Audio Latency Test
Measure acoustic round-trip latency between your speaker output and microphone input directly in your browser.
Test setup
Use Crisp click first. Try another signal if detection is unreliable.
Higher values can detect quieter returns but may increase false detections in noisy rooms.
Latency result
Start the test to measure the speaker-to-microphone round-trip delay.
Browser audio diagnostics
Session history
| Time | Median | Average | Jitter | Runs |
|---|
This is a browser-based acoustic round-trip measurement. Results can include browser, operating system, device, speaker, microphone, and room-path delays.
Audio is analyzed locally in your browser. This plugin does not upload or store microphone recordings.
Keep the room quiet and your speaker volume at a moderate level. If detection fails, move the microphone closer to the speaker and retry.
An Audio Latency Test measures the delay between sending an audio signal and hearing or detecting that signal again. This delay is usually measured in milliseconds (ms) and can affect music production, gaming, video calls, streaming, Bluetooth audio, recording, and live monitoring.
Use the Audio Latency Test above to measure the round-trip delay of your current browser audio setup. The tool sends a short test signal through your speakers or headphones and listens for the returned signal through your microphone. It then compares the timing between output and detection to estimate your audio latency.
If you are new to the topic, start with our explanation of what audio latency is and why even small delays can become noticeable in interactive audio applications.
How to Use the Audio Latency Test
For the most reliable measurement, use a quiet room and keep your microphone close enough to your speaker to clearly detect the test signal.
- Select the test signal you want to use.
- Choose how many test runs to perform.
- Allow microphone access when your browser asks for permission.
- Make sure your speaker volume is audible but not excessively loud.
- Start the test.
- Stay quiet while the tool performs each measurement.
- Review the average, median, minimum, maximum, and consistency results.
Running several measurements is usually more useful than relying on one reading because browser scheduling, audio buffering, background processes, and environmental noise can cause individual results to vary.
For a more detailed testing workflow, see our guide on how to test audio latency.
How the Audio Latency Test Works
The tool performs an acoustic round-trip test.
A known sound is generated in your browser and sent through the current audio output path. Your microphone then listens for that sound. The tool compares when the signal was generated with when the returned signal was detected.
The measured path can include:
- Browser audio processing
- Operating-system audio buffering
- Audio drivers
- Speaker or headphone output delay
- Sound travel through the air
- Microphone input delay
- Input processing
- Browser scheduling
Because all of these components can contribute to the measurement, the result should be treated as an estimate of your complete browser-to-output-to-microphone path, not as a laboratory measurement of one individual device.
If you specifically want to understand the full input-and-output path, read our explanation of round-trip latency.
How to Read Your Result
Your main result is shown in milliseconds.
A smaller number means less delay. However, the most useful value depends on what you are doing.
For passive music listening, a moderate delay may not matter because there is no live interaction. For instrument monitoring, recording, gaming, or live performance, the same delay can feel much more noticeable.
The tool may show several measurements rather than only one number.
Average latency is the mean of all successful runs.
Median latency is the middle result after the measurements are sorted. It can be useful when one unusually high or low measurement would otherwise distort the average.
Minimum latency shows the fastest successful measurement.
Maximum latency shows the slowest successful measurement.
Jitter or variation describes how much the results change between runs. A connection that averages 25 ms but repeatedly jumps between 15 ms and 60 ms may feel less predictable than a system that consistently measures around 25 ms.
You can compare your result with the practical ranges discussed in our guide to what is considered good audio latency.
Input, Output, and Round-Trip Latency Are Different
Audio latency is not always one single delay.
Input latency is the time required for sound entering a microphone or instrument input to become available to the software.
Output latency is the time required for audio generated by software to reach your headphones or speakers.
Round-trip latency includes both directions and the processing between them.
This online test primarily evaluates the complete acoustic path, so it should not be interpreted as a precise measurement of input latency or output latency individually.
For a more detailed comparison, see input vs output latency.
Why Audio Latency Results Can Change
It is normal for two tests on the same computer to produce slightly different numbers.
