soundcheckSpeaker & Earphone Test

How to Use

1. Turn your device volume down, then press "Play left only" in section ①.
2. If you hear a tone, that speaker (or earphone) is alive. If not, slowly raise the volume.
3. Check left, right, and both, then use ② and ③ to check volume and pitch as well.
4. Every sound stops automatically after 1–2 seconds (about 8 seconds for the continuous sweep). You can stop it any time by pressing the same button again or "Stop sound."

This page has no way to mechanically detect, from the computer or phone's side, whether sound actually came out. You are the judge — your ears are the test. Follow the "What did you hear?" guidance under each test.

Checklist: No Sound at All

If you can't hear the test sound at all, don't assume your speaker or earphones are broken — work through this list from the top. A setting is very often the real cause.

1. ① Output device — Check that sound isn't being sent to a different device.
   • Windows: Click the speaker icon in the taskbar, then the volume-bar arrow (or ">") to open the list of outputs and pick the speaker or earphone you want.
   • Mac: Go to "System Settings → Sound → Output" and choose your output device (or hold Option while clicking the menu-bar volume icon to switch quickly).
   • Phone: If a Bluetooth device is connected, sound goes there. Check the output in Control Center (iPhone) or the notification panel (Android).
2. ② Mute and volume — Check the device's own volume, any hardware mute key (a speaker icon with a slash), and per-app volume (e.g. Windows' "Volume mixer"). Some earphone cables or headsets also have their own volume dial or mute switch.
3. ③ Bluetooth connection — Bluetooth earphones are frequently connected to a different device (like a phone) instead of the one you're using. Temporarily turn off Bluetooth on the device you're not using, or re-pair. A dead battery or forgetting to power the earphones on is also common.
4. ④ Re-seat the plug — For wired earphones or speakers, unplug and firmly re-insert the plug all the way in. A half-inserted plug can cause "only one side plays" or crackling noise. Front-panel jacks on desktop PCs are sometimes not wired — try the back panel too. For USB speakers, try a different USB port.
5. ⑤ Check for a muted browser tab — If the tab shows a speaker icon with a slash through it, right-click (or long-press) the tab and choose "Unmute tab."

Still no sound after all of this? Try a different pair of earphones or speakers on the same device. If the other one works, the original device is likely faulty; if neither works, the issue is on the device side (settings, port, or driver).

Common Sound Problems and Fixes

Only one side (left or right) plays

• First use section ① above to identify which side is silent.
• For wired earphones, a half-inserted plug is by far the most common cause. Push it in firmly, all the way, and gently twist the base to check whether sound cuts out (if it does, the cable is likely fraying).
• Check whether the OS's left/right balance setting is off-center (Windows: Settings → System → Sound → output device properties; Mac: System Settings → Sound → Output balance; iPhone: Settings → Accessibility → Audio/Visual).
• Fully wireless earphones can have one earbud lose its battery or connection independently. Put both back in the case and reconnect.

No sound, or cutting out, from Bluetooth earphones

• Even if it shows as "connected," the output device may still be set to the built-in speaker. Reselect the earphones from the output list.
• If paired with multiple devices, sound goes to whichever connected first — turn off Bluetooth on the device you're not using.
• If nothing else works, the most reliable fix is to remove the pairing and pair again from scratch.
• Crackling or dropouts are often caused by radio interference (microwaves, crowded areas) or distance — not necessarily a fault.

Only the other person's voice is missing in a video call (Zoom, Teams, etc.)

• If you can hear the test sound on this page, your speaker is fine — the cause is almost certainly an app-level setting.
• Check the app's audio settings to confirm the speaker (output device) is set to the one you want to use. Leaving it on "default device" can silently route sound elsewhere.
• If the app has a "test speaker" button, use it. Often the simple explanation is that the other person is muted.

Sound is quiet or muffled

• Check both the device volume and the per-app volume (mixer) — raising only one can still leave it quiet.
• Bluetooth earphones sound muffled by design while the microphone is also active during a call — this isn't a malfunction.
• Earwax or dust in the earphone mesh can muffle sound. Gently clean it with a dry brush.

Crackling or static noise

• For wired connections, start by re-seating the plug — dirt or a poor contact at the plug or jack is the usual cause.
• If the noise changes when you move the cable, that's a sign the cable is starting to fray.
• A faint hiss from a PC's headphone jack can sometimes just be that device's normal behavior — try USB or Bluetooth to see whether it disappears, which helps narrow down the cause.