iOS 18.1: Take a Hearing Test With AirPods Pro 2

[MacRumors]

If you're concerned about hearing loss and own AirPods Pro 2, Apple in iOS 18.1 offers a convenient new clinical-grade hearing test that's easy to use. Here's everything you need to know about checking your hearing health with this new feature.

Note that Apple's Hearing Test feature is not available in all regions, likely due to differing regulatory laws. Apple maintains a list on its website of regions and territories where the test is available. If your location isn't on the list, you can still take the test – see the last section of this article for details.

What You Need

• AirPods Pro 2 updated with the latest firmware
• iPhone or iPad running iOS/iPadOS 18.1 or later
• A quiet environment
• About 5 minutes of uninterrupted time

The Hearing Test requires that you listen for a comprehensive range of tones at different and sometimes very low volumes. For this reason, it's important to take the test in a quiet environment for the full duration of the test, free from intermittent noise, people talking, or loud air conditioning or fan systems nearby.

Taking the Hearing Test

Make sure your AirPods Pro 2 are sufficiently charged before taking the test.

1. Put your AirPods Pro 2 in your ears.
2. Open Settings on your iPhone.
3. Tap your AirPods Pro name at the top of Settings.
4. Under "Hearing Health," tap Take a Hearing Test.
   
   
   
   Answer the preliminary questions about your age and recent loud noise exposure.
5. Follow the fit test to ensure your ear tips create a proper seal.
6. When the test begins, tap the screen each time you hear a tone.
7. Complete the test for both ears (the test will automatically switch sides).
   
   

Understanding Your Results

The test measures your hearing in dBHL (decibel hearing level) and provides an easy-to-read classification:

• 
  Up to 25 dBHL: Little to no hearing loss - can hear normal conversation easily
• 26-40 dBHL: Mild hearing loss - can hear normal speech at close range
• 41-60 dBHL: Moderate hearing loss - requires raised voices to understand speech
• 61-80 dBHL: Severe hearing loss - can only hear very loud speech or shouting

Tap "Show Details" to see a frequency-by-frequency breakdown of your hearing ability. This graph shows how well you hear different pitches, from low (250 Hz) to high (8 kHz). This detailed view can help identify specific types of hearing loss and is the same format audiologists use, making it easy to share with healthcare providers.

You can access your test results anytime in the Health app. Tap Browse ➝ Hearing, then tap Hearing Test Results to view your history. To share your results with healthcare providers, tap Export PDF at the bottom, or tap the Share button to email or save the audiogram.

After the Test

The results of your test can be used to unlock additional AirPods Pro 2 features and options including Media Assist and Hearing Aid mode.

Media Assist

If mild to moderate hearing loss is detected, you can enable Media Assist to optimize audio for your hearing profile:

1. Go to Settings ➝ your AirPods Pro
2. Scroll down to Hearing Health
3. Tap Media Assist.
4. Toggle Media Assist on.
5. Choose Use Hearing Test Results to apply your recent test data, or Custom Setup to manually adjust settings.

Media Assist will then automatically adjust music, videos, and calls to enhance frequencies you have trouble hearing.

Hearing Aid Mode

Your AirPods Pro 2 can function as basic hearing aids, amplifying conversations and environmental sounds. You can enable this feature in the Settings app under Accessibility ➝ Hearing Devices.

Bear in mind that the Hearing Aid feature isn't available everywhere. Apple maintains a list of regions and territories in which the feature can be accessed.

Taking the Hearing Test in Unsupported Regions


As we mentioned at the top of this article, Apple's Hearing Test feature isn't available in all regions and territories at the time of writing this, but that doesn't mean you can't take the test.

Instead, you can use the following deep link to directly access the test in the Health app: x-apple-health://HearingAppPlugin.healthplugin/HearingTest – tap the link or paste it into Safari on your iPhone or iPad and you will be taken straight to the test (thanks to Reddit user Special_Lake240). Alternatively, download this Apple Hearing Test shortcut, grab your AirPods Pro 2, then run the shortcut on your device to take the test.

After taking the test using this method, your results will be available in the Health app. Just bear in mind that you won't be able to access Apple's other hearing health features like Media Assist and Hearing Test unless they are officially available in your region.

Article Link: iOS 18.1: Take a Hearing Test With AirPods Pro 2

 

[ScubaCinci]

How many people, like me, feel sure they have hearing loss and have the test come back indicating no hearing loss? A year ago at my last physical, I was diagnosed with mild hearing loss so I question the accuracy of the test. I actually have another physical coming up soon so it will be interesting to see what they say.

 

[Orange Bat]

I bought AirPods Pro 2 for my 80 year old mother after Apple announced the hearing aid feature. She has some noticeable hearing loss, but not so bad that she needs hearing aids all the time, mostly for TV or going to the theater. We finally took the test over the weekend and she is on the verge of moderate hearing loss. The hearing aids, so far, have been great. She’s hearing the TV much better and is very happy with the results. I was a bit skeptical they would help, but, so far, this is a big win for Apple, IMO.

 

[mannotcool]

I thought Canada was in the list of supported countries, apparently not?

