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What is tinnitus masking?
Tinnitus masking is using an external sound — noise, nature sounds, music or a fan — so that the ringing or hissing in your ears is partly covered and easier to ignore. It is a way of managing the experience, not a cure, and it is one of the simplest things to try.
Last reviewed 22 August 2026 · Sources listed below · Not medical advice
The short answer
Masking adds sound so the tinnitus signal has competition. Your auditory system is always comparing what it hears against the background; in silence, tinnitus is the only thing there. Add a steady sound and the ringing becomes one sound among several — less prominent, easier to tune out.
Partial versus total masking
Total masking sets the sound loud enough that you cannot hear the tinnitus at all. Partial masking sets it where the two blend — the "mixing point" in tinnitus retraining therapy. A study comparing the two found them equally effective, and partial masking avoids loud listening and is thought to support habituation (the brain learning to treat the tinnitus as unimportant). Most guidance, and Find My Quiet Sound’s defaults, favour partial masking.
What the evidence says
A Cochrane review of sound therapy (2018) found the research too limited to say that sound alone reduces tinnitus severity more than other care, but also found no harm, and noted that sound is widely used and valued by patients. The AAO-HNSF guideline says clinicians may offer sound therapy to patients with persistent, bothersome tinnitus. In other words: a reasonable, low-risk tool for comfort, not an established treatment.
Which sounds?
Broadband noise (white, pink, brown) and nature sounds are the most used. One trial found broadband noise reduced tinnitus symptom scores more than nature sounds over eight weeks, while many people simply prefer nature sounds — and preference predicts whether you will keep using it. Read white vs pink vs brown noise and nature sounds vs noise.
How to try it at home
- Open the sound generator and pick one sound.
- Raise the level slowly until it just blends with the tinnitus.
- Use it in the situations where tinnitus bothers you most — quiet rooms, bedtime, concentration.
- Give a sound a few days before judging it; change sound rather than turning up.
When masking is not enough
If tinnitus is persistent and distressing, ask a professional about counselling approaches such as cognitive behavioural therapy (the best-supported option for tinnitus distress), hearing aids if you have hearing loss, and a hearing evaluation if you have not had one.
Sources
- Sound therapy (masking) in the management of tinnitus in adults — Cochrane Review (2018)
- Tinnitus retraining therapy: mixing point and total masking are equally effective (JAAA, 2012)
- AAO-HNSF Clinical Practice Guideline: Tinnitus (2014)
- A mixed-methods trial of broad band noise and nature sounds for tinnitus therapy (2017)
- American Tinnitus Association — Sound Therapy
- NIDCD — Tinnitus (National Institute on Deafness and Other Communication Disorders)
Important: Find My Quiet Sound is designed for sound masking, relaxation and tinnitus management support. It does not diagnose, treat or cure tinnitus and is not a substitute for professional medical care. If your tinnitus is new, in one ear only, pulsing with your heartbeat, or comes with hearing loss or dizziness, see a doctor or audiologist.
Written from the sources above by the Find My Quiet Sound project; no clinician has reviewed this page. See Research & Sources and the medical disclaimer.