Let's check your speakers.
Play a tone through the left, right or both channels — and run a sweep to hear the full range.
Tap Left, Both or Right. If you hear the tone on the correct side, that speaker works.
How the speaker test works
Each pad plays a clean 440 Hz sine tone generated with the Web Audio API, panned hard left, hard right or dead centre with a stereo panner. The tone fades in softly (so you hear a note, not a click), plays for about a second, then asks the only judge that matters: you. Confirm what you heard and the channel is ticked off — three ticks and your speakers pass.
The frequency sweep glides from a deep 120 Hz up to a bright 8 kHz over three seconds, a quick way to catch rattles, crackle or dead spots across the range. Nothing is captured and no permission is needed — this test only ever plays sound. In Chrome and Edge you can also pick which output device the tones go to; other browsers use your system default.
Speaker test FAQ
Do I need to give the browser any permission for this test?
No. Playing audio needs no browser permission and nothing is captured — this test only generates tones. Chrome and Edge can additionally list and switch output devices; other browsers simply play through your system default output.
The Left tone plays on the right — what's wrong?
Your channels are swapped. On desktop speakers, the cables are usually plugged into the wrong sides; on some systems a balance or audio-enhancement setting flips them. With headphones, first check you're simply wearing them the right way round.
I hear nothing at all — what should I check?
Check the volume and mute keys, that the right output device is selected (a forgotten Bluetooth connection is a classic), and that the tone is actually playing. Our no-sound guides for Windows 11 and macOS walk through the rest.
What should the frequency sweep sound like?
A smooth, continuous rise from a deep hum to a bright whistle — it sweeps from 120 Hz up to 8 kHz over about three seconds. Crackling, buzzing or dead spots along the way point to a damaged driver. Small laptop speakers naturally lose the deepest part; that's physics, not a fault.
Why does the test ask me whether I heard it?
Your browser can generate a perfect tone, but it has no way to know whether the sound actually made it out of your speakers. Your ears complete the circuit — each confirmed channel counts toward your 3-channel result.