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Apple’s Hearing Test works with AirPods Pro 2 or AirPods Pro 3 paired to a compatible iPhone or iPad. With current device software and AirPods firmware, the self-administered pure-tone screening takes about five minutes. Put both earbuds in, open Settings → your connected AirPods → Take a Hearing Test, and respond whenever you hear a tone. The feature is intended for people aged 18 and over and is available only in supported countries or regions.
What Apple’s Hearing Test measures
The test is based on pure-tone audiometry. It checks the quietest tones you can hear at several frequencies and reports the result in decibels hearing level (dBHL). Apple presents it as a screening tool that can identify possible hearing loss and help you decide whether to seek care, not as a complete diagnosis for every hearing disorder. See Apple’s explanation in its Newsroom announcement.
The Hearing Test is separate from other hearing features:
- Hearing Aid: Uses compatible AirPods to provide hearing assistance for eligible users with perceived mild-to-moderate hearing loss. Availability and eligibility vary by region.
- Media Assist: Adjusts supported media using information from a hearing test.
- Hearing Protection: Helps manage exposure to loud sound; it is not the hearing test.
Check compatibility before you start
| Requirement | What Apple currently specifies |
|---|---|
| Earbuds | AirPods Pro 2 or AirPods Pro 3. Regular AirPods, AirPods Pro 1, AirPods Max and Beats earbuds should not be assumed to support this test. Check Apple’s feature-availability page. |
| Device | A compatible iPhone or iPad paired with and connected to the AirPods. |
| Software | The iPhone or iPad should run the latest available operating system, and the AirPods should have the latest available firmware. Apple changes these requirements, so do not rely on an old fixed version number. |
| Age | Intended for people 18 and older. |
| Location | The regulated feature must be authorized in your country or region. |
Prepare for a reliable result
- Use a genuinely quiet room. Conversation, traffic, fans, heating or air-conditioning noise and intermittent sounds can mask the relatively quiet test tones.
- Allow about five uninterrupted minutes and remain still while the test runs.
- Charge the AirPods and their case.
- Clean the earbuds and insert both correctly. The ear tips need a complete seal.
- Run Apple’s Ear Tip Fit Test on your iPhone or iPad first, trying another tip size if necessary. Apple’s preparation guidance is in its Hearing Test instructions.
- Do not start immediately after loud-noise exposure if your hearing feels temporarily muffled; wait until conditions are normal or arrange professional advice.
Take the test on an iPhone or iPad
- Insert both AirPods Pro earbuds.
- Connect them to the paired iPhone or iPad.
- Open Settings.
- Tap the connected AirPods’ name near the top of the screen.
- Scroll to the hearing-health section and tap Take a Hearing Test.
- Complete any fit, connection or equipment checks shown on screen.
- Follow the prompts and indicate whenever you hear a tone. Do not guess or respond to sounds you did not hear.
- Stay quiet and still until both ears have been assessed.
- Review the summary, then tap Show Details for the frequency-by-frequency audiogram.
Labels can vary slightly by software release, device and region. If the expected control is not visible, search for “Hearing Test” within Settings rather than assuming the feature is broken. Apple also says the test can be started from the Health app.
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- WORLD’S BEST IN-EAR ACTIVE NOISE CANCELLATION — Removes up to 2x more unwanted noise than AirPods Pro 2* so you can stay fully immersed in the moment.*
- BREAKTHROUGH AUDIO PERFORMANCE — Experience breathtaking, three-dimensional audio with AirPods Pro 3. A new acoustic architecture delivers transformed bass, detailed clarity so you can hear every instrument, and stunningly vivid vocals.
- HEART RATE SENSING — Built-in heart rate sensing lets you track your heart rate and calories burned for up to 50 different workout types.* With iPhone, you will have access to the Move ring, step count, and the new Workout Buddy,* powered by Apple Intelligence.*
- LIVE TRANSLATION — Communicate across language barriers using Live Translation,* enabled by Apple Intelligence.*
- EXTENDED BATTERY LIFE — Get up to 8 hours of listening time with Active Noise Cancellation on a single charge. Or up to 10 hours in Transparency using the Hearing Aid feature.*
What happens during the five-minute test
After setup, Apple tests the ears separately with tones at different frequencies. You tap or otherwise respond when a tone is audible, and the system uses those responses to estimate hearing thresholds. The final screen provides a result for each ear and a detailed audiogram. A noisy interruption, loose ear tip or poorly seated earbud can make the estimate less dependable; restart after correcting the problem instead of trying to compensate by guessing.
Find and export your result
Apple stores the audiogram in the Health app:
- Open Health.
- On iPhone, tap Browse; on iPad, open the sidebar.
- Tap Hearing.
- Tap Hearing Test Results.
- Open the result you want to review.
- Scroll down and tap Export PDF, then use the Share button to save or send it.
The PDF can give an audiologist or physician useful context, but it is not automatically a substitute for that professional’s complete report or medical record.
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- REBUILT FOR COMFORT — AirPods 4 have been redesigned for exceptional all-day comfort and greater stability. With a refined contour, shorter stem, and quick-press controls for music or calls.