 

[SteveLV702]

My AIrpods Pro 2, iPhone 15 Pro Max running iOS 18.2 beta there is NO Hearing Test option :-(

 

[Mitthrawnuruodo]

Haven't had the chance/time to try this, yet.

But I bought the Airpods Pro 2 (on sale) earlier this fall, specifically to try this feature.

 

[ForkHandles]

Boo can’t be used in the UK 🇬🇧
I just use Mimi app instead

The link attached works well as copy and paste.

A QUICK NOTE ABOUT HEARING RESULTS
My results indicate slight loss -15dB. But I consider myself hearing impaired!
Why?
Because my losses are different across crucial frequencies.
Bass drum, bass guitar, deep voices
Really difficult for me to pick out

Symbols, snare drum, high voices
Much louder and easier to hear.

The result is that I don’t have conversations with people unless they are in the same space and I can’t listen to my music as all I hear is the tsch tsch tsch of the hi-hat.

The music solution is catered for by iPhone
Go to
Settings
Audio and visual
Headphones accommodation
Tune audio for audiogram

This then equalises the music perfectly for your hearing test. At last I can hear the bass music again

 

[psp123]

Does anyone know if it’s possible to delete a result?

 

[LlamaLarry]

How many people, like me, feel sure they have hearing loss and have the test come back indicating no hearing loss?

I have moderate hearing loss while Apple says I have 9dB loss left and 10dB loss right for a "Little to No Loss". However my audiologist says I have unilateral moderate hearing loss in my LEFT ear, specifically to frequencies in higher human voice ranges (like my wife and kids, birds, etc). My hearing aid is pretty old, but my current insurance offers little in the way of coverage and now I suspect I will need them in both ears.

I think it is time for a new audiogram from a pro and try loading that in.

 

[BigBellyBelcher]

I didn't like how the test was conducted in transparency mode. Difficult to find a room quiet enough to get a really good test result.

 

[New Mexico Bob]

The test said I had no hearing loss, even though I could not hear 1/3 of the tones and I have been diagnosed by an audiologist as having some level of hearing loss in one of my ears.

 

[stiano]

Thank you of for the shortcut. Have just been able to run the hearing test in the UK

 

[ScubaCinci]

The test said I had no hearing loss, even though I could not hear 1/3 of the tones and I have been diagnosed by an audiologist as having some level of hearing loss in one of my ears.

Not sure how many of the tones I failed to hear but I know I went long stretches without indicating I heard anything so I'm sure I missed a few.
Also, why are hearing tests done with a very predictable pattern in terms of timing of the tones. In anticipation of a tone, I feel like you can "hear" a tone that's not there as almost a placebo effect. The tones should be at irregular intervals with mixed tones (not same frequency repeating at reducing volumes). Of course, this is my uneducated opinion...there may be a very valid reason they are done this way.

 

[Henrikr]

I completed the hearing test, but what struck me immediately was how the AirPods amplified my internal body sounds, such as breathing and stomach noises. This made it difficult to hear some of the tones. I felt that these loud distracting sounds might have affected the accuracy of the test. Honestly it feels like a beta-product.

 

[newdeal]

Not in Canada? Strange

 

[AppleTO]

I was hoping to try this, but apparently it’s not available in Canada yet. (Which is odd because I thought they said it would be.)

 

[robvalentine]

How many people, like me, feel sure they have hearing loss and have the test come back indicating no hearing loss? A year ago at my last physical, I was diagnosed with mild hearing loss so I question the accuracy of the test. I actually have another physical coming up soon so it will be interesting to see what they say.

I was kinda surprised to get 6 and 9 dBhl scores given I go to a lot of gigs, and listen to music way too loud. I would not treat this as equal to a professional test.

 

[aries81]

Tried this the other day, apparently playing music in loud clubs, blasting my ears with loud music for years hasn't taken much of a toll fortunately. Ear protection is good for you!

 

[mosesvii]

My AIrpods Pro 2, iPhone 15 Pro Max running iOS 18.2 beta there is NO Hearing Test option :-(

Like me you’re probably not in a supported region; I can’t see it either. As per the article, download the shortcut and run it.

 

[BabaBooey24]

I was kinda surprised to get 6 and 9 dBhl scores given I go to a lot of gigs, and listen to music way too loud. I would not treat this as equal to a professional test.

I don't think anybody in their right mind is treating this as being equal to professional hearing test. Relax.

 

[Phoneless]

Not in Canada? Strange

The shortcut linked in the article allowed me to take the test in Canada.

Thanks for the article MacRumors.

 

[SteveLV702]

Like me you’re probably not in a supported region; I can’t see it either. As per the article, download the shortcut and run it.

Darn so not supported in the United States of America :-(

 

[Mitthrawnuruodo]

Does anyone know if it’s possible to delete a result?

I don't know, but if it's possible, I guess you'd do it from:

Health app > Browse > Hearing > Hearing Test Results

 

[DrJR]

I worked around loud machinery for 20 years, played guitar in a band in clubs for 7 years. There is no way I have zero hearing loss. None. This thing is not accurate. My tinnitus is screaming as I write this.

 

[forza1976]

My results, 4dBHL (left ear); 1dBHL (right ear)

Pretty cool feature!