How to take the Apple hearing test

4 days ago 3

If you own the AirPods Pro 2, you can now take a five-minute hearing test right on your iPhone. With the release of iOS 18.1 and new firmware for the Pro 2, Apple is introducing several new hearing health features — and the hearing test is among them. This will hopefully go a long way in raising awareness about hearing loss and encouraging safer listening practices.

A few notes before you begin. First, intended for those 18 and older, Apple’s hearing test should be taken in a quiet environment where you’ll be able to hear the various tones that are played in each ear. Be aware that iOS 18.1 (or later) and AirPods Pro 2 firmware 7B19 (or later) are required to access the test. Apple recommends that people take the test at least once per year, but you’re able to do it as often as you’d like.

If it’s been too long since you’ve seen an audiologist — and that’s true for many people — and you want to check in on your hearing, here’s how to take the Apple hearing test:

While wearing your AirPods Pro 2, open Settings on your iPhone.
Tap on the shortcut to AirPods Pro settings.
Beneath the toggle for switching between transparency mode, adaptive audio, and noise cancellation is a new Hearing Health section. You should see Take a hearing test in blue text. Tap on that.
On the first screen, Apple reminds users that hearing loss is very common and highlights the various hearing assistance capabilities of the AirPods Pro 2, which now include a clinical-grade hearing aid feature. Tap on Get started.
Next, you’ll be asked to confirm that you’re over 18 years old and answer whether you’re currently experiencing allergies, a cold, or infection in your ears or sinuses. Apple also asks whether you’ve been in a loud environment (like a concert or construction site) within the last 24 hours. All of these factors can affect the results of a hearing test and make your results less accurate.
Once you tap Next, Apple runs a quick noise analysis of your current surroundings to make sure it’s quiet enough for the test. If you’re in an area that’s too loud, you won’t be able to proceed.

You must be somewhere quiet for the hearing test to work.

Screenshot: Chris Welch / The Verge

Once the noise reading is done, Apple then runs a quick ear tip check to verify that you’ve got a good, snug fit and are using the right size of silicone ear tips. You’ll hear a short sample of music while this happens. If either ear doesn’t have a good seal, try the other sizes of tips that came with your AirPods Pro 2. (Note: aftermarket third-party ear tips should not be used for the hearing test.)
At this point, “Do Not Disturb” mode is automatically activated so you won’t have any distractions during the test.
Now, the hearing test actually begins, and your left ear goes first. Apple’s hearing test plays tones at different volumes and frequencies. Each time you hear any of the three-pulse tones, tap on the screen. Some tones can be very faint, so listen carefully. It’s normal to go several seconds without hearing a tone, so don’t let that worry you.

Listen for any tones and tap the screen when you hear them.

Screenshot: Chris Welch / The Verge

A large circle will animate onscreen throughout the test to confirm that it’s still in progress — even when you’re not hearing tones — and you’ll also notice a round progress indicator that fills up as you complete the test for each ear.
The test takes around five minutes. Once it’s finished, you’ll be presented with the results for each ear. Here, you can see the decibels of hearing loss (dBHL) for each ear, and the test will indicate which of the following five categories you fall into:
Little to no loss: up to 25dBHL
Mild loss: 26–40dBHL
Moderate loss: 41–60dBHL
Severe loss: 61–80dBHL
Profound loss: above 80dBHL

Always consult a hearing professional if you have questions or concerns about your Apple hearing test results. You can view the results from any test whenever you’d like from the Health app, where you can also export the audiograms as a pdf.

For many people in the “little to no loss” group, Apple will confirm that the current AirPods tuning is the right match for your results. But in other cases, you’ll be able to enable the new hearing aid feature of the AirPods Pro 2 — and it will use the data from your hearing test for the best performance. It’s important to know that the hearing aid feature is only meant for those with perceived mild to moderate hearing loss. If your hearing loss is more severe, you’ll likely want to explore other solutions, such as prescription hearing aids or over-the-counter products.

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