Apple’s AirPods Pro 2 headphones now offer a slew of hearing-related software, including a hearing test and over-the-counter hearing aid functionality for people with mild to moderate hearing loss.
These new features were authorized by the US Food and Drug Administration in September 2024 and are available to Apple users who update their operating system to iOS 18.
Are they right for you? Before buying a pair, it's important to consider both the benefits and drawbacks. Here’s what you need to know:
The AirPods Pro 2 Hearing Aid Feature
AirPods are earbuds that wirelessly connect to Apple's iPhone and other Apple products via Bluetooth. Each earbud has a microphone and a speaker, allowing a person to make hands-free phone calls, and stream audio such as music and podcasts. With the new Hearing Aid Feature, they also can amplify sounds in a person's environment, much like what hearing aids do.
First, it may help to know that Apple—and other smartphones as well—have been a boon to people with hearing loss for some time. “Apple is known for great sound quality and we have been able to help our patients with mild hearing loss with their smartphones for quite a while,” says Catherine Palmer, PhD, an associate professor in the Department of Communication Science and Disorders at the University of Pittsburgh and a member of the American Academy of Audiology.
Here are three functions AirPods Pro 2 have for hearing loss and hearing protection:
- A hearing test: If you have a compatible iPhone or iPad device, you can take a hearing test using AirPods. It’s beneficial when hearing tests are easy to take and accessible, since it’s easy to not realize you’re experiencing hearing loss. “Although the most accurate hearing test is always going to be provided by an audiologist using a soundproof booth, this is a reasonable first approximation of hearing status,” Palmer says.
- Hearing aid capabilities: You can use either an audiogram from your audiologist or the results of your Apple hearing test to set up the AirPods as hearing aids. Plus: “With this new edition, the microphone on the AirPods is used so you don’t need your phone to be out and pointing at what you want to hear,” Palmer says.
- Hearing protection: The Pro headphones can protect your hearing from excessive noise exposure, including both passive and louder noises.
Pros of using Apple AirPods as hearing aids
They’re accessible.
Walk down any street, and you’re likely to see people wearing these distinctive devices. That is to say, they’re familiar, which may make them feel less intimidating than other hearing aid options. They’re also easy to put in your ears, and the software includes a test to make sure you've inserted them correctly. Plus, you can purchase Apple devices easily from a variety of retailers.
They're low in cost.
The sticker price for Apple AirPods Pro 2 is $249. (You can get them engraved for free, too.) That may be high for a pair of headphones, but in terms of hearing aids, that price is low — for both prescription or over-the-counter devices. “The advantage of AirPods would be just the cost is going to be less than a lot of hearing aids,” says Ryan Broyles, Au.D, CCC-A, of Hear KY in Franklin, Kentucky.
Easy to recharge — and the recharger is portable.
The charging process for these headphones couldn’t be more straightforward: Put them in the case, which holds multiple charges. About five minutes in the case will deliver one hour of listening or talking time.
To charge the case itself, you can plug it in or place it on a charging mat. The case is small and easy to slip in a pocket or purse.
Easy to use — depending on your tech comfort.
If you already have an iPhone (or iPad) and you’re comfortable navigating it, you’ll likely find taking the hearing test and adjusting the settings for these headphones fairly easy. And note: Even if you’re not comfortable with those kinds of tasks, if you have a caregiver or loved one, they can likely help out walking you through the initial setup, Broyles says.
But keep in mind that if tech issues are typically a bit of a learning curve for you, you may also find the setup and usage a bit tricky, he notes.
Comparable Bluetooth range to other hearing aids.
The Bluetooth range for these headphones is about 30 feet (or about 10 meters), which is comparable to the Bluetooth range offered by most prescription hearing aid manufacturers, Broyles says. That means you can wander pretty far from your phone while talking, or still hear the TV even if you wander into another room.
Good intro to hearing devices
There are a lot of everyday moments—watching TV or being around the house talking to family—when these hearing aids can be helpful, Broyles says. He thinks of these headphones as a good gateway for a lot of people, who might not feel quite ready to visit the audiologist and obtain prescription hearing aids.
“For those with the right level of hearing loss who want to pursue self-care and are comfortable wearing their AirPods, this can be a great solution. They may want to use these in specific situations to ease effortful listening,” Palmer says.
Cons of using Apple AirPods as hearing aids
Medically correctible causes of hearing loss can't be ruled out.
The hearing test from Apple cannot catch medically correctible causes of hearing loss, including simple causes of hearing loss, like earwax impaction. This requires an in-person ear exam and hearing test.
They’re not an option for every type of hearing loss.
