White Noise for Tinnitus: Masking Techniques and Safe Levels
Updated April 2026 · 8 min read
Not medical advice. Tinnitus has many causes. Persistent, sudden-onset, or one-sided tinnitus requires medical evaluation. This page covers masking as a symptom-management tool, not a cure. Consult an audiologist for clinical tinnitus management.
Key principles
- Match the noise colour to your tinnitus frequency: violet/white for high-pitched ringing; pink for mid-range; brown for low rumble.
- Never mask at a volume higher than your tinnitus. The goal is to blend, not drown out.
- Use the filter sliders to tune the masking frequency to your tinnitus pitch.
- Start sessions short (15-20 min) until you know how you respond.
How tinnitus masking works
Tinnitus (phantom sound perception, typically ringing, hissing, buzzing, or roaring) is perceived most acutely in quiet environments because there is no competing external sound. Masking works on the same principle as white noise for sleep: by raising the ambient sound floor, you reduce the perceptual salience of the tinnitus signal.
Unlike sleep masking (where you want to cover all frequencies equally), tinnitus masking is most effective when the masking sound targets the frequency of the tinnitus. A 7,000 Hz ring is best addressed by a masker with significant energy at and around 7,000 Hz. Using brown noise (which has very little energy above 2,000 Hz) for a high-pitched tinnitus is usually ineffective.
The American Tinnitus Association notes that masking can provide temporary relief and is part of tinnitus retraining therapy (TRT) protocols, though TRT uses specific masking techniques and counselling rather than simple background noise playback.
Matching colour to your tinnitus frequency
High-pitched (above 4,000 Hz)
High-frequency ringing or whistling
Best colour: Violet or filtered white
Use violet noise or white noise with the high-pass filter set to 2,000-4,000 Hz
Mid-range (1,000-4,000 Hz)
Mid-pitch hiss, buzz, or steady tone
Best colour: Pink or white
Pink noise provides good coverage of this range. White noise also works well.
Low-pitched (below 1,000 Hz)
Low hum, roaring, or pulsing
Best colour: Brown or pink
Brown noise provides strong low-frequency energy. Use the low-pass filter to boost low-end further.
Using the filter sliders to tune your masker
Our generator’s high-pass and low-pass filter sliders let you shape the noise spectrum to match your tinnitus frequency more precisely. Here is how to use them:
- Start with the noise colour that matches your tinnitus pitch category (from the table above).
- Open the controls panel (tap “show controls”).
- For high-pitched tinnitus: move the high-pass filter up (e.g., to 2,000 Hz). This removes low-frequency content and concentrates energy in the range that matters.
- For low-pitched tinnitus: move the low-pass filter down (e.g., to 500 Hz). This removes high-frequency content and strengthens the low-frequency masking.
- Set the intensity to a level slightly below your tinnitus perceived volume. Blending is the goal, not overpowering.
- Use the “Share preset” button to save your configuration via URL.
Volume rules for tinnitus masking
The “minimum masking level” (MML) is the standard clinical concept for tinnitus masking volume. It is the lowest volume at which the masking sound blends with or partially covers the tinnitus, measured in dB relative to the individual’s tinnitus loudness.
A common recommendation from audiologists is to set masking noise at 5-10 dB below the MML, not at or above it. The goal is habituation and partial relief, not complete suppression. Running masking noise significantly louder than necessary does not provide proportionally more relief and risks auditory fatigue or adaptation.
Never use masking at a volume that exceeds your tinnitus. This risks auditory strain and does not produce additional therapeutic benefit. If you need to run the generator very loud to mask your tinnitus, this may indicate a high-level tinnitus that warrants audiologist evaluation.
When to see an audiologist
- Tinnitus that started suddenly or after a noise event.
- Tinnitus in one ear only (unilateral tinnitus).
- Tinnitus accompanied by hearing loss, vertigo, or headaches.
- Pulsatile tinnitus (beats in time with your heartbeat).
- Tinnitus that is significantly affecting sleep, work, or quality of life.
These presentations may indicate underlying conditions that require medical evaluation. Masking should be a complement to assessment, not a substitute for it.