AirPods Pro 2 Hearing Test (available on IOS 18.1 (October 28, 2024)
To take the test, insert your AirPods Pro 2 into your ears. Go to Bluetooth to find your device and touch the “I” for information. Select Take A Hearing Test, and answer the questions. You’ll need to be in a quiet place to hear and focus.
A Fit Test is next. You will hear sounds while the software checks for the fit of the device in your ear canal. If your AirPods don’t pass, you will likely need to change the tips. At the time of purchase the box contained different size tips. Try a size up and take fit test again or go down in size. You will have to pass this fit test to proceed. The tips will need to be sized so that it holds securely in the ear canal. They are available in Apple Stores from extra small to large as a set of four for $9.99.
When the test begins, you will hear tones and tap the screen when you hear the sound. One ear is tested at a time. After the test you will see your audiogram which is a graph of test results showing a line representing sound levels for each ear tested. You can export the audiogram and share it with a hearing professional or your doctor.
When your test is finished, you can agree to let the iPhone change settings on the AirPods Pro 2 to make music and voices modified to enhance the weaknesses from the results of the hearing test.
The take way is that it may take some time for you to adjust to the new sounds. Wearing the AirPods often will speed up the adjustment period. Battery life is something that could be improved as it is around 6 hours.
Your AirPods Pro can help protect your ears from loud noises by using the Transparency feature.
Your iPhone can alert you to exposure to loud noises in the Health app. I have had the feature tell me that I was exposed to noise over 90 decibels for over 30 minutes. It advises that hearing damage can occur when this occurs repeatedly. It has happened in a spinning class when the music is very loud. I do wear hearing protection/plugs in the class as a precaution since I already have hearing loss, but it’s hard to understand the instructors so I just watch others as a clue to what’s coming.
This is the first iteration of this hearing device function so we should expect to see improvements over time.