AirPods Pro 2 hearing aid feature is now available in the UK
You can use Apple’s AirPods 2 as a clinical-grade hearing aid
👂 AirPods Pro 2 users in the UK can now turn the earbuds into a hearing aid
🔒 The feature was previously only available in the US
🥇 AirPods Pro 2 software-based hearing aid feature is the first of its kind
👏 It should help millions affected by mild-to-moderate hearing loss
Apple has announced that AirPods Pro 2 users in the UK can now access the company’s groundbreaking hearing aid feature.
Millions of people are affected by mild-to-moderate hearing loss in the UK, with traditional hearing aids still carrying a stigma for some.
The new feature lets users generate a personalized hearing test that takes around five minutes to complete. Once the test is complete, the AirPods Pro 2 will enable personalized dynamic adjustments that can boost the sounds around you in real time.
AirPods Pro 2 software-based hearing aid feature is the first of its kind, and will also make access to hearing assistance easier because of the AirPods Pro 2’s competitive price point.
“At Apple, we believe that technology can help people live healthier lives, and we’re delighted to bring the Hearing Aid feature to the UK, offering our users an end-to-end hearing health experience with AirPods Pro 2,” said Sumbul Desai, M.D., Apple’s vice president of Health.
Apple concluded its announcement by stressing that any health data shared will remain private and is encrypted end-to-end. The timing comes after the UK government forced Apple to end Advanced Data Protection (ADP), leading to privacy concerns for iCloud users.
How to take a hearing test with AirPods Pro 2
Make sure that your AirPods are sufficiently charged.
With your AirPods in your ears and connected to your paired iPhone or iPad, go to Settings > your AirPods.
Tap ‘take a Hearing Test’.
Adam Vjestica is The Shortcut’s Senior Editor. Formerly TechRadar’s Gaming Hardware Editor, Adam has also worked at Nintendo of Europe as a Content Marketing Editor, where he helped launch the Nintendo Switch. Follow him on X @ItsMrProducts.