The audio interrupter device (2) interfaces between any audio source (1) and headphones (3) to alert the user to external environmental sounds that exceed a threshold by temporarily halting audio transmission. The threshold is adjustable either through an automatic adjustment option that bases the threshold on the ambient sound level or through manual sensitivity adjustment. The device includes an audio plug (11) and an audio jack (12) that are connected to analog switches (10) that have the ability to connect and disconnect their corresponding conductors. An audio signal from a microphone (4) is amplified and input to a microcontroller (7), which compares the audio signal sample value to the sound interrupting threshold. If the audio signal sample exceeds the threshold, the analog switches disconnect the corresponding conductors of the audio plug and audio jack. If the audio signal sample is below the threshold, the analog switches connect the corresponding conductors of the audio plug and audio jack and thereby allow the audio signal to be transmitted from the audio source to the headphones.