Sound Test

How to run the speaker test

1. Turn your device volume to about half and unmute it. On a phone, turn off silent mode.
2. Press Left speaker. You should hear a voice-like tone from the left only. Press Right speaker and check it comes from the right.
3. Press Both to hear stereo. The sound should seem to come from the middle.
4. Try the bass, mid and treble tones and the sweep. Small speakers may not play the lowest bass, which is normal.
5. Play the music clip for a quick real-world check, and Stop when you are done.

What the results mean

• Nothing from one side: the speaker, cable or channel balance is faulty. See the fixes below.
• Left and right are swapped: your headphones are on backwards or the speakers are plugged into the wrong channels. Some sound settings also let you swap channels.
• Both buttons play from the middle: your output is set to mono. On Windows look for "Mono audio" in Settings > Accessibility > Audio; on iPhone and Mac it is under Accessibility too.
• Crackling, buzzing or rattling on the bass test: a damaged speaker cone, a loose grille, or simply volume too high for the speaker. Phone speakers often rattle below 100 Hz.
• Sweep goes quiet at the top: small speakers and most adults lose the very highest frequencies; that is normal. Use the hearing frequency test for a proper check with headphones.

What this sound test checks

This audio test covers the basics that break most often: whether any sound comes out at all, whether both channels work and are the right way round, and whether the speaker can reproduce low, middle and high frequencies without distortion. It works with laptop speakers, desktop speakers, a soundbar, a Bluetooth speaker, wired or wireless headphones and phone speakers. For headphones specifically, including a detailed left-right test and bass check, see the headphone test.

Everything you hear is synthesized in your browser with Web Audio, so nothing is downloaded and there is no video to buffer. The level meters show the signal being sent to each channel, which helps you tell a silent speaker apart from a silent page.

Common problems and fixes

No sound at all

Check the volume and mute on the device, in the browser tab (a muted tab shows a crossed speaker icon) and on the speakers themselves. On Windows click the speaker icon in the taskbar and pick the right output device; on a Mac use System Settings > Sound > Output. Bluetooth speakers must be connected, not just paired.

Only one speaker works

Push the cable all the way in: a half-inserted 3.5 mm jack plays one side only. Check the balance slider in your sound settings is centered. Try the speakers or headphones on another device to see if the fault follows them.

Sound is distorted or crackles

Lower the volume: distortion at high volume is normal for small speakers. Set the system "enhancements" or equalizer off, update the audio driver, and for USB or Bluetooth speakers try another port or re-pair.

Sound works here but not in a game or app

The app is using a different output device. Open the app's audio settings and select the same device that works in the browser. On Windows, Settings > System > Sound > Volume mixer lets you set the output per app.