Personal fitting · Service by appointment055-3333338
Book a visit
English › Hearing tests › Sound level meter on your phone

Online test · Noise

A sound level meter on your phone: what it can tell you, and what it does not know

In short: a noise measuring app on your phone gives a general direction, not a measurement. Researchers at NIOSH, the US National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health, tested 192 apps and found that only a few came close to professional measuring equipment. A noise meter helps you notice that a place is loud. It does not test hearing. For that there is a self-check, and after it a full test.
Call 055-3333338WhatsApp

What did studies find about sound level meter apps?

  • NIOSH tested 192 apps from iOS and Android, in a laboratory, against a professional sound level meter. Only 10 apps met their criteria, and only 4 of them were very close to the reference equipment. The iOS apps were more advanced than the Android ones.
  • A calibrated external microphone improved the agreement with professional equipment under laboratory conditions. In another study published in the NIOSH database, an experimental app with an external microphone met most of the requirements set for a certain type of professional sound level meter.
  • In the field it is more complicated. A study in mines found that the type of work, the choice of microphone, the distance from the noise source and environmental conditions, such as air movement, can affect accuracy, and that further validation is still needed.
  • In a very quiet setting, the apps tested in another study overestimated the sound level, even after microphone calibration.

The bottom line: a phone sound level meter without an external microphone is not suitable for decisions about safety at work, and does not replace measuring equipment.

And what about Apple's built-in features?

  • The Noise app on Apple Watch measures the sound level around you, and can alert you when the three-minute average passes a threshold you chose. According to Apple, it uses the microphone but does not record or save sounds, and water and wind can affect accuracy.
  • Headphone notifications on iPhone alert you when your headphone audio exposure over the last 7 days has reached the recommended limit. According to Apple, phone calls are not counted.

On the same subject, WHO and ITU published a joint document on safe listening on personal audio devices (H.870), which defines a limit for weekly exposure to audio through headphones. The document deals with listening through headphones and personal devices, not with noise at work or at concerts.

How to use a sound level meter sensibly

  • Treat the number as an estimate. The difference between "quiet" and "very loud" matters more than the exact number.
  • Pay attention to time. According to WHO, the loudness, the length of exposure and how often it is repeated all affect the risk to hearing. According to NIDCD, the louder the sound, the less time it takes before it may damage hearing.
  • Do not rely on it at work. Workplace noise assessment has dedicated bodies and tests. This article does not deal with them.
  • If the place is regularly loud, think about protection. At G-Sound we make custom noise earplugs: we come to you, take an impression, and the earplug is sent to your home. We do not give technical attenuation values.

A noise meter measures the place. What about your hearing?

A noise meter does not know how you hear. If you spend a lot of time in loud places, and notice ringing in the ears, difficulty in conversations or a TV that keeps getting louder, the next step is to check your hearing:

  1. A self-check (in Hebrew) with the NIDCD questionnaire, tones for each ear and a digits-in-noise step.
  2. A full test with an audiogram, by a G-Sound technician with an audiogram, by appointment and nationwide, also at home.

What the online test does not do

  • It does not measure noise, and does not say whether your place is dangerous.
  • It does not measure hearing thresholds and does not give an audiogram.
  • It does not determine whether there is hearing loss, or whether it is related to noise.
  • It does not replace a test with an audiometer.
  • It is not suitable for an urgent situation: sudden hearing loss, ear pain or discharge from the ear are reasons to see a doctor the same day.

More on this topic

The self-check, and after it the full test. To the self-check (in Hebrew). For a full test with an audiogram, also at home: call 055-3333338 or WhatsApp.

Sources

English version: 4 November 2026 · Written by the G-Sound editorial team. Original version updated 03.11.2026. The information is general and does not replace a check-up or medical advice.

More in English

Hearing testsOnline hearing testWhat happens in a hearing testHome hearing testContact G-Sound

Frequently asked questions

Questions about sound level meter apps

Is a noise measuring app accurate?

Usually not enough to trust the number. In the NIOSH study only a few apps came close to professional measuring equipment. Use it to get a direction.

Does the Apple Watch measure noise accurately?

Apple notes that water and wind can affect accuracy. The labels "OK" or "Loud" are useful for noticing, not as a measurement.

Can I use a phone sound level meter to check the noise at work?

No. Workplace noise assessment needs dedicated equipment and a dedicated body. We do not deal with this.

The place is loud. How will I know whether my hearing has been affected?

A noise meter will not tell you. Start with a self-check, and if there is a signal or an everyday difficulty, arrange a full test.

Do you have a sound level meter app?

Not at the moment. We have a hearing self-check on the website.

Please do not send sensitive medical information in a message. We go over the relevant details on the phone.

Want to arrange it?

Service is by appointment: at the customer's home, at work, and sometimes in the everyday setting where the difficulty happens.

To arrange a full hearing test with an audiogram, also at home.

055-3333338
Call nowSend a WhatsApp message

G-Sound is an authorized marketer of Philips hearing aids.

Call WhatsApp