Check Your Audio Output

How to Use This Test

1. Select which speaker channel to test: Left, Right, or Both using the channel selector buttons.
2. Choose a sound type (Sine Wave, White Noise, or Audio Sample) and click the Play Sound button.
3. Adjust the volume and frequency sliders to test different ranges, and watch the stereo visualizer to confirm audio output on each channel.

What This Test Checks

This audio test helps you verify that your speakers, headphones, or earbuds are functioning correctly by generating test tones and visualizing audio output in real time.

• Left and right stereo channel balance and separation
• Bass response at low frequencies (20-200 Hz)
• Mid-range clarity around 440 Hz to 4 kHz
• Treble and high-frequency reproduction up to 20 kHz
• Overall speaker or headphone functionality

Troubleshooting

If you're having issues:

• Make sure your system volume is turned up and the correct output device is selected in your OS sound settings.
• Check that your browser tab is not muted -- look for a speaker icon on the tab.
• Try a different sound type (e.g., White Noise instead of Sine Wave) to rule out frequency-specific issues.
• If only one channel works, try swapping left/right earbuds or checking cable connections.

Fix Audio Output Problems by Operating System

If the tones above do not play, the issue is almost always an OS-level output routing or driver problem, not the speakers themselves.

Windows 10 / Windows 11

1. Right-click the speaker icon in the system tray and choose Sound settings. Under Output, confirm the correct device is selected.
2. Expand the device and check that Volume is above zero and Mute is off.
3. Run Settings → System → Troubleshoot → Other troubleshooters → Playing Audio.
4. If a per-app mixer muted Chrome or Edge silently, open Settings → System → Sound → Volume mixer.

macOS

1. Open System Settings → Sound → Output and pick the correct device. Bluetooth headphones sometimes switch to SCO (call) mode instead of A2DP (stereo) — reconnect them to force stereo.
2. For external interfaces or multi-output setups, open Applications → Utilities → Audio MIDI Setup and verify the sample rate is 44.1 or 48 kHz.
3. If only one side plays, check System Settings → Accessibility → Audio → Balance — an accidental slider drag silences one channel.

Linux

1. Install and run pavucontrol. Confirm the correct output on the Playback and Output Devices tabs, and check that the browser stream isn't muted per-app.
2. On PipeWire systems, run wpctl status to see available sinks and wpctl set-default <id> to switch.
3. For headphone-jack auto-switching issues, run alsamixer and confirm the Auto-Mute option.

Common Symptoms and Likely Causes

Only one speaker or earbud works

• Swap left and right. If the problem follows the earbud, it's the driver; if it stays on the same channel, it's the source or cable.
• For wired headphones, a partially-inserted 3.5 mm jack is the #1 cause — push firmly until it clicks.
• Check OS balance slider (see macOS step above; Windows has the same under Sound → Device properties → Additional properties → Levels → Balance).

Crackling, popping, or distortion

• Drop the sample rate in Windows (Sound settings → Device properties → Advanced → Default Format) or macOS Audio MIDI Setup. 24-bit / 48 kHz is the safest value.
• Disable audio enhancements (Windows: Device properties → Audio enhancements; macOS: check app-level EQ).
• USB DACs often crackle on low-power ports — try a different USB-A port, or a powered USB hub.

Bluetooth latency or audio delay

• Check codec support. aptX LL, LC3, and AAC are lower-latency than SBC. Match codec on both sides.
• On Windows, reinstall the Bluetooth driver from the laptop manufacturer — Microsoft's generic driver often defaults to SBC.
• For video call lag, switch from Bluetooth to wired for calls. The round-trip is always worse over BT.

Planning to Use This for Calls?

If you're about to join a video call or record something, audio output is only half the setup. Run the microphone test to verify input levels and the webcam test to confirm camera permission — all three tests take under a minute combined.

Check Your Speakers Before a Zoom, Teams, or Google Meet Call

Picking the right output device inside your operating system is only half the job — your meeting app keeps its own speaker setting, and it often points at the wrong device. If the tones above play here but people on your call sound silent or faint, the app is routing audio somewhere else. Set it once, then run the test on this page to confirm sound actually reaches your ears.

• Zoom: open Settings → Audio, pick your speaker from the dropdown, and click Test Speaker to play a clip through it.
• Microsoft Teams: go to Settings → Devices, choose your speaker, and use Make a test call to hear yourself played back.
• Google Meet: in the green room before joining (or the three-dot menu → Settings → Audio during a call), select the output device and click Test to play a tone.

This page covers output only — verifying that you can hear the call. To confirm the other side can hear you, run the microphone test, and check your camera with the webcam test. Everything you play here is generated and analyzed entirely in your browser; no audio is recorded or uploaded.

Only One Earbud or One Side Working? How to Diagnose It

Select Left Speaker, then Right Speaker in the channel selector above and play a tone for each. If one side stays silent, work through these in order — most single-side faults are settings or contacts, not a dead driver.

Step 1: Rule out the OS balance slider

A balance slider dragged fully to one side mutes the other channel and survives reboots, so check it first. On Windows, open Settings → System → Sound, click your output device, and confirm the left/right Balance levels are equal. On macOS, open the Apple menu → System Settings → Accessibility → Audio and center the Balance slider. On iPhone or iPad, go to Settings → Accessibility → Audio/Visual and center Balance.

Step 2: For AirPods and Bluetooth earbuds

• Charge both buds. A single dead earbud most often means a bad charge — seat both in the case, close the lid, and give them a few minutes. If one will not charge, its contacts are usually the cause.
• Clean the contacts. Grime on the metal contacts of the earbud stem or inside the case blocks charging. Wipe both with a dry, lint-free microfiber cloth — no liquids.
• Re-pair. Forget the device in your Bluetooth settings, then pair again from scratch. A glitched stereo channel mapping is fixed by re-pairing.
• Reset AirPods. With the lid open, hold the button on the back of the case about 15 seconds until the light flashes amber, then set them up again.

Step 3: For wired headphones

Swap the left and right buds between your ears. If the dead side follows the earbud, the driver or cable is faulty; if it stays on the same channel, the source or jack is the problem — and a partially-inserted 3.5 mm plug is the most common culprit, so push it in until it clicks.

Buying a used laptop? Play White Noise on both channels at moderate volume and listen for crackle, buzz, or a dead side before you commit — the used-laptop test guide walks through the full checklist.

Frequently Asked Questions