Will Apple AirPods kill the hearing aid? - Which? (2025)

Apple’s AirPods Pro 2 now include a hearing test feature, and the tech giant is weeks away from introducing ‘clinical-grade hearing aid features’ to its AirPods.

Designed for people with mild to moderate hearing loss, the feature will be available via a free software update to iPhones and iPads.

This feature has already been available to users in countries such as the US, but is becoming available here because of changes in how UK legislation is interpreted, where currently there are strict rules about what could be sold as a hearing aid and how.

Previously, options have typically fallen into two camps: cheap and basic amplifiers that make everything louder, and sophisticated hearing aids requiring an assessment by a hearing care professional, with few options inbetween. The hearing aids could cost several thousand pounds, or would be free via the NHS for those who need them.

So, is this the dawn of a new era of hip hearing aids?

Eat well, live better and stay healthy:

How Apple’s AirPod hearing tech works

You can now take a hearing test with your AirPods alongside your iPhone or iPad.

The test will be familiar to anyone who’s already had their hearing assessed – it plays tones at different volumes and frequencies, and you simply tap your screen when you hear them.

This will then adapt the settings on your AirPods every time you subsequently use them, whether or not your iPhone or other paired device is nearby.

With the new feature, you can also use the ‘Hearing Health’ controls (available soon in the UK) to adjust settings such as amplification level, left-right balance, tone, ambient noise reduction and conversation boost (for one-to-one conversations where you’re facing a person). You can apply the adjustments to music, video and phone calls.

You need an iPhone with iOS 18 or later for the software update to work.

Can earbuds replace hearing aids?

The AirPods and other devices marketed as over-the-counter hearing aids are designed so you can fit them yourself. But at £189 at the time of writing (assuming you have an iPhone or iPad), Apple's AirPods don't come cheap, so are they worth the money if you're living with hearing loss?

In the US, over-the-counter (OTC) hearing devices have been approved since 2022, and there are a lot on sale. Some are self-fitting hearing devices that you buy specifically to help you hear better, and others are mainstream audio devices like the AirPods with specialist hearing features.

OTC hearing aids could offer enticingly low prices and the convenience of a DIY solution. However, buying over the counter or administering your own hearing test also means that an audiologist won’t be assessing you and can’t diagnose the type of hearing loss you have.

An audiologist will use also real-time sound measurement to really customise hearing aids to your hearing loss. This could mean hearing more clearly, as what you hear at each frequency is fine-tuned. You can also have your hearing aids optimised with programs suited to the situations you enjoy – for example, windy countryside walks.

DIY hearing help

Some experts, however, argue that self-fitting hearing aids can also be finely tuned to your particular hearing needs, even if they don't offer all the advantages of audiologist-prescribed hearing aids.

The AirPods are what some call a ‘gateway device’ in that they could offer some useful features to people with mild to moderate hearing loss, and allow them to try the tech.

The people using them may also be encouraged to go on to get audiologist-prescribed hearing aids when they need them, as AirPods may reduce the stigma of wearing hearing aids.

Health professionals though, including those at the Royal National Institute for Deaf People (RNID), have raised concerns. While they do embrace the idea of increased innovation and accessibility of hearing aids for more people, they caution that if you need hearing aids for more severe hearing loss, this option may give the mistaken impression that they won’t offer an optimum experience, and put you off.

AirPods can’t look in your ears and spot problems, such as excess wax or a foreign body that needs to be removed, either. If you've experienced a sudden hearing change, you should see a doctor.

Read our review of the AirPods 2 or compare prices below:

Find out more about getting a hearing test and hearing aid prices

Other earbuds with hearing assistance tech

Other brands of mainstream earbuds – the type that are bought to listen to music or TV – offer features that may benefit people with mild to moderate hearing loss. However, unlike audiologist-prescribed hearing aids, these gadgets aren’t designed to be worn continuously all day and are typically one size fits all.

Below are some examples. We've tested the Samsung and Bose device as audio devices, but not specifically for their hearing features.

Samsung Galaxy Buds 2

These earbuds offer extra amplification if needed, and some customisable sound features, such as the ability to adjust the quality of ambient sound (you can adjust the volume you can hear for each ear). But you can’t import a hearing test or audiogram and you can only use the Samsung hearing test on certain phones.

See the Samsung Galaxy Buds 2 review to get our verdict on its music playing abilities or compare prices below:

Bose Quiet Comfort earbuds

These earbuds don’t have a built-in hearing test, but they claim to have hearing features you can take advantage of while using them. For example, there are three modes that include reducing and amplifying background noise to make you more aware of your surroundings, and the ability to adjust the equalisation (EQ) or volume of frequencies to suit your hearing. These are adjusted via an app.

See the Bose Quiet Comfort review to get our verdict on its music-playing abilities or compare price below:

Sennheiser Conversation Clearplus earbuds

These earbuds (not yet tested by Which?) claim to make you hear conversations more clearly in noisy surroundings, using self-adjusting speech enhancement technology to prioritise speech. You can alter active noise cancellation and ambient awareness to help block out noise and allow surrounding sound to come through, as wanted. They connect to any Bluetooth device.

Compare prices below:

Other hearing devices for mild to moderate hearing loss

There is also a range of hearing devices that – unlike the mainstream headphones which come with extra 'hearing assistance' tech – are specially designed for people with mild to moderate hearing loss.

These are not currently marketed as medical devices and aren't designed to diagnose or replace hearing aids. They have specialist hearing features, including a pre-set hearing assessment and subsequent adjustment of the amplification at the different frequencies you hear.

Options available in the UK include the Doro Hearing Buds (£350 at Doro) and the Nuheara IQbuds2 Max (£349 at Puretone).

These offer self-administered hearing testing and a raft of customisable features claiming to help you hear, but – again – they won’t have the audiology assessment and degree of personalisation you’d get with hearing aids and they aren't sold as hearing aids.

It's possible that, as the UK broadens the definition of what can be sold as a hearing aid, we’ll see more of these types of products become available.

Expert view: new tech holds promise, but it's important to rule out other issues first

Joanna Pearl, Which? hearing aid expert

'If you're noticing that your hearing isn’t as good as it was – or example, you’re turning the TV up more and struggling to hear in noisy environments – you really should get your ears checked by your GP. You could have excessive wax in your ears, or another problem that needs treating.

If you have do mild or moderate hearing loss and want to explore the option of audio devices such as AirPods with hearing tech, check what sort of customisation they have when doing your research and look out for what features they offer and what phones they’re compatible with.

If you already have the Apple AirPods Pro 2 and a suitable Apple device, such as an iPhone or iPad, their new hearing aid features may be something to try, and could be an easy option. However, don't be under the impression that you’re getting all the benefits and customisation of hearing aids.

If you want to take a hearing test at home, try the RNID online hearing check.

Remember that if you do need hearing aids, they are available free on the NHS. Your GP can refer you for an assessment. You also have the option of buying hearing aids privately. See our guide toNHS vs private hearing aids for advice on which might be best for you.'