Hearing aid test not available?

[voyager77]

I have bought some airpods pro 2 (usb c version). Updated them to the latest firmware, both pods and dock. Iphone is on 18.1.
And i can't find any way to start a hearing test to activate the hearing aid feature.
It's not under health, nor is it under EarPods settings like it should be according to guides.

I got these for my father because he has some hearing issues but it's turning into an expensive disappointment.

 

[scrane]

App: "Hearing Test". aka: "Mimi Hearing Test". Then see https://forums.macrumors.com/threads/airpods-pro-2-as-a-hearing-aid.2440681/ post #5 ( thanks to @rasg ).

 

[rasg]

I have bought some airpods pro 2 (usb c version). Updated them to the latest firmware, both pods and dock. Iphone is on 18.1.
And i can't find any way to start a hearing test to activate the hearing aid feature.
It's not under health, nor is it under EarPods settings like it should be according to guides.

I got these for my father because he has some hearing issues but it's turning into an expensive disappointment.

Where do you live? If your country hasn't approved the Airpod Pro 2s as Hearing Aids they won’t work.

Also, when your dad does finally do a hearing test if his hearing test shows his hearing is WORSE than mild to moderate, that is severe to profound they also will not work. The Pros 2 are now being governed by the FDA and have to abide by strict rules.

If you have an iPhone that you HAVEN'T updated to IOS 18 you can set the Airpods as hearing aids without any restrictions.

 

[rasg]

App: "Hearing Test". aka: "Mimi Hearing Test". Then see https://forums.macrumors.com/threads/airpods-pro-2-as-a-hearing-aid.2440681/ post #5 ( thanks to @rasg ).

Thanks for letting people know about my cheat sheet but anybody who has rushed in and updated to IOS 18,18.01 and 18.1 many are probably going to be disappointed.

The problem is that everybody is deciding to buy the Airpod Pro 2s and the first thing they do is update to IOS 18.1. That is when the problems start.

Those instructions I posted were for anybody running a iPhone on an IOS prior to IOS 18,18.01 and 18.1.

It won't work for anybody running 18.1 as the menus and options are different.

If they live in one of the 100 countries where the Airpods have been approved for use by their countries government they should be fine BUT if they run an Apple hearing test and find their hearing loss is severe or profound, they will not work. They will get a message from Apple to see an Audiologist.

Here is the current definitive list of the countries that have approval to use Airpod Pro 2s as hearing aids. The list does not include the UK, Canada, Italy, France or Spain.

AirPods Pro 2 - Hearing Health Feature Availability

Hearing Health in AirPods Pro 2 is a Hearing Test, Hearing Aid, and Hearing Protection all in one device. See feature availability based on location.

www.apple.com

I also know of people with severe hearing loss who have found that Airpods can still work for them for music or streaming.The update is now preventing them from using them and there is no way back from 18.1.

I will continue using mine running IOS 17.7.1 as they work really well for me so I don't plan on updating any time soon. From what I have read 18.1 is breaking more than the number that are working.

If you haven’t hit that update button to IOS 18, you can set your Airpods up the way I have with no annoying restrictions.

 

[SpecSpy]

It depends on your location and whether the AirPods have been approved as hearing aids there. If you're in one of the countries where they aren't approved, that could be why you can't find the hearing test option.

 

[Night Spring]

I also know of people with severe hearing loss who have found that Airpods can still work for them for music or streaming.The update is now preventing them from using them and there is no way back from 18.1.

I got around this by manually entering audiogram values for a moderate hearing loss. Obviously, doesn't give me as much amplification as a real hearing aid would, but still enough to make a noticeable difference.

Basically, for frequencies where your hearing loss is between 0 to -50, enter the correct value from your audiogram. Where your hearing loss is larger than -50, enter -50.

 

[kitKAC]

I have bought some airpods pro 2 (usb c version). Updated them to the latest firmware, both pods and dock. Iphone is on 18.1.
And i can't find any way to start a hearing test to activate the hearing aid feature.
It's not under health, nor is it under EarPods settings like it should be according to guides.

I got these for my father because he has some hearing issues but it's turning into an expensive disappointment.

Try pasting this into the Safari address bar:

x-apple-health://HearingAppPlugin.healthplugin/HearingTest

 

[rasg]

It depends on your location and whether the AirPods have been approved as hearing aids there. If you're in one of the countries where they aren't approved, that could be why you can't find the hearing test option.

If you need a hearing test you can always use the Mimi app. It won't do any good though if your country is not approved yet if your phone has been updated top 18, 18.0.1 and 18.1.

If you are still on IOS 17.7.1 or older you can set them you as hearing aids through Headphone Accommodations. They’ve been working that way since September 2022. Both my 15 Pro Max and a 2018 iPad are still running 17.7.1 and they both work.

