Two earbuds and a free software update now cover ground that once meant a clinic visit and a custom ear mold. You can use earbuds as hearing aids today, but the list is short: Apple’s Hearing Aid feature works on AirPods Pro 2 and AirPods Pro 3, and the FDA has recognized over-the-counter hearing aids for adults 18 and older since October 2022.
Setup itself takes a few minutes. What stops people is everything around it — an outdated phone, stale firmware, or a region where the feature hasn’t launched yet. Here are the models that qualify, the tap-by-tap setup, and the cases where earbuds are not the answer.
Which Earbuds Actually Work As Hearing Aids?
Apple’s AirPods Pro 2 and AirPods Pro 3 are the earbuds with a documented hearing aid mode, and they need current firmware plus iOS 18.1 or iPadOS 18.1 (or later) on the paired iPhone or iPad.
The FDA authorized the company’s hearing health features, which then arrived as a free software update. That regulatory step matters, because over-the-counter hearing aids sell without a prescription, a fitting appointment, or a professional adjustment — the AirPods version handles the fitting itself, using either a hearing test taken with the earbuds or an audiogram from a hearing healthcare professional.
| What To Check | What You Need | If It’s Missing |
|---|---|---|
| Earbud model | AirPods Pro 2 or AirPods Pro 3 | Other AirPods and other brands have no documented hearing aid mode |
| Firmware | The latest AirPods firmware | The setup screens may never appear |
| Paired device | iPhone or iPad on iOS or iPadOS 18.1 and later | The Hearing Assistance menu stays hidden |
| Computer use | A compatible Mac on macOS Sequoia or later | Hearing Aid runs, but the hearing test does not |
| Battery | AirPods charged before you start | Setup and the hearing test can stall partway |
| Region | One of the 100-plus countries Apple supports | Local approval rules may block both features |
| Age | 18 or older | The feature is not intended for children |
Qualifying is half the job; sounding clear in a crowded room is the rest. Our tested picks for hard-of-hearing listeners compares which models hold speech together best.
Using Earbuds As Hearing Aids: The Setup Walkthrough
Every setup step happens on the iPhone or iPad, not on the earbuds: Settings > AirPods > Hearing Assistance > Set Up Hearing Assistance, followed by a hearing test or a saved audiogram, then the hearing aid switch itself.
- Charge the AirPods Pro, pair them, and keep them connected to your iPhone or iPad.
- Open Settings, tap your AirPods, tap Hearing Assistance, then tap Set Up Hearing Assistance.
- Tap Take a Hearing Test to measure your hearing through the earbuds, or tap Use a Prior Test Result to select a saved test or add an audiogram from a hearing healthcare professional.
- Tap Set Up Hearing Aid, then Get Started, Next, and Turn On Hearing Aid.
- Adjust amplification, balance, and tone from the Hearing Assistance screen.
Apple also builds in Media Assist, which sharpens music, video, and phone calls through the same pair.
When Earbuds Are The Wrong Choice
Earbuds cover one narrow case: adults 18 and older with perceived mild to moderate hearing loss who own a supported AirPods Pro model. Severe hearing loss, one-sided loss, sudden changes, or ear pain call for a hearing professional rather than a software update.
- Assuming any earbud works. The hearing aid mode is documented only for AirPods Pro 2 and AirPods Pro 3.
- Skipping updates. The feature needs the latest firmware and a phone or tablet on iOS or iPadOS 18.1 and later.
- Buying from an unsupported region. Apple says the hearing test and hearing aid features are available in more than 100 countries and regions, but not all of them.
- Expecting a Mac to do everything. A compatible Mac on macOS Sequoia or later can run the Hearing Aid feature, but the hearing test stays on iPhone or iPad.
- Stretching the earbuds past mild to moderate loss. That sits outside the over-the-counter category the FDA created for adults.
Earbuds also pull double duty in a way most prescription devices do not: they stream music, take calls, and work as ordinary headphones. That overlap explains the appeal — the hearing help rides along with gear you already own.
Work through it in order: confirm the model, update the firmware and the phone software, pair the AirPods, run the hearing test somewhere quiet, turn on the hearing aid, then fine-tune the sound. If the loss goes beyond mild to moderate, book a test with a professional instead.
FAQs
Does This Work With An Android Phone?
No. The hearing test and the hearing aid setup both run through Apple’s software on an iPhone or iPad, and there is no Android path to either one. A compatible Mac on macOS Sequoia or later can run the Hearing Aid feature once it’s set up, but the initial test still happens on an Apple phone or tablet.
Do Other Earbud Brands Offer The Same Thing?
Not in the regulated sense. Plenty of other earbuds amplify sound or offer volume boost settings, but amplification is not the same thing as a hearing aid.
When Should You See A Hearing Professional Instead?
Any time the loss goes beyond mild to moderate, or when it arrives suddenly, affects one ear more than the other, or comes with pain, pressure, or drainage. Over-the-counter devices and the AirPods feature are built for gradual, perceived mild to moderate loss in adults. A sudden hearing change deserves prompt medical attention.
References & Sources
- Apple. Apple Support: Hearing Assistance setup and requirements for AirPods Pro 2 and AirPods Pro 3 Official step order, firmware notes, and the devices that support the hearing test and hearing aid.
- U.S. Food and Drug Administration. FDA: Hearing Aids Explains the over-the-counter hearing aid category for adults 18 and older with perceived mild to moderate hearing loss.