Apple’s latest mobile software update – iOS18.1 – includes new hearing health features for the AirPods Pro 2 earplugs. These features include a clinically validated hearing test to help users assess their hearing health and a hearing aid mode that allows the Pro 2 earbuds to act as an over-the-counter hearing aid.
If you’re curious about Apple’s new hearing health features, how to complete the hearing test, or anything else related to these AirPods acting as hearing aids, read on to get your questions answered.
To use the AirPods Pro 2 as over-the-counter hearing aids, users must first complete a hearing test to determine their degree of hearing loss. The test can be accessed on their iPhone in the AirPods settings or in the Health app under the Hearing tab.
Users can also take Apple’s hearing test on a compatible iPad. Additionally, users can enter the results of an existing hearing test administered by an audio professional. If you’re taking the test on your iPhone or iPad, your AirPods Pro 2 should be connected to the device and seated securely in your ears.
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Once users complete the hearing test, they will receive their average hearing loss in each ear. If users register at least 26 dB loss in either ear, their AirPods Pro 2 will suggest hearing aid mode. Users can still activate hearing aid mode if results show less than 26 dB of hearing loss.
Apple’s hearing test requires users to put the AirPods Pro 2 in their ears and sit in a quiet environment. Once the test begins, the AirPods will automatically turn on noise cancellation so users can hear the prompts, and the iPhone will go to Do Not Disturb to limit distractions.
Users will then hear a series of high and low beeps and be prompted to tap the screen when they hear a beep. During the hearing test, each ear is tested and after the test the results are recorded in the Health app.
However, Maddie Maliszewska, an audiologist at Boost Hearingcare, says that at-home hearing tests may be less reliable, accurate and comprehensive than tests performed in a clinical setting. Home tests cannot take into account any obstructions in the ear and are too simple to determine which area in the ear is affected and causing hearing loss. The best way for users to make their at-home hearing test more accurate is to clean their ears before taking them.
“The test done through the AirPods also only tests ‘air conduction,’” she says. “To get the full picture of a person’s hearing loss, a bone conduction test should also be done. Bone conduction tests allow us to see whether the hearing loss is sensorineural or conductive. Therefore, if the hearing test is not fully completed, it cannot be determined whether there is a problem with the outer ear, the middle ear or the inner ear.”
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Cindy McManus, an audiologist at Zepp Clarity, a hearing care solutions company, echoes Maliszewska. McManus says hearing tests, performed by an audiologist, can determine what type of hearing loss a person has and whether they need prescription hearing aids or medical intervention.
“The iPhone hearing test should be considered a guideline for software adjustment and is not a diagnosis of hearing loss,” she says.
The only Apple earbuds compatible with Hearing Aid Mode are the AirPods Pro 2. Hearing Aid Mode can be accessed on all iPads running iPadOS 18.1, iPhones running iOS 18.1, and Macs running MacOS Sequoia and later. Make sure your device is updated with the latest software as these features were not available in previous software versions. The AirPods themselves will update as soon as you update your iPad, iPhone, or Mac.
Unfortunately, the AirPods Pro 2’s hearing aid mode only works with Apple devices. However, iPads as old as the iPad Air 3 and iPhones as old as the iPhone 11 are compatible with Apple’s hearing aid mode.
Android users who don’t want to switch to iOS for their daily driver phone can purchase an older iPhone or iPad to use as a secondary device for the time being. Before you can access Apple’s hearing health features on these older devices, make sure they are updated to the latest software.
Due to their age, you can find these devices at lower prices and refurbished models are regularly discounted.
According to Apple, Hearing Aid Mode is intended for adults 18 years and older. Additionally, all over-the-counter hearing aids, including the AirPods Pro 2, are best suited for people with mild to moderate hearing loss. However, McManus says that using AirPods as a hearing aid is not a permanent solution to hearing loss, but it is a good place to start.
“I’m hopeful that the AirPods update will encourage more people to explore hearing aid use,” she says. “While they are good for situational or occasional use, battery life will not support their use as a permanent solution.”
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Maliszewska agrees: People feel more comfortable and relaxed when they perform hearing tests at home, and AirPods’ function as a hearing aid is an important first step in addressing hearing loss.
“For someone to complete this test from the comfort of their own home and be told they have hearing loss is a good first step,” she says. “Hopefully this will prompt them to make an appointment for further, detailed testing.”
It doesn’t hurt to test your ears with your AirPods Pro 2 and iPhone, even if you don’t think you have any noticeable hearing loss. Many people unintentionally damage their hearing every day by listening to music too loudly or going to concerts or sporting events without hearing protection. The at-home hearing test can inform you about your hearing health and help determine whether it is time to seek medical advice.
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According to McManus, maintaining hearing health is just as important as maintaining physical and mental health, and a decline in hearing health can lead to a decline in mental health.
“Most people don’t understand the importance of good hearing health, but studies show that untreated hearing loss is linked to other health problems, such as dementia,” she says. “It is becoming clear that hearing health plays a role in overall health.”
You can access your hearing health insights through the Health app of your compatible Apple device under the Hearing tab. Here you can see the headphone and ambient noise levels. Headphone sound levels are more accurate when users have Apple or Beats headphones connected to a compatible device. The loudness levels of other headphones are estimated based on your device’s volume settings.
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Ambient noise levels measure the loudness of sounds in your environment. This feature is most commonly used on the iPhone and Apple Watch because they are the most portable. Your Apple Watch alerts you when your environment reaches potentially harmful noise levels.
