AirPods Pro 2 hearing aid feature coming soon to UK
Apple users in the UK will soon be able to take full advantage of the AirPods Pro 2 and use them as a hearing aid. Users in the US have been benefiting from this feature for some time, but it has been limited abroad. As The Telegraph reports, the new feature is aimed at people with mild or moderate hearing loss.
While Apple AirPods Pro 2 already offer the ability to test your hearing in the UK, they do not yet have the ability to amplify sound. In other countries, such as the US, this feature is already available. Apple plans to release a software update within a few weeks that complies with the new guidelines from the Department of Health and Social Care and also introduces the feature in the UK.
Until now, hearing aids usually required a prescription due to regulatory complexities. Under the new guidelines, hearing tests from companies such as Apple are sufficient to activate the hearing aid function on compatible devices. Disclaimer included: People with hearing problems should still seek advice from a GP.
Statistics show that one in three adults in the UK suffer from hearing loss or tinnitus, with over half of those over 55 affected. Of those with hearing loss, around 53% use hearing aids.
AirPods Pro 2 as hearing aids
Apple AirPods Pro 2 have a clinical-grade hearing aid feature suitable for people with perceived mild to moderate hearing loss. To use this feature, make sure your AirPods have the latest firmware and are paired with an iPhone running iOS 18.1 or iPad running iPadOS 18.1 or later.
To set up the hearing aid feature:
- Put in your AirPods Pro 2 and confirm they are connected to your device.
- On your iPhone or iPad, go to Settings, select your AirPods and tap Hearing Aid.
- If you haven’t had a hearing test yet, select Take a Hearing Test and follow the onscreen instructions. Alternatively, you can use a previous test result or add an audiogram from a hearing care professional.
- After completing the test or adding results, tap Set Up Hearing Aid, then Get Started, followed by Next, and finally Turn On Hearing Aid.
Once activated, you can adjust settings such as gain level, balance, and tone to tailor the hearing aid functionality to your preferences. These adjustments can be made from the AirPods settings on your device or from the Quick Settings in Control Center.
