How to use the headphone test
- Lower your system volume before putting the headphones on. The Volume slider on the page also starts low.
- Press Left: a short tone (440 Hz, 1.5 seconds) should play only in your left ear.
- Press Right, then Both. Both should sound as if it comes from the middle of your head.
- Press Frequency sweep for a 12-second tone that rises from 20 Hz to 20 kHz, with the current frequency on screen.
- Raise the Volume slider slowly if you need to, and press Stop sound whenever you want.
What the result means
- Left plays in your right ear: check the L and R marks. Headphones are easy to wear backwards, and some earbuds are hard to tell apart.
- Both ears hear every tone the same: Mono audio is on in your system (see below).
- One side is silent or much quieter: try another device. If the fault follows the headphones, it is the cable, plug or driver; if not, check the balance setting.
- Crackling when you move the cable: a broken wire, usually near the plug or where the cable enters the ear cup.
Keep the volume moderate during the sweep. High frequencies can sound much louder than the low ones, and hearing above about 15 kHz fades with age, so silence at the very end is normal.
3-pole vs 4-pole jacks
Wired headphones use a 3.5 mm plug. Count the black or plastic rings on it: one ring means 3 poles (left, right, ground, no microphone); two rings mean 4 poles (left, right, ground and microphone), the usual plug on headsets and phone earbuds.
- A 4-pole headset in a computer jack made for headphones only: the sound may play but the microphone will not work. Use the combined jack, or a splitter with separate headphone and microphone plugs.
- Voices sound faint or hollow while music and background play normally: the plug is partly in, or the headset uses the older OMTP wiring instead of the common CTIA standard. Push the plug all the way in, or use a CTIA/OMTP adapter.
- A 3-pole headphone in a combined 4-pole jack normally works for sound; the computer then uses its built-in microphone.
Bluetooth headphones
- If sound plays from the speakers, the headphones are connected but not selected. Choose them as the output in the system sound settings.
- When a call app uses the headset microphone, many Bluetooth headphones switch to a call mode with lower, mono-like sound. Close the call app or choose the computer's microphone to get stereo back.
- On Windows the same headphones can appear twice, once as Headphones and once as Headset. For listening, pick the stereo Headphones entry.
Mono audio and balance by system
- Windows 11: Settings > System > Sound. In the Output section, turn off Mono audio, then open the device to check that the Left channel and Right channel sliders match.
- Mac: System Settings > Sound > Output for the Balance slider, and System Settings > Accessibility > Audio for Play stereo audio as mono.
- iPhone and iPad: Settings > Accessibility > Audio & Visual. Turn off Mono Audio and centre the Balance slider; this also applies to AirPods.
- Android: search Settings for Mono audio or Balance. The location varies by brand, usually under Accessibility or Sound.
The tones are generated in your browser. Nothing is recorded or sent, and the test keeps working offline after the first visit.
Questions
How do I know which side of my headphones is left?
Press Left. The ear that hears the tone is the left side. If it plays in the ear marked R, you are wearing them backwards or the channels are swapped.
Why does only one earbud play sound?
Check the balance and Mono audio settings first, then try another device. If the same earbud stays silent everywhere, it needs cleaning, charging or repair.
Why does my headset microphone not work on my PC?
A 4-pole headset needs a combined jack. On a PC with separate pink and green jacks, use a splitter so the microphone gets its own plug.
Is this headphone test safe for my ears?
The tones start quiet on purpose. Lower your system volume before putting the headphones on and raise it slowly.