I just updated my iPhone to iOS 18.1 and cannot see the hearing aid/hearing test features. My AirPods are up to date 7B19
I'm in the UK if that makes any difference.
I've just noticed that the feature is not available in the UK. It's just about the only country where it's not available
[Re-Titled by Moderator]
Well I just bought a pair of AirPods Pro 2 from the local Apple Store in the UK. I spoke to the sales people at length about how I was impressed by their inclusion of hearing tests, hearing aid and protection functions. I liked that you wear them in noisy environment to protect your hearing. Clever stuff which closed the sale for me.
At no point did they suggest that none of these features are actually available to UK customers (because of regulations for test and aid, and actually protection is only available in N America). In effect, the product was missold to me. I am therefore disappointed and feel misled.
The AirPods Pro to a UK user are OK as they are, but could have been much better. Bit of a con really.
I think have really dropped the ball on this if the Apple Stores are not warning you that you unable to use the hearing aid feature in the UK yet before you buy them. There is no date for the UK yet and I read somewhere earlier today that Apple haven’t even applied for MHRA approval in the UK yet. I think the person who was posting had contacted the MHRA directly.
If you haven’t updated your iPhone to IOS 18.1 you can still use the Airpods as hearing Aids with an older IOS without the geographical lock and for me with mild to moderate hearing loss they work really well. I've been using them for five or six weeks. They won't help you that much if your hearing loss is severe or profound.
If you are not on IOS 18.1 you can set them up straight away. If you have an iPad or an older iPhone that is running an older IOS you could set them up on that. You will need to download the free Mimi app to do do a hearing test OR you can download your audiogram by taking a photo of it.
Assuming you have set them up using Bluetooth after you have taken a hearing test. Go to Settings/Accessibility/Audio Visual and click on Headphone Accommodations. Click on Audiogram and it will ask you which one to use. If you used the Mimi app the test will appear with todays date. Select it. In the next menu you can hear a sample of music and toggle between music with your Audiogram applied and without it so you know your Audiogram is working.
Go to the bottom and click on Transparency Mode and also switch Conversation boost on.
With the Airpods connected to your phone or iPad, your Airpods will appear close to the top of the Settings menu. Click on it. Switch Conversation Awareness on. Switch Loud Sound Reduction on. Go almost to the bottom and do an Ear Tip Fit Test to make sure you have a good seal in your ears.
That's about it but there are loads of settings you can play around with. In the last menu I mentioned you can simply set them to Adaptive Mode which will automatically set Noise Cancellation volume according to your surroundings. Otherwise you tinker with the Background Volume and Hearing Aid Volume manually independently of each other.
Hope this helps. Copy it quick!
Not sure what ‘rasg’ is saying: transparency mode was always available regardless of iOS version. Those upgrading to 18 lost the hearing aid functionality and the hearing test which in turn feeds the ‘custom eq’ in Accessibility. Transparency mode and adaptive transparency was always there. 18.2 restores the hearing test and the ability to load the resultant audiogram into custom eq. Not sure what extra the ‘hearing aid’ function gives other than a name and official approval but this small step makes me a bit happier - I found transparency with the accessibility bits and ‘conversation boost’ was pretty good itself - will be interesting to see what an audiogram brings to this.
So to be clear on this, are we saying that the AirPod setup is persistent across devices [that are Bluetoothing to them] until the setup is edited on whatever device is connected at the time? Or alternatively, when you connect to a different device the new Bluetooth session picks up a new setup from the new device? Because if the former then there are workarounds. This is what @rasg seems to be implying. Can @rasg or others confirm?
The hearing test and audiogram custom sound will be available in 18.2 released this week 9/12->
So this with transparency and/or adaptive transparency gives us a lot of the functionality…
Only in countries that have the Hearing Aid approval.
The only way you will get them working using Transparency Mode is with an IOS older than 18. 18.2 will give you nothing if the hearing aid feature has not been approved in your country.
