Can AirPods Pro Work as Hearing Aids? An Honest, Plain-English Guide
"Can my AirPods be my hearing aids?" is one of the questions we see most often on hearing-aid forums, usually from someone who already owns a pair, or from a grown child wondering whether $249 earbuds could help a parent who keeps saying "What?" The honest answer is yes, for some people, with real limits. Here's what it does, who it's for, and how to try it.
The short version. The FDA authorized Apple's Hearing Aid feature in September 2024 as an over-the-counter (OTC) hearing aid for adults 18 and older with perceived mild to moderate hearing loss.[1] It works on AirPods Pro 2 and AirPods Pro 3, and you need an iPhone or iPad to set it up.[2][5] It is not meant for severe or profound hearing loss.[3]
What the FDA actually authorized
On September 12, 2024, the FDA authorized the "Hearing Aid Feature," the first OTC hearing aid that is software. Once it's set up for your hearing, it lets compatible AirPods Pro serve as an OTC hearing aid.[1]
The FDA says Apple tested it in a study of 118 people with perceived mild to moderate hearing loss at several U.S. sites. People who set it up themselves reported similar benefit to people whose AirPods were fitted by a professional, and no device-related problems were seen in the study.[1] That's a study of a mild-to-moderate group. It doesn't tell you how it will work for your hearing.
What you need
- AirPods Pro 2 or AirPods Pro 3 with the latest firmware. Regular AirPods and AirPods Max aren't on Apple's list.[2][5] AirPods Pro 3 were $249 on Apple's store when we checked.[6]
- An iPhone or iPad with current software for setup. Apple lists iOS 18 or iPadOS 18 and later.[2][5] If your parent uses an Android phone, this route doesn't fit.
- A hearing result. Either Apple's built-in Hearing Test (about 5 minutes) or an audiogram, the hearing test chart from a hearing professional, which you can type in.[2][3]
- A country where it's offered. Apple says availability varies by country or region.[2]
How to set it up, step by step
- Charge the AirPods and pair them with the iPhone or iPad.[2]
- Find a quiet room with no TV, fan or loud air conditioning. The test plays tones from 250 Hz to 8 kHz, some very soft. Apple says a cold, sinus or ear infection, allergies, or a loud concert in the past 24 hours can throw off results.[3]
- Make sure the ear tips seal well. The test checks the fit, and AirPods Pro 3 come with five tip sizes.[3][4]
- With the AirPods in, go to Settings, tap the AirPods' name, then Hearing Health, then Hearing Assistance, then Set Up Hearing Assistance. Choose Take a Hearing Test or Use a Prior Test Result to enter an audiogram.[2]
- Follow the prompts and tap Turn On Hearing Aid. Depending on the results, it may suggest Media Assist instead, which only adjusts music, videos and calls.[2]
Apple says it can take time to get used to, and suggests making small changes over time.[2] The settings live on the AirPods, so they keep working even if the phone isn't nearby.[2]
Settings worth knowing
- It only amplifies the room in Transparency mode. In noise cancellation mode, it isn't acting as a hearing aid.[2]
- Amplification is a separate slider from the phone's volume buttons, which only change music and calls. You can also reach it from Control Center.[2]
- Conversation Boost focuses on the person in front of you. Apple says it works best one-on-one.[2]
- Ambient Noise Reduction turns down steady noise like fans or road noise. Tone makes sound brighter or darker, and Balance shifts left and right.[2]
- Save the results. The Health app can export your Hearing Test as a PDF to share with a doctor or hearing professional.[3]
Battery life
Apple rates AirPods Pro 3 at up to 10 hours on one charge using the Hearing Aid feature. That's from Apple's own tests with volume and amplification at 50% and nothing playing; real life varies.[4] Five minutes in the case gives about an hour of listening.[4] We didn't find a Hearing Aid battery figure for AirPods Pro 2 on Apple's pages. Most people wear dedicated hearing aids all day, so plan on charging breaks.
What owners say (personal experiences, not studies)
In forum threads we read, people with hearing loss who tried them tended to say:[8][9][10]
- They help in quiet rooms and one-on-one, and sound great for music, TV and calls.
- Noisy restaurants are much harder.
- Battery life runs out before the day ends, and some find them uncomfortable or say they fall out.
- Several use them as a backup pair, or as a low-cost first step before dedicated hearing aids.
- People with more than moderate loss said they weren't loud enough, which fits the FDA's mild-to-moderate limit.
Things AirPods don't do
- No telecoil listed. Apple's spec sheet doesn't list a telecoil, so don't count on them to pick up hearing loops in churches and theaters.[4]
- No Auracast listed. The spec sheet lists Bluetooth 5.3 and doesn't mention Auracast.[4] See our Auracast guide.
- No in-person fitting or follow-up, unless you take your results to a professional yourself.
Who it's a good fit for, and who should look elsewhere
| Probably worth a try | Probably look elsewhere |
|---|---|
| Adults with perceived mild to moderate loss who already have an iPhone[1][2] | Anyone with severe or profound loss, or a sudden change in hearing[3] |
| People who mainly struggle at home, on calls or with TV | People who need help all day, every day, without recharging[4] |
| Someone who wants a low-cost first step, or a backup pair | Android users, or anyone who relies on looped rooms |
Want to compare? See our OTC hearing aid comparison table, our OTC vs. prescription guide and our 2026 prescription brand comparison.
See a doctor first if you notice these
The FDA says to see a doctor, preferably an ear-nose-throat doctor (ENT), before using an OTC hearing aid if you have sudden or fluctuating hearing changes in the past 6 months, worse hearing or ringing in only one ear, ear pain, fluid, pus or blood from the ear, dizziness or vertigo, heavy earwax or something stuck in the ear, or an ear deformity or injury.[7] Apple also says to talk to your doctor about severe or profound loss or a sudden change.[3] Sudden hearing loss is urgent. Don't wait.
Disclosure. Mark's wife, Kerry Shuffield, is a board-certified hearing instrument specialist who fits hearing aids. Apple didn't pay for or review this page, and it has no affiliate links. It's education, not medical advice.
Sources
- U.S. Food and Drug Administration, FDA Authorizes First Over-the-Counter Hearing Aid Software, September 12, 2024. Checked November 3, 2026.
- Apple Support, Use the Hearing Aid feature on your AirPods Pro 2 or AirPods Pro 3. Checked November 3, 2026.
- Apple Support, Take a Hearing Test with AirPods Pro 2 or AirPods Pro 3. Checked November 3, 2026.
- Apple, AirPods Pro 3 Technical Specifications (battery footnotes). Checked November 3, 2026.
- Apple, Compare AirPods models (Hearing Aid support and software requirements). Checked November 3, 2026.
- Apple Store, Buy AirPods Pro 3 (price). Checked November 3, 2026.
- U.S. Food and Drug Administration, OTC Hearing Aids: What You Should Know. Checked November 3, 2026.
- Reddit r/HearingAids, Apple hearing aid (user discussion, September 2026). Checked November 3, 2026.
- Reddit r/HearingAids, Review of Apple AirPods Pro 3 as hearing aids (one user's review). Checked November 3, 2026.
- HearingTracker Forum, Apple AirPods Pro 3, anyone tried them as hearing aids? (user discussion). Checked November 3, 2026.