How to use the classroom noise monitor
- Open this page on the computer connected to your projector or interactive whiteboard.
- Place the laptop or microphone where it hears the room, not right next to one group of desks.
- Press Start and allow microphone access when the browser asks.
- Let the class work normally for a minute and adjust sensitivity until normal working volume sits in green.
- Set the Talking and Too loud points for the activity, then press Fullscreen.
Choosing levels for different activities
There is no single right classroom noise level — it depends on the task. Silent reading might use a low Talking point so even whispering shows amber, while group work can use higher points so normal discussion stays green. Explain the three states to students before you start, so the colours are a shared signal rather than a surprise.
- Quiet (green, smiling icon): the agreed working volume.
- Talking (amber, speech icon): getting louder than planned — a reminder, not a warning.
- Too loud (red, warning icon): above the level you set for this activity.
Each state has its own word and icon as well as a colour, so it is readable for colour-blind students and from the back of the room.
What this tool is — and isn't
This is a visual feedback tool for classroom management. It uses the same browser microphone engine as our free online decibel meter, but shows a relative level by default because built-in microphones are not calibrated. It is not a certified sound level meter, and the thresholds are not health or building-acoustics standards. If you need to assess a classroom's acoustics formally, ask your school's facilities team about a professional assessment.
Curious how loud everyday sounds are? See the decibel chart, or read about why some rooms echo — echoey classrooms often feel louder than they are.
Privacy
The microphone only turns on after you press Start, and it turns off when you press Stop or leave the page. Audio is analysed in the browser to calculate a level and immediately discarded — nothing is recorded, uploaded or stored, and no student information is collected.