How loud can your earphones go? The World Health Organization says to keep device volume at no more than 60% of maximum, and sets out how long it is safe to listen per week at each sound level. At 80dB it is 40 hours a week; at 85dB, 12 hours 30 minutes; at 90dB, 4 hours; at 100dB, 20 minutes. This sets out the WHO Q&A “Deafness and hearing loss: Safe listening” (6 March 2026).
1. Volume at no more than 60% of maximum. The WHO’s device volume line.
2. 40 hours a week at 80dB. The safe time shrinks fast as the sound gets louder.
3. At concerts and clubs, 10 minutes somewhere quiet every hour. Give your ears time to recover, the page says.
Safe listening time per week by sound level — WHO table
| Sound level | WHO example | Safe time per week |
|---|---|---|
| 60dB | Normal conversation | Unlimited |
| 80dB | Doorbell | 40 hours |
| 85dB | Heavy traffic (inside car) | 12 hours 30 minutes |
| 90dB | Shouted conversation | 4 hours |
| 95dB | Motorcycle | 1 hour 15 minutes |
| 100dB | Hair dryer | 20 minutes |
| 105dB | Car horn at 5 metres | 8 minutes |
| 110dB | Shouting in the ear | 2.5 minutes |
| 120dB | Standing near a siren | 12 seconds |
| 130dB | Jackhammer | Under 1 second |
| 140dB | Airplane taking off | 0 seconds |
The WHO table also lists 10dB (breathing), 30dB (whispering) and 40dB (library) as unlimited, and 150dB (firecrackers) as 0 seconds. The times are per week, not per day.
Going from 80dB to 85dB cuts 40 hours to 12 hours 30 minutes, and another 5dB cuts it to 4 hours — between 80dB and 95dB, roughly a third for every 5dB (our reading, from dividing the table’s figures). The same page says sound below 80dB is unlikely to damage hearing.
Volume and devices — WHO tips
- Keep device volume at no more than 60% of maximum.
- If you use a sound-monitoring app, stay below an 80dB average.
- Use well-fitted, noise-cancelling headphones so you can keep the volume low.
- Wear earplugs in noisy places and stay away from speakers and loud machinery.
- Take breaks from loud sound — at clubs and concerts, 10 minutes every hour somewhere quiet.
- Use devices or apps with built-in safe listening features.
- For children’s online classes, prefer speakers over headphones, and limit noisy places before and after class.
Signs to get your hearing checked
The WHO says to get your hearing checked if you notice these signs, and to check it every year.
- Persistent ringing or buzzing in the ears (tinnitus)
- Trouble hearing high-pitched sounds such as birdsong, doorbells, telephones or alarm clocks
- Difficulty understanding speech, especially on the phone
- Difficulty following conversations in noisy places such as restaurants or markets
How many people — WHO fact sheet
| What | Figure | WHO source |
|---|---|---|
| Young adults at risk of permanent, avoidable hearing loss from unsafe listening | Over 1 billion | Fact sheet (3 March 2026) |
| Disabling hearing loss needing rehabilitation | 430 million (over 5% of the world) | Fact sheet |
| Some degree of hearing loss by 2050 | Nearly 2.5 billion | Fact sheet (projection) |
The same fact sheet says nearly 60% of hearing loss in children is due to avoidable causes, and lists safe listening in recreational settings among the ways to prevent it.
Checklist
- ☐ Earphone volume at no more than 60% of maximum
- ☐ 40 hours a week at 80dB, 4 hours at 90dB
- ☐ 10-minute breaks every hour at concerts and clubs
- ☐ Noise-cancelling headphones to keep volume down
- ☐ Tinnitus or trouble on the phone? Get a hearing check
Questions that remain
Are Korea’s neighbour-noise limits in dB too?
Yes — see noise between floors. Those limits mark nuisance, while the WHO table protects hearing, so they serve different purposes (our reading).
What about long screen time?
Eye strain is covered in eye strain relief.
A blocked ear and muffled hearing can also be earwax — the NHS says to use olive oil 3 to 4 times a day for 3 to 5 days, not cotton buds (don’t dig earwax with cotton buds).
Sources
- WHO — Deafness and hearing loss: Safe listening (Q&A) — original (6 March 2026; checked 12 October 2026). Sound-level examples and weekly safe times, 60%, 80dB, 10 minutes every hour, signs of hearing loss, yearly checks.
- WHO — Deafness and hearing loss (fact sheet) — original (3 March 2026; checked 12 October 2026). Over 1 billion, 430 million, nearly 2.5 billion by 2050, nearly 60% in children.
- Not read. Korean noise and hearing standards (such as occupational noise exposure limits).
- Added by us. The “roughly a third for every 5dB” reading.
Where to check further
- Phone settings — headphone volume limits and listening history.
Written 12 October 2026. The content follows the WHO originals; the glosses are ours.