Hearing test apps and online hearing tests allow you to test your own hearing.
- Online hearing tests: There are a variety of free hearing tests that you can do online. They're usually offered by companies that provide hearing services, such as hearing aids. Some tests involve listening to sounds through headphones or earbuds and responding to what you hear. They play sounds with different pitches, tones, or words, often with background noise, to assess how well you can hear various sounds. Other tests use a questionnaire to gather information about your hearing experience.
- Hearing tests apps: Not all hearing test apps are the same. Some may be more reliable and accurate than others. A review and assessment of smartphone-based apps to detect hearing loss found that features across apps vary widely. Few apps have been validated and instructions for many apps were extremely limited, with some even neglecting to instruct users to wear headphones during testing.1
While hearing test apps and online hearing tests are convenient and can be done in the privacy of your own home, they're best used as screening tools. They can give you a quick indication of whether you need a full hearing assessment by a qualified audiologist and may motivate you to get professional help. The test results are unable to guarantee that your hearing is normal and should not replace a professional medical consultation.
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The best way to assess your hearing and find out if you have hearing loss is to do a hearing test performed by a trained audiologist. If you experience a sudden change in your hearing, it's essential to see your GP and audiologist urgently. |
Tips when using hearing test apps and online hearing tests
Do (✔)
- Use them as a screening tool only. They can give you an indication whether a full hearing test is required.
- Check the total costs when using hearing test apps. The app may be free, but you may need to spend money on headphones. Not using the correct headphones may affect the results.
- When using hearing test apps or doing an online test, it's important that you use them in a quiet environment with minimal background noise. Background noise can affect the accuracy of your test results.
Don’t ( ✘)
- Don't use hearing test apps and online hearing tests if you have the following symptoms. It's best to see your GP or audiologist if you:
- have sudden difficulty in hearing
- have blocked ears
- are experiencing dizziness or vertigo
- have ringing in your ears
- are hearing abnormal sounds.
- Don't use hearing test apps and online hearing tests to assess hearing in children. This requires a specialised assessment by a trained health professional.
