers sound worse. Turn them off to compare.

Phase test for home speakers

Each speaker has a plus and a minus terminal. If one speaker of a pair is connected the wrong way round, the two speakers push against each other: the sound loses bass and seems to come from nowhere. Play In phase and Out of phase. In phase should sound fuller and centred between the speakers. If out of phase sounds fuller, swap the two wires on one speaker.

Privacy and safety

All sounds are created in your browser with the Web Audio API. Nothing is recorded or uploaded, and the page never asks for your microphone. Keep the volume moderate: loud test tones, especially high frequencies in headphones, can damage hearing and small speakers.

Frequently asked questions

Why do I hear only one side on my phone?

Many phones have only one loudspeaker, so left and right play from the same place. If your phone has two speakers and one side is silent, check the balance and mono audio settings, then clean the silent speaker.

Why does my laptop have almost no bass?

Laptop speakers are too small to move enough air for low notes. The bass sweep shows where they start. For more bass, use headphones or external speakers.

Can I test headphones and earbuds?

Yes. Connect them first so the sound goes to them, then run the same tests. Start at a low volume.

Can I choose which speaker to test?

In Chrome and Edge on a computer, an Output menu appears when the browser can list your audio devices. Otherwise the page plays through the device selected in your system settings.