Your guitar is out of tune right now, and GuitarTuna is the app most people install to fix that. But if you are already at a screen, you do not need an install. We built Pitchline, a free chromatic tuner that runs in this tab. It listens through your microphone, shows the note and how many cents you are off, and the signal is processed locally, never recorded or uploaded. No mic? Six reference tones let you tune by ear instead.
Tune your guitar now
Tap Enable microphone and pluck a string, or switch to Tune by ear for reference tones.
How to use it
Microphone mode is the fast path. Tap Enable microphone and your browser will show a one-time permission prompt; allow it, then pluck one string at a time. The needle shows how far you are from the nearest note in cents, the nearest string in standard tuning (E2 A2 D3 G3 B3 E4) is marked as your target, and when you land within five cents you get a checkmark and an “In tune” label. All the pitch detection happens on your device. The audio never leaves your browser, and nothing is recorded.
Tune by ear works with no microphone at all, and Pitchline switches to it automatically if permission is denied. Tap any of the six string buttons to hear a clean plucked reference tone, match your string to it, and tap again to stop. Your last mode and last string are remembered on your device, so a restring session picks up where you left off.
How it compares to GuitarTuna
For the core job, tuning a six-string guitar in standard tuning, Pitchline does what we need: real pitch detection through the mic, a cents readout, and reference tones as a fallback. It loads in about a second, works offline once loaded, and has no ads, accounts, or upsells.
GuitarTuna is a much bigger product, and we want to be straight about that. It ships over a hundred alternate tunings and supports bass, ukulele, mandolin, banjo, and more, where Pitchline covers standard EADGBE only. It also bundles a chord library with tabs for thousands of songs, a metronome, and ear-training games that make practice stick. Its tuner is tuned for noisy rooms too, which matters if you are tuning backstage rather than on a couch.
Our honest take: use Pitchline when you are at a computer or do not want another app, and install GuitarTuna if you play more than one instrument, explore alternate tunings, or want the chord and practice tools in your pocket.
Get the full app
GuitarTuna by Yousician has been the default tuner app for years, with over 140 million downloads. The tuner itself is free, works with your phone’s mic, and the same app scales up to bass, ukulele, and dozens of alternate tunings when you need them.
Frequently asked questions
Is there a guitar tuner that works in the browser?
Yes. Pitchline, embedded above, is a chromatic tuner that runs entirely in your browser using the Web Audio API. It detects pitch through your microphone, shows the note, octave, and cents offset, and needs no download, signup, or plugin. It works on phones and desktops alike.
Does the mic recording get uploaded anywhere?
No. There is no recording at all. The microphone signal is analyzed in real time on your device, the page makes zero network requests once loaded, and nothing you play ever leaves your browser. Your last mode and string are saved with localStorage on your device only.
Is this the real GuitarTuna?
No. Pitchline is an original tuner we built, and it is not affiliated with, endorsed by, or connected to Yousician or GuitarTuna in any way. If you want alternate tunings, other instruments, chords, and a metronome, install the official app from the links above.
How accurate is a browser tuner?
Accurate enough for everyday tuning. Pitchline uses autocorrelation pitch detection with smoothing, resolves offsets to a few cents, and flags “In tune” within five cents of the target, which is tighter than most ears can hear. A quiet room and plucking one string at a time give the best reading.
Can I tune without a microphone?
Yes. Switch to Tune by ear mode and tap any string to hear a synthesized plucked reference tone for standard tuning, from low E2 at 82.41 Hz to high E4 at 329.63 Hz. Match each string by ear and tap again to stop the tone.