Like all over-the-counter hearing aids, the AirPods are intended strictly for adults 18+ with mild to moderate hearing loss. People with more severe hearing loss should see an audiologist, Palmer says.
More: Who should not get an over-the-counter hearing aid?
“Anybody with hearing loss that's greater than moderate so 55 decibels or more would not be a good candidate for these. They just wouldn't be enough for that person,” Broyles said. (He also pointed out that Apple’s website shows an audiogram with severe hearing loss, which is a level of hearing loss the devices aren’t suitable for.)
And even if you do have mild to moderate hearing loss, you may still want to seek customized care from an audiologist, Palmer notes. Keep in mind that you can use an audiogram from a professional with these AirPods (and also discuss the best option for your hearing).
They won't fit well if you have unusual or narrow ear canals.
If your ear canals or ear shape is unusual, you may have a hard time getting a good fit, which is essential for proper hearing. It's a problem you may not know you have until you get a hearing exam (or buy AirPods that never seem to fit well). People with narrow ear canals often don't realize this is an issue until they try to get hearing aids and need custom earmolds.
They may get uncomfortable.
“For some people, wearing AirPods for an extended period of time may not be comfortable,” Palmer says. But, she notes, it may be possible to find an audiologist who can make a custom mold that fits on your AirPods, to improve the fit and comfort.
They may be a bit too visible.
Remember how we said earlier that AirPods are a familiar sight? That’s a pro — and also a potential drawback, Broyles says. Compared to other hearing aids, which are typically designed with discretion and low visibility as a priority, AirPods are white and stand out.
“Hearing aids in general are made overall to be aesthetically pleasing and not super visible, where AirPods are going to be visible,” Broyles says. That can be a problem, since when you’re around strangers, the assumption might be that you’re listening to music or on a call, and not using the devices to enhance your hearing.
They can cause occlusion.
Occlusion is when your body’s own sounds — like the sound of your own voice or your swallowing — sound muffled, hollow, or echoey. AirPods will cause a lot of occlusion, Broyles says. There will be an echo if you listen to people with AirPods in because your ears are plugged up, he adds. In contrast, with hearing aids, you can have an open fitting that allows low-pitch sounds to enter your ears, Broyles notes.
They don’t have a very long battery life.
This is a major drawback, Broyles says. Compared to hearing aids, AirPods simply don’t offer good battery life. Per Apple, you can get six hours of listening time or 4.5 hours of talk time per charge with the AirPods Pro 2.
Some hearing aids have rechargeable batteries that can go 48 hours on a single charge, and most will get you at least 24 hours, Broyles says. For people who prefer even longer battery life, replaceable "button" batteries are an option, too.
This seems to point to the devices being helpful if you use them in certain situations — a weekly work Zoom meeting or with the nightly news on TV — but not comparable to a hearing aid, which are meant to be worn and used all day, every day.
More: All about hearing aid batteries
You’ll need to stay in the Apple ecosystem
To use these hearing aid features, you’ll need a compatible (read: newer) iPhone or iPad to set it up. So while the sticker price for AirPods may feel quite reasonable, if you have an Android phone, switching to a new phone can make the price very significantly higher.
Unknowns (for now)
What happens if your hearing loss is too severe?
At the moment, it's unclear what happens if you take Apple's hearing test and it determines your hearing loss is too severe for AirPods, which are intended only for mild to moderate hearing loss. (Ideally, the software lets you know they will not work well for your type of hearing loss, and recommends you see a hearing care provider for prescription hearing aids.)
What happens if your phone is dead?
It's also not clear what happens to the hearing aid function if your iPhone battery is dead, or you're not within Bluetooth range of your phone. Based on conversations that we're seeing online, our best guess is that the AirPods will still work as hearing aids, but you can't adjust any of the settings.
Bottom line
“If you own a smartphone and the correct AirPods, you have an over-the-counter hearing aid in your hand and you may not even know it,” Palmer says.
And while the AirPods don’t offer everything a hearing aid does, particularly when it comes to battery life, they can provide a boost to your hearing abilities. Plus, wearing them may leave you curious about hearing aid options.
A lot of times, trying over-the-counter options make people realize that they’re ready for more, Broyles says.
Where to get hearing help
The path to healthy hearing starts with a hearing care appointment. Our large online directory of consumer-reviewed hearing loss clinics is a good place to start if you or a loved one has hearing loss.
Madeleine Burry is a Brooklyn-based freelance writer and editor. She's written about health for several online publications, including Women's Health, Prevention, Health, Livestrong and Good Housekeeping. You can follow her on Twitter @lovelanewest.
