Apple Watch Decibel Meter function.
The Apple Watch has a lot of popular features, like activity tracking or heart rate measurements, but you might not know you can use your watchOS device as a decibel!
Yes, your Apple Watch is able to measure the strength of sounds heard in your surroundings.
Audio levels are analyzed, in real time, using the Stock Noise application.
It uses your smartwatch’s microphone and also takes into account the exposure time, before issuing a notification.
The results are displayed in decibels on the screen of your Apple Watch.
Apple Watch is also able to alert you when sounds are too loud and recommends that you reduce long-term exposure to high levels, to prevent hearing damage.
How to activate the Apple Watch decibel meter
1. Wake up your Apple Watch and press the digital crown to view the app set.
2. Press the Noise app icon. (yellow icon representing a human ear)
3. Tap Activate to activate ambient noise measurements.
Fact: Your Apple Watch will monitor noise levels in the background and can alert you when sounds exceed safe limits.
How to measure noise levels
If you want to measure ambient noise audio levels in real time, just open the Noise app on your Apple Watch.
Point: You can also set noise as a complication of the watch face for faster access with one click.
Results: Noises as loud as 80 decibels are considered safe and are displayed with a green color on the Apple Watch Noise app and marked with the “ OK ” label.
Anything above 80 dB is displayed in yellow and marked “Loud”. Long-term exposure is considered dangerous, and Apple Watch advises you can even experience temporary hearing loss if you don’t protect yourself.
Set Apple Watch noise notifications
If you want to be notified when the ambient noise is louder than the accepted limits, do the following:
1. Open the apple Watch the app on the paired iPhone.
2. Be sure to browse the My watch tab (lower left corner of the screen).
3. To select Noise.
4. in the Noise notifications zone, press “Noise threshold”.
5. Choose the desired setting. You can choose from: Off, 80 decibels (limit: 5 hours / day), 85 decibels (limit: 2 hours / day), 90 decibels (limit: 30 minutes / day), 95 decibels (limit: 10 minutes / day) and 100 decibels (limit : 3 minutes / day).
Fact: Apple Watch will alert when the average sound level over the specified time limit reaches or exceeds the chosen decibel limit
Important: The above daily noise limits are derived from World Health Organization.
Apple Watch Noise App battery drain
As with any additional functionality running in the background, the Apple Watch’s noise monitoring option causes additional battery drain on your smartwatch. You need to test it and see if the impact is strong enough to affect your daily use.
If you are working in a noisy environment, it is definitely worth using as it helps you prevent hearing damage.
Apple Watch decibel counter accuracy
The watchOS environmental noise monitoring feature has a tolerance of approximately 1% which easily fits within the accepted 5% variation range.
Apple Watch noise history
If you want to check the measurements your Apple Watch has taken throughout the day, you can view them in the Health app on the paired iPhone.
Open the Health app and tap on the Browse tab (lower right corner). Then select Hearing and press Environmental sound levels.
Important: According to Apple.com, the watchOS Noise app does not record or record any sound when measuring audio levels!
Apple Watch Noise app is not available
Unfortunately, the decibel counter feature is only available for Apple Watch Series 4 and later models. If you have Series 3 or earlier, you won’t find the Noise app in the bundle.
Your Apple smartwatch must be running watchOS 6 or later to include the Noise app in stock.
Are you planning to use your Apple Watch as a decibel meter? Let us know in the comments section available below.
Related: iOS 14 displays real-time headphone audio level measurements in the iPhone Control Center!