Use the Noise app on your Apple Watch
With the Noise app, you can enable Noise notifications to alert you when your Apple Watch identifies sound levels in your environment that could affect your hearing.
How Noise notifications work
Apple Watch will periodically measure the sound levels throughout the day while you’re wearing your watch. This uses the microphone but doesn’t record or save any sounds. If the average sound level over three minutes reaches or exceeds a chosen decibel threshold, your Apple Watch can notify you.
These notifications are only available with watchOS 6 on Apple Watch Series 4 or later.
How to turn on Noise notifications
On your iPhone, open the Watch app.
Tap the My Watch tab, then tap Noise.
Tap Noise Threshold, then choose a decibel level.
You can also adjust notifications directly from your Apple Watch. Go to Settings > Noise.
How to turn off Noise notifications
On your iPhone, open the Watch app.
Tap the My Watch tab, then tap Noise.
Tap Noise Threshold, then tap Off.
You can also adjust notifications directly from your Apple Watch. Go to Settings > Noise.
How to measure the sound levels around you
After you have set up the Noise app, you can open the app to measure sound levels around you or add a Noise complication to your watch face to view this information at a glance.
You can also check Environmental Sound Levels, Headphone Audio Levels and Noise Notifications in the Hearing category in the Health app on your iPhone. Find out how to set up and use the Health app.
To turn off Noise measurements completely, turn off Environmental Sound Measurements.
Things you should know
Sound levels are measured in A-weighted decibels.
Long-term exposure to sounds below 80 decibels should not affect your hearing. Sounds measured at this level will appear as OK in the app.
Repeated, long-term exposure to sounds above 80 decibels can lead to permanent damage. Consider using hearing protection or moving to a quieter area. Sounds measured at this level will appear as Loud in the app.
80 decibels: around 5 hours and 30 minutes a day at this level can cause temporary hearing loss. The weekly limit at this level is 40 hours.
85 decibels: around 1 hour and 45 minutes a day at this level can cause temporary hearing loss. The weekly limit at this level is around 12 hours and 30 minutes.
90 decibels: around 30 minutes a day at this level can cause temporary hearing loss. The weekly limit at this level is 4 hours.
95 decibels: just 10 minutes a day at this level can cause temporary hearing loss. The weekly limit at this level is around 1 hour and 15 minutes.
100 decibels: even a few minutes a day at this level can cause temporary hearing loss. The weekly limit at this level is around 20 minutes.
Water and wind can affect the accuracy of sound levels. Consider using Water Lock while doing water-based activities.
Measurements are suspended when Apple Watch is in Water Lock or while the microphone or speaker is in use.
Learn more
Safe listening devices and systems: a WHO-ITU standard
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