You can use the Live Listen feature on your iPhone to use it and your AirPods as a simple hearing aid, allowing you to hear voices clearer even in the next room.
Comments: 20 Responses to “Use Your iPhone and AirPods As a Hearing Aid”
Julie
2 years ago
Thanks, Gary. This is brilliant! I have so many aging friends that are losing their hearing, but aren't ready for the move to hearing aids. I'll be sharing this knowledge with them--and using it myself when I want to move around during a TV show. Also, it would work for listening to birds, maintaining a distance that doesn't scare them away!
Peter Eckle
2 years ago
Under Live Listen it said "connect a compatibles audio device to use Live Listen. What do I do?
Linda: Not sure why it isn't working for you. Maybe the AirPods are somehow not getting updated (should happen automatically). If you really want to use this feature, you may need to call Apple to troubleshoot.
Joe
2 years ago
In settings, under “Accessability”, scroll done till you find “Hearing Devices”. If it’s set to on for a hearing aid, I found the “Live Listen” won’t work. Turn off connected to hearing devices and it should work as Gary describes. Hope this helps…
Joe
2 years ago
In settings, under “Accessability”, scroll done till you find “Hearing Devices”. If it’s set to on for a hearing aid, I found the “Live Listen” won’t work. Turn off connected to hearing devices and it should work as Gary describes. Hope this helps…
Norm Bradley
2 years ago
How do I turn it off! I followed the steps up to “hearing” but India not have my ear buds in place. Got to a screen that said falling rain. Great but can’t get out of the rain necessitating turning down the volume
Linda
2 years ago
Norm. Touch “icon” Bottom center to change from on to off.
Joe. Mine is not set for hearing aids and still will not work.
Linda
2 years ago
Seems you have to go to sound and have sound recognition turned on for this to work! Hope this helps!
Lynda Farabee
2 years ago
I did as Joe suggested. Removed hearing aids app and told Bluetooth to forget them. I still get the "connect a compatibles audio device to use Live Listen." and even tho iPod show connected, no sound through them.
Joel
2 years ago
I have the same connect a compatibles audio device as well. On a whim I pressed the play music button in control menu, heard music thru EarPods, then turned it off and then the live listen prompt appeared when I touched the hearing icon.
Norm: Just turn it off. Starting at about 1:40 I show you where it switches on and off.
Dally Messenger
2 years ago
Gary- that is so bloody brilliant and helpful.
rhkennerly
2 years ago
You missed the boat on Airpods as hearing aids, Gary. There is nearly professional level hearing aid tools in accessibility>audio/visual>headphone accommodations>custom audio setup>
You can use a profile generated by audio testing apps like MiMi hearing test. Or, take the test built into the iPhone. Then there are sliders for amplification, transparency balance, tone, ambien noise reduction, & conversation booster.
Listening & noise canceling is done through the two airpod microphones
rhkennerly
2 years ago
Oh…BTW, the Conversation Boost is a miracle in a noisy restaurant. With that switch on, the airpod pro microphones become highly directional & focus on the voice in the direction of where your head is turned. I used to get up & wander off mid-meal, frustrated that I couldn’t participate. Now, i can follow along the entire meal.
marcia christ
2 years ago
Thank you, thank you, thank you!
Gene
2 years ago
Any idea as to why Apple doesn't allow it to work with other ear buds?
Gene: I'm not it is not a matter of "allow" but that those others don't have the hardware to support it. AirPods are pretty complex with special comm chips, audio hardware, etc.
Vicki Baxter
2 years ago
In the Apple show "The After Party" one of the characters uses his iPhone and AirPods in this way to listen to conversation in another room.
Thanks, Gary. This is brilliant! I have so many aging friends that are losing their hearing, but aren't ready for the move to hearing aids. I'll be sharing this knowledge with them--and using it myself when I want to move around during a TV show. Also, it would work for listening to birds, maintaining a distance that doesn't scare them away!
Under Live Listen it said "connect a compatibles audio device to use Live Listen. What do I do?
Peter: Do you have your AirPods or Beats connected?
I have my airpodpros connected to my iPhone and get the message Peter stated above.
Linda: Not sure why it isn't working for you. Maybe the AirPods are somehow not getting updated (should happen automatically). If you really want to use this feature, you may need to call Apple to troubleshoot.
In settings, under “Accessability”, scroll done till you find “Hearing Devices”. If it’s set to on for a hearing aid, I found the “Live Listen” won’t work. Turn off connected to hearing devices and it should work as Gary describes. Hope this helps…
In settings, under “Accessability”, scroll done till you find “Hearing Devices”. If it’s set to on for a hearing aid, I found the “Live Listen” won’t work. Turn off connected to hearing devices and it should work as Gary describes. Hope this helps…
How do I turn it off! I followed the steps up to “hearing” but India not have my ear buds in place. Got to a screen that said falling rain. Great but can’t get out of the rain necessitating turning down the volume
Norm. Touch “icon” Bottom center to change from on to off.
Joe. Mine is not set for hearing aids and still will not work.
Seems you have to go to sound and have sound recognition turned on for this to work! Hope this helps!
I did as Joe suggested. Removed hearing aids app and told Bluetooth to forget them. I still get the "connect a compatibles audio device to use Live Listen." and even tho iPod show connected, no sound through them.
I have the same connect a compatibles audio device as well. On a whim I pressed the play music button in control menu, heard music thru EarPods, then turned it off and then the live listen prompt appeared when I touched the hearing icon.
Norm: Just turn it off. Starting at about 1:40 I show you where it switches on and off.
Gary- that is so bloody brilliant and helpful.
You missed the boat on Airpods as hearing aids, Gary. There is nearly professional level hearing aid tools in accessibility>audio/visual>headphone accommodations>custom audio setup>
You can use a profile generated by audio testing apps like MiMi hearing test. Or, take the test built into the iPhone. Then there are sliders for amplification, transparency balance, tone, ambien noise reduction, & conversation booster.
Listening & noise canceling is done through the two airpod microphones
Oh…BTW, the Conversation Boost is a miracle in a noisy restaurant. With that switch on, the airpod pro microphones become highly directional & focus on the voice in the direction of where your head is turned. I used to get up & wander off mid-meal, frustrated that I couldn’t participate. Now, i can follow along the entire meal.
Thank you, thank you, thank you!
Any idea as to why Apple doesn't allow it to work with other ear buds?
Gene: I'm not it is not a matter of "allow" but that those others don't have the hardware to support it. AirPods are pretty complex with special comm chips, audio hardware, etc.
In the Apple show "The After Party" one of the characters uses his iPhone and AirPods in this way to listen to conversation in another room.