- ACTIVE NOISE CANCELLATION — AirPods 4 with Active Noise Cancellation help reduce outside noise before it reaches your ears, so you can immerse yourself in what you’re listening to.*
- HEAR THE WORLD AROUND YOU — The powerful H2 chip comes to AirPods 4. Adaptive Audio seamlessly blends ANC and Transparency mode — which lets you comfortably hear and interact with the world around you exactly as it sounds — to provide the best listening experience in any environment.* And when you’re speaking with someone nearby, Conversation Awareness automatically lowers the volume of what’s playing.*
- IMPROVED SOUND AND CALL QUALITY — Voice Isolation improves the quality of calls in loud conditions. Using advanced computational audio, it reduces background noise while isolating and clarifying the sound of your voice for whomever you’re speaking to.*
- MAGICAL EXPERIENCE — Just say “Siri” or “Hey Siri” to play a song, make a call, or check your schedule.* And with Siri Interactions, now you can respond to Siri by simply nodding your head yes or shaking your head no.* Pair AirPods 4 by simply placing them near your device and tapping Connect on your screen.* Easily share a song or show between two sets of AirPods.* An optical in-ear sensor knows to play audio only when you’re wearing AirPods and pauses when you take them off. And you can track down your AirPods and Charging Case with the Find My app.*
How to read the dBHL result
The headline number for each ear is an average across frequencies important for understanding speech; the detailed audiogram shows how thresholds vary by frequency. A higher dBHL value means sounds had to be louder for you to hear them. Left and right ears can produce different values, and the shape of the graph can matter as much as its average.
Apple’s current support guidance gives these examples:
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- Active Noise Cancellation blocks outside noise, so you can immerse yourself in music
- Transparency mode for hearing and interacting with the world around you
- Spatial audio with dynamic head tracking places sound all around you
- Adaptive EQ automatically tunes music to your ears
- Three sizes of soft, tapered silicone tips for a customizable fit
- Up to 25 dBHL: little to no hearing loss.
- 26–40 dBHL: mild hearing loss.
These are Apple’s screening interpretations, not a complete diagnostic classification. A normal average does not rule out tinnitus, difficulty understanding speech in noise, ear disease or every other hearing problem. Consider symptoms, recent illness, earwax, noise exposure and previous results when deciding what to do next.
If “Take a Hearing Test” is missing
- Confirm that the earbuds are AirPods Pro 2 or AirPods Pro 3, not another model.
- Insert both earbuds and verify that both are shown as connected to the paired iPhone or iPad.
- Update the iPhone or iPad to the latest available software.
- Allow the AirPods to obtain their latest firmware.
- Check Apple’s country and region availability.
- Confirm that the intended user is 18 or older.
- Charge the earbuds and case, close and reopen Settings, or reconnect the AirPods.
Do not use region switching, unofficial links or other bypasses. Availability can be a regulatory restriction, not a menu-setting problem.
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- REBUILT FOR COMFORT — AirPods 4 have been redesigned for exceptional all-day comfort and greater stability. With a refined contour, shorter stem, and quick-press controls for music or calls.
- PERSONALIZED SPATIAL AUDIO — Personalized Spatial Audio with dynamic head tracking places sound all around you, creating a theater-like listening experience for music, TV shows, movies, games, and more.*
- IMPROVED SOUND AND CALL QUALITY — AirPods 4 feature the Apple-designed H2 chip. Voice Isolation improves the quality of phone calls in loud conditions. Using advanced computational audio, it reduces background noise while isolating and clarifying the sound of your voice for whomever you’re speaking to.*
- MAGICAL EXPERIENCE — Just say “Siri” or “Hey Siri” to play a song, make a call, or check your schedule.* And with Siri Interactions, now you can respond to Siri by simply nodding your head yes or shaking your head no.* Pair AirPods 4 by simply placing them near your device and tapping Connect on your screen.* Easily share a song or show between two sets of AirPods.* An optical in-ear sensor knows to play audio only when you’re wearing AirPods and pauses when you take them off. And you can track down your AirPods and Charging Case with the Find My app.*
- LONG BATTERY LIFE — Get up to 5 hours of listening time on a single charge. And get up to 30 hours of total listening time using the case.*
If setup or the test fails
- Fit check fails: Try a different ear-tip size, reseat both earbuds and run Ear Tip Fit Test again.
- Noise warning: Move to a quieter room and restart.
- AirPods are not detected: Put them in the case, close the lid, reopen it and reconnect. Apple’s instructions may ask you to tap OK after this check.
- Battery warning: Charge the earbuds and case before repeating the test.
- One earbud is not recognized: Make sure both are seated and displayed as connected.
- Unexpected result: Correct fit, noise and placement problems first. Retest once under good conditions rather than repeatedly chasing a preferred number.
When Apple’s test is not enough
Book an audiologist or physician appointment if the result is substantially worse than expected, sharply different between ears, or inconsistent with your everyday experience. Professional testing uses a controlled environment and can investigate earwax, conductive or middle-ear problems, speech recognition, asymmetry and other causes that a consumer screening may not resolve.
Seek prompt medical evaluation for sudden hearing loss, sudden loss in one ear, severe ear pain, drainage or bleeding, new severe dizziness or vertigo, new neurological symptoms, or rapidly worsening hearing. Do not delay care while repeating an at-home test.
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What you can do after the test
Taking the Hearing Test does not automatically turn on Hearing Aid. If the feature is available and you meet its requirements, setup is separate. Apple also documents adding a hearing-test result from another source, such as an audiogram supplied by a hearing professional, for compatible hearing-assistance features. Follow the import workflow shown on your device; not every audiogram format is guaranteed to import automatically. Details are in Apple’s Hearing Aid support article.
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