Free Online Sound Test
Check if your microphone is working and measure your real-time volume level in decibels. Fast, free, and fully private — no audio is ever uploaded.
–dB
Click Start to begin
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How to Use the Sound Test
- Click Start Sound Test and allow microphone access when prompted.
- Speak, clap, or make any sound near your microphone.
- Watch the dB meter respond in real time. The Mic Working indicator turns green when audio is detected.
- If the meter stays flat at –60 dB, check your browser permissions and system audio settings.
Sound Level Reference Table
Use this table to understand what the dB readings on the meter mean. Note that the values here use the dBFS (decibels relative to full scale) system used for digital audio, not the SPL scale used for room acoustics.
| Level (dBFS) | What it means | Meter color |
|---|---|---|
| –60 to –50 dB | Near silence / microphone noise floor | Gray |
| –50 to –40 dB | Very quiet environment, distant sounds | Blue |
| –40 to –30 dB | Quiet room, soft breathing | Blue |
| –30 to –20 dB | Soft speech, mild ambient noise | Green |
| –20 to –10 dB | Normal speaking voice at mic distance | Green |
| –10 to –6 dB | Ideal recording level for voice | Green |
| –6 to 0 dB | Loud / close to clipping — reduce gain | Red |
Why Test Your Microphone?
Before a meeting or call
Test that your mic is picked up before joining a video call. Nothing is worse than being muted without knowing it.
Before recording audio or video
Check your recording level so you know your voice will be audible and not distorted in the final file.
Troubleshoot mic problems
If others can't hear you, the dB meter instantly tells you whether the issue is the mic, the app, or the system settings.
Singer practice setup
Singers using pitch detectors or recording tools need a working mic. Confirm your setup is ready before starting a session.
Common Microphone Problems & Fixes
- Meter stuck at –60 dB (no movement). The browser likely has no mic permission. Click the lock/mic icon in your browser address bar and set microphone to “Allow”, then refresh.
- Level extremely quiet (–50 to –40 dB) when speaking normally. Check your operating system’s microphone input volume. On Windows: Settings → System → Sound → Input device → Volume. On macOS: System Settings → Sound → Input.
- Level peaks in red (close to 0 dB) constantly. Reduce the microphone gain in your OS sound settings or move the mic further from your mouth. Brief peaks in red are normal, but a sustained red level will cause distortion (clipping).
- Wrong microphone is being used. If you have a headset and a built-in mic, the browser may use the built-in one. Set your preferred mic as the default input device in OS sound settings.
Frequently Asked Questions
Click Start, allow mic access, then speak. If the dB meter moves and the Mic Working indicator turns green, your microphone is working. No audio is recorded — the test is entirely local in your browser.
A decibel is a logarithmic unit for measuring sound level. In digital audio (dBFS), 0 dB is the maximum level. A normal speaking voice at comfortable mic distance typically reads –20 to –10 dBFS. Levels near 0 dBFS risk clipping/distortion.
Check three things: (1) Browser permission — look for a blocked mic icon in the address bar. (2) OS settings — Windows: Settings > Privacy > Microphone. macOS: System Settings > Privacy & Security > Microphone. (3) Correct default device selected in OS sound settings.
Aim for a peak around –12 dBFS to –6 dBFS when speaking/singing at normal volume. This leaves headroom to prevent clipping while keeping signal strong. Avoid anything consistently above –3 dBFS.
No. All processing happens locally in your browser using the Web Audio API. Volume levels are calculated in real time but no audio is recorded, stored, or transmitted anywhere.
–60 dB is the measurement floor (near total silence). If the meter is stuck there, check: (1) mic permission blocked in browser, (2) mic muted in OS or physically on the device, (3) wrong input device selected in OS settings. Refresh the page after fixing permissions.
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