Latency can change because of:
- Audio buffer size
- Sample rate
- Browser implementation
- Operating system
- Audio driver
- CPU load
- Background software
- USB audio devices
- Bluetooth transmission
- Wireless interference
- Device power-saving behavior
- Microphone processing
- Speaker-to-microphone distance
Sample rate can also influence the way buffers and audio processing are configured. Our sample rate and latency guide explains the relationship in more detail.
If your measurements vary significantly, repeat the test several times and focus on the median, average, and consistency rather than a single run.
Testing an Audio Interface
An audio interface can provide substantially different latency behavior from onboard computer audio, but this browser-based test cannot isolate every stage of the interface.
For professional interface testing, a physical loopback connection can provide a more controlled measurement by sending an output directly back into an input.
Our audio interface latency guide covers the factors that affect interface performance, including buffer settings, drivers, sample rate, and monitoring configuration.
This browser tool is better suited to quickly checking the latency of your current real-world playback and microphone path.
Wired vs Bluetooth Audio Latency
Wireless audio commonly adds extra processing and transmission stages. Bluetooth audio may involve encoding, wireless transmission, buffering, decoding, and device-specific processing before sound reaches the listener.
That means Bluetooth measurements may be noticeably higher than wired measurements.
If you are specifically testing wireless headphones or earbuds, use our dedicated Bluetooth Latency Test and read the guide to Bluetooth audio latency.
For the most controlled acoustic measurement, test wired and wireless devices separately under similar conditions.
Accuracy and Limitations
An online audio latency test is useful for comparison and troubleshooting, but it should not be treated as laboratory equipment.
Results may be affected by:
- Browser timing accuracy
- Microphone detection quality
- Environmental noise
- Echo
- Automatic gain control
- Operating-system processing
- Hardware buffering
- Browser support
- Distance between speaker and microphone
The tool may also show browser-reported audio information such as sample rate or latency-related diagnostic values where supported. These browser values should be treated as diagnostics rather than replacements for the measured acoustic result.
If the tool cannot reliably detect the test signal, move the microphone closer to the speaker, reduce background noise, raise the playback level slightly, or try another signal type.
Additional fixes are available in our audio latency troubleshooting guide.
How to Reduce Audio Latency
If your latency is higher than expected, the correct solution depends on the source of the delay.
Common improvements include using wired audio instead of Bluetooth, reducing audio buffer size in recording software, using an appropriate low-latency audio driver, closing unnecessary applications, testing a different USB port, disabling unnecessary audio enhancements, and checking your audio-interface configuration.
For a full troubleshooting workflow, see how to reduce audio latency.
Privacy and Microphone Access
The Audio Latency Test requires microphone access because the browser needs to detect the test signal after it is played.
Audio analysis is performed during the browser session for the purpose of measuring latency. The tool does not need your microphone permission until you start the test.
You can revoke microphone permission at any time through your browser settings.
Frequently Asked Questions
What does an Audio Latency Test measure?
It estimates the delay between generating an audio signal and detecting that signal again through your microphone. This is commonly referred to as an acoustic round-trip latency measurement.
What does ms mean in an audio latency result?
Ms means milliseconds. One second contains 1,000 milliseconds.
Is lower audio latency better?
For interactive applications such as monitoring, recording, gaming, and live performance, lower latency generally provides a more immediate response. The importance of latency depends on the task.
Why do I get different results each time?
Browser scheduling, audio buffers, CPU activity, background processes, wireless transmission, environmental noise, and microphone processing can all affect individual measurements.
Can this test measure Bluetooth latency?
It can measure the complete acoustic delay of a Bluetooth playback path, but it cannot identify exactly how much latency comes from the Bluetooth codec versus other parts of the system.
Can I test an audio interface?
Yes, but the acoustic result represents the whole playback-and-recording path. A hardware loopback setup is better when you need precise audio-interface round-trip measurements.
Does changing sample rate change latency?
It can affect buffer duration and processing configuration, but the actual result depends on the device, driver, software, and buffer settings.
Does this tool record my conversations?
The microphone is used to detect the generated test signal during the test. You should always review your browser permission indicator and site privacy information when using microphone-based tools.