What Is the Mosquito Tone? Up to What Age Can You Hear It, and What Is 17 kHz?
The "mosquito tone" is a high-pitched whine, like a mosquito's buzz, that young people can hear and adults often can't. This guide explains up to what age people can hear it, what frequency it is and why it was invented, with a frequency guide by age. It also covers what to watch out for when you test whether you can hear it.
What is the mosquito tone?
The mosquito tone is a high-pitched sound of around 17 kHz (17,000 Hz). It's named after the thin, piercing whine of a mosquito flying near your ear. Because our ears lose the highest pitches first as we age, teenagers and people in their twenties hear it easily, while more and more people can't hear it from their thirties on.
The example most often cited is a tone of about 17.4 kHz. In the same room, the young people find it irritating while the adults think nothing is playing at all.
Why it was invented: from a teen deterrent to a ringtone
The mosquito tone became widely known through a device built in the UK around 2005 to keep teenagers from loitering outside shops. It played a constant high tone that adults could barely hear, making only young people uncomfortable. It turned a difference in hearing to its advantage, but it was also criticized for targeting young people and for affecting babies and small children, who can hear it too.
Students then flipped the idea around and spread it as a "ringtone teachers can't hear": if it went off in class, an adult teacher wouldn't notice. TV programs in Japan and elsewhere picked it up as an "ear age check", and testing how old you can be and still hear it became a popular game.
Up to what age can you hear the mosquito tone?
As a general guide, most people can hear 17 kHz through their twenties. Age isn't the only factor, though: some people in their thirties can still hear it and some in their twenties can't. Here's how it compares with nearby frequencies.
| Frequency | Age group that usually hears it | What it sounds like |
|---|---|---|
| 19 kHz | Teens | A faint hiss, more like pressure than sound |
| 18 kHz | Teens to early twenties | A very thin whine |
| 17 kHz (mosquito tone) | Twenties | A mosquito-like whine |
| 16 kHz | Thirties | A high tone that's slightly grating |
| 15 kHz | Late thirties to early forties | Close to the whine of an old CRT TV |
| 14 kHz | Forties | A clear, high electronic tone |
Besides age, how much loud sound you've been exposed to also matters. People who go to live music venues or clubs, listen to loud music on headphones for hours or work in noisy places tend to lose the mosquito tone earlier than others their age.
Not hearing 17 kHz makes almost no difference to enjoying conversation or music. Speech sits mainly between 500 Hz and 4,000 Hz, and most musical instruments are concentrated below 10 kHz. A chart covering every age group is in What frequency shows your ear age?.
If you can't hear it, check your device first
If you couldn't hear the mosquito tone, check whether any sound came out at all before blaming your ears. Some devices barely reproduce 17 kHz.
- Built-in speakers on phones and laptops: small speakers often struggle above 15–16 kHz
- Bluetooth earbuds: depending on the codec, frequencies above 16–18 kHz may be cut
- Audio from video sites: compression during streaming may have removed the high frequencies
- Noise cancelling or sound enhancement: these can alter the high range
The reliable way to check is to use wired earphones or headphones with a test that generates the sound right in your browser. In the Ear Age Test, "Play a frequency" has a 17,400 Hz preset and plays a sine wave (a pure tone) generated on the spot rather than a recording. Tips for reducing differences between devices are in how to get an accurate hearing range test.
Things to keep in mind when you try the mosquito tone
- 1
Start with the volume low
Once you can hear a high tone, it can suddenly feel piercing. Set the volume with an easy-to-hear tone such as 1,000 Hz, then switch to the mosquito tone.
- 2
Don't turn the volume up just because you can't hear it
A pitch you can't hear rarely becomes audible when you turn it up; it only puts more strain on your ears. The right way to test is to compare at a fixed volume.
- 3
Be considerate of people and pets nearby
Even if you can't hear it, children, dogs or cats nearby may. Don't play it on a speaker for long; use earphones.
- 4
Compare by switching it on and off
Judging by the difference between on and off reduces wishful thinking. The silent "trick" rounds in the Step test help too.
The mosquito tone works best as a game of comparing who can hear it. When trying it with family or friends, take turns with the same earphones at the same volume and the difference by age shows up clearly. If everyone gathers round a phone speaker, the speaker itself may stop anyone from hearing it.
FAQ
- What frequency is the mosquito tone?
- It's a high sound of about 17 kHz (17,000 Hz), and about 17.4 kHz is the example most often given. It's named for its whine, which sounds like a mosquito buzzing.
- Up to what age can you hear the mosquito tone?
- As a general guide, through your twenties. More people find it hard to hear from their thirties, but individuals vary a lot, and some people over 30 can still hear it.
- I'm in my twenties but can't hear the mosquito tone.
- Suspect your playback device first. Phone speakers and Bluetooth earbuds often don't output 17 kHz. Try again with wired earphones and a test that generates the sound in your browser.
- Is listening to the mosquito tone bad for your ears?
- A short test at low volume is unlikely to cause problems, but avoid listening at high volume for long. Turning the volume up to try to hear a pitch you can't hear also strains your ears.
- Can dogs and cats hear the mosquito tone?
- Yes. Dogs and cats hear much higher sounds than people, so 17 kHz is well within their range. Avoid playing it on a speaker for long, and test with earphones.
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