Audio Latency Test | Measure Your Sound Output Delay Now
Combines your browser's reported output latency with an audio and visual sync perception test, plus an optional microphone loopback measurement, into one 0 to 1000 score. Works as an audio latency test, audio latency tester, or audio latency checker.
Drag until the click and the flash feel perfectly simultaneous, then lock in the trial
Three signals combine into one score, the mic loopback step is optional and its weight redistributes automatically if skipped.
Reported latency reads instantly
The Web Audio API's output latency property is read the moment the page loads.
Run the sync test
Align the click and flash across three short trials using the slider.
Optionally run loopback
Play a short chirp and record it back through your microphone for hardware verification.
Compute the score
All completed signals combine into one weighted 0 to 1000 score.
Read your grade
The composite score maps to a letter grade, matching the scale used across every benchmark on this site.
Each signal is graded independently against its own thresholds before being weighted into the composite score.
| Signal | Healthy to faulty | What it represents |
|---|---|---|
| Reported output latency | Under 20ms to 100ms or more | Time from sound generation to your speakers, as reported by the browser. Wired setups usually fall under 40ms, standard Bluetooth often reads 100 to 300ms. |
| Perception offset | Under 20ms to 100ms or more | Your personal threshold for perceiving audio and visuals as simultaneous, the median across three trials. |
| Perception consistency | Under 10ms to 50ms or more | How much your three trial results varied. Low variance means a confident, repeatable result. |
| Mic loopback round trip | Under 30ms to 150ms or more | Optional hardware ground truth, the actual measured time for sound to leave your speakers and be picked up by your microphone. |
Bluetooth audio has to compress your sound before sending it, transmit it over a packet based wireless link, and decompress it inside your headphones, and every one of those steps adds real time. The standard SBC codec, the most common baseline, commonly adds 100 to 250 milliseconds on its own. Newer codecs such as AAC and aptX bring that down to roughly 100 to 150 milliseconds, while aptX Low Latency and the newer Bluetooth LE Audio standard can push well under 40 milliseconds, but only when both your transmitting device and your headphones support the same low latency codec.
This is exactly why so many people are surprised the first time they actually measure their wireless audio delay. A wired connection rarely calls attention to itself because the delay is small enough to feel instantaneous, while a standard Bluetooth headset can be adding a quarter of a second without any obvious symptom beyond footsteps in a game feeling slightly behind the action.
The test measures whatever output device is currently active. Switch outputs and run it again to compare devices directly.
Bluetooth reads high latency
Check whether your headphones and device both support a low latency codec such as aptX LL or LE Audio.
Browse the Fix guidesLoopback says low confidence
Move your microphone closer to your speakers, raise the volume, and retest in a quieter room.
Run the Mic TestAlso check controller input latency
Audio and controller delay are separate measurements, worth checking together for the full picture.
Run the Latency TestRun the full controller benchmark
Audio delay is one part of overall responsiveness. Run every controller diagnostic in sequence for one overall score.
Run the benchmarkWhat is an audio latency test
An audio latency test, or audio latency checker, measures the delay between your system generating a sound and you actually hearing it. This matters most in competitive gaming, where audio cues like footsteps need to arrive in sync with what you see on screen.
Why does my Bluetooth headset add so much audio latency
Bluetooth audio is compressed before transmission, sent over a packet based wireless link, and decompressed in the headphones, and each of those steps adds time. The standard SBC codec commonly adds 100 to 250 milliseconds. AAC and aptX cut that closer to 100 to 150 milliseconds. AptX Low Latency and Bluetooth LE Audio target well under 40 milliseconds when both ends support it.
What does the audio latency tester's sync slider actually do
A click sound and a screen flash play together on a short loop. You drag a slider to shift the click earlier or later relative to the flash until the two feel perfectly simultaneous. That offset is your personal perception threshold, measured across three trials to produce a median and a consistency score.
Should I run the optional microphone loopback test
Run it if you want hardware verification of what your browser reports, especially if you suspect Bluetooth headphones are misreporting their own latency, which some do. Skip it if you would rather not grant microphone access, your score is not penalized either way, since the points redistribute to the other signals.
Why is my mic loopback measurement higher than the reported output latency
They measure different things. Reported output latency covers sound generation to your speakers only. Loopback measures the full round trip, out through the speakers, across the room, and back into your microphone, so expect it to read roughly double the reported figure plus a small amount for the sound to travel through the air.
What audio latency target should competitive gamers aim for
Under 40 milliseconds reported output latency is the practical floor for competitive audio. Under 20 milliseconds is what audio enthusiasts on wired setups typically achieve. Above 100 milliseconds is where most people consciously start noticing the lag between an action and its sound.
Why does this audio latency checker run in a browser instead of using lower level audio APIs
Native low level APIs such as ASIO or Core Audio can be more precise but require driver level access a web page cannot obtain. The browser based approach works for every visitor without a download, and the optional mic loopback path provides a genuine hardware ground truth measurement to cross check the reported figure.
Does this test measure my controller's input latency too
No, this test is entirely about audio output delay. Controller input delay is a separate measurement, covered by the dedicated Latency Test, which tracks how quickly your controller's button and stick changes are registered by the browser.
Can I compare wired versus Bluetooth audio with this tool
Yes. Run the test on your current output, switch your system audio output device, then run the test again. The difference in score quantifies exactly what the wireless connection is costing you in delay.
Does using wired headphones guarantee low audio latency
Generally yes for the connection itself, wired analog and most USB DAC setups add very little delay. However, the overall chain still includes your operating system's audio mixer and any software processing, so it is still worth testing rather than assuming zero delay.
Do I need to install anything to run this audio latency test
No. This tool runs entirely in your browser using the Web Audio API. There is nothing to download and no account to create.
Why did my loopback result say low confidence
This usually means the recorded signal was too quiet, from a microphone positioned too far from your speakers or a low playback volume, or too noisy from room background sound. Move your microphone closer to your speakers, raise the volume, and retest in a quieter space.
Does this work on mobile phones
Yes, on any mobile browser that supports the Web Audio API. The mic loopback signal in particular benefits from a quiet room on mobile since built in speakers and microphones sit close together.
Is my audio or microphone data stored anywhere
No. Every measurement happens locally in your browser and is not sent to a server unless you choose to export a report yourself.
Can this audio latency tester help with an out of sync livestream
It can help identify whether your output device itself is the source of noticeable delay, which is a common contributor to audio feeling out of sync in a stream or recording, though software level sync offsets in your streaming or recording tool are a separate setting worth checking as well.