Buzz
The most recent iOS update empowers the Apple Health app to track and notify you about noise exposure levels, whether from your environment or your headphones. This guide will show you how to configure it and make the most of the data it provides.
Hearing has been elevated to its own health category. Simply launch the Health app, navigate to Browse, and select Hearing to explore the available hearing-related tools.
Keep track of your headphone audio exposure levels
Select 'headphone audio levels' to check if your music volume has been harming your ears with excessive loudness.
While this feature is optimized for Airpods, you can also enable your phone to estimate volume levels for other headphones, such as wired ones. To activate this, go to Settings > Privacy > Health > Headphone Audio Levels and toggle on Include Other Headphones.
In the Health app, you can review your headphone audio levels across various timeframes—hourly, daily, weekly, monthly, and yearly. The data is color-coded to indicate whether the volume was at 'OK' or 'Loud' levels. Apple bases these thresholds on World Health Organization guidelines, which factor in both decibel levels (measured in A-weighted decibels) and exposure duration (e.g., 80 dB is safe for up to 4 hours weekly, while 120 dB is only safe for a few seconds).
Monitor the noise levels in your surroundings
The environmental sound level feature, another intriguing option, is exclusive to Apple Watch Series 4 or newer. To utilize this, ensure both your phone and watch are updated to the latest software version. You’ll then find a hearing app on your watch named Noise, identifiable by its yellow icon featuring a stylized ear.
The Noise app measures sound levels using your watch’s microphone, and Apple assures that no audio is recorded or stored during this process. You can access your ambient noise data in three ways:
Directly from the Noise app on your watch, which provides a real-time view of your current noise exposure
Through a Noise complication on your watch face, offering live updates on current sound levels
Via the summary section in the Health app
The watch pauses noise measurement when headphones or speakers are in use, or when Water Lock mode is activated. Additionally, you can set up alerts to notify you when environmental noise exceeds a specific threshold.
I tested the feature but didn’t receive any alerts about excessive noise exposure—which is probably a positive indicator. In a relatively quiet room, the noise levels measured around 30 dB. When I spoke or typed loudly, the levels increased to approximately 60 dB. Standing near a busy road, the readings spiked to the mid-70s as vehicles passed by. Had I worn the watch while mowing the lawn or attending a noisy event, the numbers would likely have been significantly higher.
Your long-term hearing health is influenced by noise exposure, and these tools can help you identify situations where you’re exposed to potentially harmful sound levels.