 

[Night Spring]

If you need a hearing test you can always use the Mimi app. It won't do any good though if your country is not approved yet if your phone has been updated top 18, 18.0.1 and 18.1.

If you are still on IOS 17.7.1 or older you can set them you as hearing aids through Headphone Accommodations. They’ve been working that way since September 2022. Both my 15 Pro Max and a 2018 iPad are still running 17.7.1 and they both work.

I just checked on my iPad, which is on iOS 18.1, and headphone accommodations is still there in the accessibility menu. Does it not work?

 

[rasg]

You didn’t read my post correctly. There is no path back if you have any version of IOS 18 on your iPhone.

IOS 18 with the latest update to the hearing aid feature will not work in a country that doesn’t have approval. It includes Canada, the UK, France, Spain and Italy.

 

[Night Spring]

You didn’t read my post correctly. There is no path back if you have any version of IOS 18 on your iPhone.

IOS 18 with the latest update to the hearing aid feature will not work in a country that doesn’t have approval. It includes Canada, the UK, France, Spain and Italy.

I know the Hearing Aid function doesn't work if it isn't approved in your country, but isn't the Headphone Accommodations a separate feature?


Edit: I'm talking about the feature called:
Adjust certain frequencies and soft sounds
on This Page.

This works with "supported Apples and Beats headphones." So if your Apple or Beats headphones is among the supported ones, it should work, independent of the hearing aids feature, shouldn't it?

 

[rasg]

It might be but it is the way that the Airpods have been used as hearing aids for over two years.

They work well for me and they had a very stiff test as hearing aids today as I went to a very noisy Thai festival.

IOS 18.1 has changed the menus etc but I have no intention of upgrading as 18.1 will simply stop them being used as hearing aids until they get approval from the UK government. I don't see it happening soon as we don't currently have OTC hearing aids in the UK at all.

 

[Night Spring]

It might be but it is the way that the Airpods have been used as hearing aids for over two years.

They work well for me and they had a very stiff test as hearing aids today as I went to a very noisy Thai festival.

IOS 18.1 has changed the menus etc but I have no intention of upgrading as 18.1 will simply stop them being used as hearing aids until they get approval from the UK government. I don't see it happening soon as we don't currently have OTC hearing aids in the UK at all.

You not upgrading to 18.1 is your choice, but you are advising other people not to upgrade either. I'm not convinced that your reasoning for that advice is correct.

I think the Hearing Accommodations feature that was in previous iOS versions is still there in iOS 18.1. At least, it's still there on my iPad. Can someone with an iPhone on iOS 18.1 check to see if it's there?

 

[rasg]

You not upgrading to 18.1 is your choice, but you are advising other people not to upgrade either. I'm not convinced that your reasoning for that advice is correct.

I think the Hearing Accommodations feature that was in previous iOS versions is still there in iOS 18.1. At least, it's still there on my iPad. Can someone with an iPhone on iOS 18.1 check to see if it's there?

Many people have bought the AirPod Pro 2s on the premise that there is a hearing aid feature. Because they didn't check first they have found that they will NOT have the feature until their country supports it. The UK has no OTC (over the counter) hearing aids and you have to go to an audiologist and I think it will be quite some time before approval is granted here.

So somebody has spent money on the AirPods and cannot use them and the truth is that they CAN if they haven’t updated to 18.1.

I NEVER update any IOS or Mac OS until all the bumps and glitches are ironed out and I have been using mine as hearing aids for around five weeks and I am able to because I didn’t update.

Are they as good without the update? No.The amplification is greater with the update. Do they work well for me? Yes they do. I have mild to moderate hearing loss and the amplification is more than enough for me.

If you have updated to 18.1 you will not get the hearing aid feature at all if the country you live in hasn't approved its use. It really is as simple as that.

Just for fun and also to see if it would all work I set my AirPod Pro 2w up on my old 2018 iPad. It's too old to run on IOS 18 so I updated it to 17.7.1 and they work well. Exactly the same as on the 15 Pro Max but the menus are less cluttered. I input my Audiogram manually.

If you still running an older IOS from 17.7.1 going backwards you can get the Airpods to work but you will need to use an alternative hearing test app like Mimi OR download your Audiogram.

 

[Night Spring]

If you have updated to 18.1 you will not get the hearing aid feature at all if the country you live in hasn't approved its use. It really is as simple as that.

You keep saying this, but I'm not convinced this is true.

You haven't updated to iOS 18.1, so you haven't experienced it yourself. Do you have any links to documentation saying the Hearing Accommodations feature is disabled in countries where AirPods aren't approved as hearing aids? Or any links to people saying they updated to iOS 18.1 and lost the Hearing Accommodations function?

 

[rasg]

I keep saying it because it is true! Will this link convince you? You will not find the UK on that list. Or France. Or Spain. Or Canada.