I am on 17.7.1 and I am still using the Custom Transparency Mode using my Costco test audiogram. Working well since September. The trick is to turn Auto Updates off. I am getting reminders on my 15 Pro Max at least twice a day and I just ignore them.
Why would I upgrade if I will lose my hearing aid functionality?
If you are over 60 you can go to your GP and get a referral to
Specsavers who will do a hearing test and dispense NHS hearing aids as
well as the ones they sell. Go with the NHS ones - they are nearly as
good and free.
This one is a real postcode lottery. Different areas use different suppliers and it is down to your local area what is available and the services offered.
Clearly there is a bit of a miss by Apple UK regarding communications about this product under iOS 18.1.
I 100% agree. I wrote to Tim Cook (the CEO of Apple) a week ago and he replied through the VP of Apple health.
[Edited by Moderator]
Well. Appears I’m wrong the hearing test will be there but one can’t link the audiogram to the headphone accommodation settings and set up a custom eq. 8-(
A pre 18 iOS is the only way so far…
Best I don’t update my iPad Pro.
Does anyone know if the custom eq persists on the buds, or does the custom setting get set according to the device its attached to?
The custom EQ persists on the AirPods. If you have set them up, for example, on an iPad Pro, it's bit big to cart around with you BUT you won't be able to change settings. The stems of the AirPods do allow you to change some basic settings though but I've never explored them.
iOS 18.2 has been released and is available for download. UK users will have the transparency functionality restored and access to the Apple hearing test. Hopefully we will have the hearing aid function available soon.
I have always been able to see this. But the ‘Audiogram’ selection has no effect on my transparency mode. When I try to change the amplification levels (with the slider), it doesn’t do anything. Does it work for you?
thanosgr9 wrote:
I have always been able to see this. But the ‘Audiogram’ selection has no effect on my transparency mode. When I try to change the amplification levels (with the slider), it doesn’t do anything. Does it work for you?
It does work for me if I tick the 'conversation boost' option. As before iOS 18 this option still erratically unticks itself.
i Have installed 18.2 - there is no option to add an audiogram in accessibility/headphone accommodations/custom audio setup which is where you need to able to add it in order to have a personal frequency response.
dbrdh wrote:
i Have installed 18.2 - there is no option to add an audiogram in accessibility/headphone accommodations/custom audio setup which is where you need to able to add it in order to have a personal frequency response.
Is your audiogram visible in Health? Mine was updated after I completed the Apple hearing test, and the Tune audio for audiogram option is available.
dbrdh wrote:
I have previous Apple test audiograms existing. Will try adding a new one.
All my previous audiograms from mimi are visible in the health app. The one from apple hearing test is top of the list. I'm UK English. Good luck, I hope you get it working for you.
Thank you. I just had another hearing test, which appears at the top of the 3 tests that I’ve taken in my Health app.
Unfortunately, changing the amplification slider for transparency (with Audiogram being selected as the source to ‘Tune audio for’) still has no effect, even when ‘conversation boost’ is enabled.
Nope. Does not work. Can do it with my iPad Pro which I’ve had to leave on iPadOS 18.0 now so I don’t lose this functionality.
Dont understand why I can’t see the functionality in 18.2. I’ve tried re-pairing the headphones with the iPhone and I’ve taken a new hearing Test. I have used the latest Hearing Test on the iPad to customise the earbuds and the settings seem to be persistent when I change back to using the iPhone.
I am at a loss to understand why this is such an issue. When I tried to customise the sound on the iPhone I don’t get the option to use an audiogram.
Thank you. I just had another hearing test, which appears at the top of the 3 tests that I’ve taken in my Health app.
Unfortunately, changing the amplification slider for transparency (with Audiogram being selected as the source to ‘Tune audio for’) still has no effect, even when ‘conversation boost’ is enabled.
It won't as they will not work in the UK until they are approved by the MHRA.
The only way you will get them working is with an older Apple iPad or iPhone running an older IOS than 18.1.
Why are AirPods Pro 2 Hearing Aid features not available in the UK?
