Are Online Hearing Tests Accurate?
· All About Hearing Team
Online hearing tests and hearing check apps can be a useful first step, but they are screening tools rather than a diagnosis. They can flag that something might be worth looking into. They can't tell you what type of hearing loss you have, how much, or what's causing it. For that, you need a proper hearing test with a qualified audiologist.
How online hearing checks work
Most online checks play sounds or spoken numbers through your own headphones and ask you to respond. The World Health Organization's free hearWHO app, for example, uses a “digits-in-noise” test: you hear sets of three numbers against background noise designed to mimic everyday listening, and type in what you heard. According to the WHO, the digits-in-noise method has a sensitivity and specificity of over 85%, which is reasonable for a screening tool.
What limits their accuracy
Your results depend on things the test can't control: the headphones you use, how noisy the room is, and how familiar you are with the test. The WHO notes that hearWHO is intended for people aged 12 and over, and that results in younger children may not be reliable. The WHO recommends that anyone scoring below 50 on hearWHO has their hearing tested by a trained professional.
Most importantly, the WHO says plainly that hearWHO “is not a formal hearing test and does not replace the need to consult a health professional.”
How a professional hearing test is different
A qualified audiologist uses calibrated equipment to measure how well each ear hears across different pitches and volumes. They can also check your ears for things an app will never see, such as a build-up of ear wax that might be muffling your hearing. You get your results explained in person, along with any next steps. See what to expect at a home hearing test for a walkthrough.
When an online check is useful
An online check is a sensible starting point if you're unsure whether your hearing has changed at all. If it suggests a problem, book a proper test. If it comes back fine but you're still noticing the signs of hearing loss, like turning the TV up or struggling in busy places, trust what you're experiencing and get tested anyway.
Source: World Health Organization: hearing checks and the hearWHO app.
Frequently asked questions
- Can an online hearing test diagnose hearing loss?
- No. Online and app-based checks are screening tools. The World Health Organization is clear that its own hearWHO app is not a formal hearing test, and that a professional hearing assessment is needed to diagnose hearing loss.
- What does a professional hearing test check that an online test can't?
- An audiologist uses calibrated equipment to measure how well you hear different pitches and volumes in each ear, and can look in your ears for problems like a wax build-up. An online check usually gives a broad pass or refer result, and depends on your own headphones and surroundings.
- My online hearing check came back fine. Should I still get tested?
- If you're still noticing changes, such as asking people to repeat themselves or struggling in noisy places, it's worth a proper test anyway. Screening tools can miss some cases, and they don't replace what you're experiencing day to day.
- Is there a free hearing check I can do at home?
- Yes. The WHO's hearWHO app is free for people aged 12 and over, and uses a digits-in-noise test. It's a reasonable first step, as long as you treat a low score as a reason to book a proper test rather than a diagnosis.
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