AirPods Pro 2 - Hearing Health Feature Availability

Hearing Health in AirPods Pro 2 is a Hearing Test, Hearing Aid, and Hearing Protection all in one device. See feature availability based on location.

www.apple.com

Hearing Accommodations is the old way to describe Airpods as hearing aids before Apple received FDA approval.

 

[Night Spring]

I keep saying it because it is true! Will this link convince you? You will not find the UK on that list. Or France. Or Spain. Or Canada.

AirPods Pro 2 - Hearing Health Feature Availability

Hearing Health in AirPods Pro 2 is a Hearing Test, Hearing Aid, and Hearing Protection all in one device. See feature availability based on location.

www.apple.com

Hearing Accommodations is the old way to describe Airpods as hearing aids before Apple received FDA approval.

I'm not convinced because Hearing Accommodations is still available on my iPad on iOS 18.1.

 

[rasg]

I'm not convinced because Hearing Accommodations is still available on my iPad on iOS 18.1.

Whatever.

The fact is that YOU cannot access the hearing aid feature and you are in the UK, tells you all you need to know.

I can and I haven't upgraded.

Borrow an iPhone that hasn’t been upgraded to 18.1 and can set them up in a few minutes. The same with an iPad on 17.7.1 or older just as I did this morning.

Apple has geographically locked you out of the feature until it's approved. Simple as that.

Unless you can find a way around it, of course and I doubt that very much.

From the research I have done, if you have an Apple ID that is US based or another country with no restrictions you can probably get them to work running 18.1 but that will probably create different problems.

 

[Ewan Hoozarmy]

Try pasting this into the Safari address bar:

x-apple-health://HearingAppPlugin.healthplugin/HearingTest

Thank you.

I'm in the UK and tried this and it works!

 

[doogm]

I think the Hearing Accommodations feature that was in previous iOS versions is still there in iOS 18.1. At least, it's still there on my iPad. Can someone with an iPhone on iOS 18.1 check to see if it's there?

Headphone accommodations is still in 18.1, yes. I've used it for a couple of years now, using Mimi to create an audiogram to adjust, and it still works with me Beats First Pro and other headphones. (I did recently buy a pair of AirPods Pro 2 just for the hearing aid feature, though my hearing loss is mild - it works great.)

 

[rasg]

Thank you.

I'm in the UK and tried this and it works!

But this is only the hearing test from what I can see. Are then able to apply your audiogram to the Airpods and have them working as hearing aids?

 

[rasg]

Thank you.

I'm in the UK and tried this and it works!

Headphone accommodations is still in 18.1, yes. I've used it for a couple of years now, using Mimi to create an audiogram to adjust, and it still works with me Beats First Pro and other headphones. (I did recently buy a pair of AirPods Pro 2 just for the hearing aid feature, though my hearing loss is mild - it works great.)

Where do you live please?

 

[Ewan Hoozarmy]

But this is only the hearing test from what I can see. Are then able to apply your audiogram to the Airpods and have them working as hearing aids?

My results came back as little to no loss and don’t see this option, no….

 

[Night Spring]

Whatever.

The fact is that YOU cannot access the hearing aid feature and you are in the UK, tells you all you need to know.

I'm in the US, so I was able to set up my AirPod Pro 2 as hearing aids under 18.1, and it's working well for me.

I did finally find a blog post saying that Apple seems to have modified the Headphone Accommodation feature so you can no longer apply your audiogram to your headphones.

It sure looks like Apple ripped out a valuable hearing loss feature from the AirPods line | Mattie B

In light of how AirPods Pro 2 (I guess they're "2" now, now "2nd Generation") are about to be "clinical grade hearing aids", it's worth digging a little bit int...

mattiebee.io

So it seems you are in fact correct, and we were just having trouble communicating what evidence I needed to see to be convinced.

 

[rasg]

I haven’t used or seen IOS 18.1 at all means that I have no idea how the menus have changed, just that I know they won’t work.

It's an interesting article and it's such a shame that Apple have removed the option to apply an audiogram to all of the AirPod range including the Max.

It was the FDA in the US that approved the use of the Airpod Pro 2s as OTC hearing aids and, at a guess, Apple were forced to remove the Audiogram option from the other products as part of the approval rules.

As far as I know it's not possible to go back to an older IOS after the 18.1 update but it wouldn't stop me from trying if I had an old backup available. As I said earlier, I was able to set the AirPods up again on my 2018 iPad running 17.7.1. An old iPhone 12 would do the job.

So many people just let their phones update whenever Apple brings something new out. I prefer to let the dust settle and let everybody else wrestle with the bug and inevitable glitches. As a general rule I leave well alone until .4 or .5 is released whether it's on my phone or my desktop.

Now I am constrained by the wait for the MHRA in the UK to approve them before I can update.