How to get noise warnings on an Apple Watch
2 min read · 5 steps · Updated 2 October 2026
Open the Watch app on the iPhone, tap My Watch, then Noise, then Noise Threshold, and choose a level such as 80 or 85 decibels. The watch then taps your wrist when the sound around you stays above that level for three minutes.
Loud surroundings damage hearing slowly and without pain. The Noise app on the Apple Watch measures how loud it is around you and warns you when the level could harm your ears over time. It uses the microphone but does not record or save any sound.
These steps are for recent versions of watchOS. The pictures are simplified diagrams of the watch screen, not screenshots.
Step by step
Open the Watch app on the iPhone
Tap the My Watch tab, then tap Noise.
Tap Noise Threshold
Choose the level at which you want to be warned. 80 decibels is the lowest and warns earliest.
Or set it on the watch
On the Apple Watch, open Settings and tap Noise. The same threshold is there.
Check the level at any time
Open the Noise app on the watch. It shows the current level in decibels and marks it as OK or Loud.
React to a warning
When the watch taps you, move away from the source, turn the volume down or put in hearing protection.
Good to know
Apple's guide to the numbers: at 80 decibels, about five and a half hours a day are within the limit. At 85 decibels it is about one hour and 45 minutes, at 90 decibels about 30 minutes, and at 95 decibels about 10 minutes. At 100 decibels, even a few minutes a day can cause temporary hearing loss.
The watch measures the average level over three minutes, so a single bang does not trigger a warning.
Water and wind make the measurement less accurate, and measuring pauses while Water Lock is on or the microphone or speaker is in use.
To switch the warnings off, choose Off under Noise Threshold.
In short: Watch app, My Watch, Noise, Noise Threshold, choose a level.
- Apple Support: Use the Noise app on your Apple Watch
Rules and prices change. Check the official source before you act.