AirPods Pro 2 hearing aids volume too low to understand conversations

fuzzbee wrote: "...Is there a chance Apple will update the Hearing Aid function to be loud enough to really be usable?..."

Perhaps — if you tell Apple about the issue:

Feedback - AirPods - Apple

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I've been trying the AirPod Pro 2 for about 5 days. Even with the volume full up, it's not loud enough to help as a hearing aid. I've tried changing the settings in lots of ways. In Transparent mode, it's a bit louder but very tinny sounding. Good for listening to an air conditioner or air filter but not for human voices. Adaptive mode is better, sonically, but too quiet to really help. Is there a chance Apple will update the Hearing Aid function to be loud enough to really be usable? Right now, it's disappointing. Just too quiet to be useful as it is.

I've been trying the AirPod Pro 2 for about 5 days. Even with the volume

full up, it's not loud enough to help as a hearing aid. I've tried

changing the settings in lots of ways. In Transparent mode, it's a bit

louder but very tinny sounding. Good for listening to an air conditioner

or air filter but not for human voices. Adaptive mode is better,

sonically, but too quiet to really help. Is there a chance Apple will

update the Hearing Aid function to be loud enough to really be usable?

Right now, it's disappointing. Just too quiet to be useful as it is.

How bad is your hearing?

In Transparency Mode there should be a volume control. It defaults to 50% which is adequate for me. Another slider increases noise cancellation.

Can you confirm which IOS you are running please?

I'm on the current iOS (18.1.1) and Air Pod firmware (7B21) and now it won't even give me the option to turn on Hearing Assistance. Kept asking me which hearing test to use, so I took another one. It still won't let me turn it on. I'm going to the Apple Store tomorrow to see if there's any solution or if there'll be a meaningful update. They're useless, for now.

I'm on the current iOS (18.1.1) and Air Pod firmware (7B21) and now it won't even give me the option to turn on Hearing Assistance. Kept asking me which hearing test to use, so I took another one. It still won't let me turn it on. I'm going to the Apple Store tomorrow to see if there's any solution or if there'll be a meaningful update. They're useless, for now.

My guess is you are in the UK or one of the countries where AirPods have not been approved as hearing aids.

By updating them to 18.1 or newer Apple have put a geographical lock on your iPhone which prevent the previous features that you had from working. If you have an iPhone or iPad that is running an older IOS than 18.1 you can set them up with that or wait until there is approval in the UK and that is likely to take a long time. Somebody on one the hearing aids forums called the MHRA and by all accounts nobody has even applied for approval yet so they are no hurry.

I declined the IOS 18.1 upgrade as I always do until the bugs are ironed out and it was the right decision as I can still use my AirPods as hearing aids and I originally used the Mimi hearing test app but Costco were kind enough to let me have a copy of my Audiogram.

There is another trap awaiting for anybody running IOS 18.1 or newer. If the Apple hearing test shows a test worse than mild to moderate, eg. severe or profound, the hearing test will not allow you to set them up. All you will see is a window suggesting you contact an audioologist.

If you have an older device you can do the same.

Good to know. I'm going to write Apple and see if they can do anything about the volume in an update. The AirPods have plenty of volume for music, so it should be possible.

I have.

I have major high frequency hearing loss from a lifetime of playing live music. My lower frequencies are close to normal. My hearing chart looks like a ski jump.

I’m on the current iOS, 18.1.1.