Can headphones damage your hearing?
Yes, if they are loud enough for long enough. The risk comes from volume multiplied by time, and a few simple habits keep it very low.
How headphones cause damage
Sound energy reaching the inner ear is what causes noise damage, whether it comes from a factory or a pair of earbuds. Many phones and headphones can produce well over 100 dB at full volume, a level at which damage can begin within minutes.
The damage is cumulative and painless. It builds gradually, first affecting the high-pitched sounds that make speech clear, and it is permanent. The World Health Organization has warned that a large number of young people worldwide are at risk because of unsafe listening.
Safe listening
- The 60/60 rule: no more than about 60 percent volume for about 60 minutes at a time, then take a break.
- Use noise-cancelling headphones. They block background noise, so you do not turn the volume up to drown out a train or an office.
- Turn on volume limits. Most phones have a headphone safety setting that tracks your weekly listening and warns you when it is too much.
- The arm's length test: if someone at arm's length can hear your music, it is too loud.
- Over-ear rather than in-ear at the same volume can be more comfortable for long sessions, though volume matters most.
A baseline hearing test gives you a record to compare against. Free in our Birmingham clinic.
Warning signs
Ringing, buzzing or muffled hearing after listening, needing the volume higher than you used to, or struggling to follow conversations in noisy places can all be early signs. If you notice them, cut back and get your hearing tested.
Frequently asked questions.
Volume and time matter most. Earbuds sit closer to the eardrum and are often used in noisy places at higher volume, so they can be riskier in practice.
No. Noise damage to the inner ear is permanent, which is why prevention matters.
They leave your ears open, which helps awareness, but loud volume still reaches the inner ear and can still cause damage.
Check your hearing, keep your music.
A free hearing test in our Birmingham clinic, or £50 at home.
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Written and clinically reviewed by our HCPC registered audiologists. Last reviewed: 15 October 2026. This page is general information, not a diagnosis. If you are worried about your hearing or your ears, book an appointment or speak to your GP.