The AirPods Pro 2 Finally Receive Its Hearing Health Features

Apple’s much-talked-about hearing health features for the AirPods Pro 2 have finally been released in a firmware update today. Though you can update your AirPods Pro to the latest version to receive the features today, you’d have to wait until October 28, the release of iOS 18.1, to use them.

The hearing health update brings three features: a hearing test, hearing aid functionality, and active hearing protection. All features are free to use and compatible with iPhone and iPad, as long as the software is iOS 18.1.

The first feature makes it much easier to diagnose hearing loss within the confines of your home. It’ll save time, effort, and money and encourage people to get tested regularly. At a hearing health briefing, Apple told Gizmodo that millions of Americans unknowingly live with hearing loss. Many believe it always entails a complete inability to hear, but it exists on a spectrum, and you could lie anywhere on it. So, it’s essential to routinely check up on how your ears are doing.

The test is taken on the iOS Health app and takes around five minutes to complete. It plays a few tones that you respond to by tapping your screen. Once completed, the results screen shows your respective scores for both ears with a comment like “Your test indicates moderate hearing loss.” Your results live on the Health app, allowing you to track your ear health over time by re-doing the test. You can also download your results if you need to show them to a professional.

The second feature extends your AirPods Pros’ functionality and doubles them as hearing aids, which boost frequencies and produce a clearer, more vibrant sound. Your AirPods Pro as hearing aids will also make real-time adjustments in intensity based on your surroundings. This isn’t just for people with hearing issues. The hearing aid feature allows the user to hear better, so it could assist a perfectly healthy individual by enhancing how their music sounds on the buds.

The third feature protects your ears against loud and harsh environmental noise. In environments as loud as 110 dBA, the hearing protection feature reduces the sound signature to a lower level at 48,000 times per second, making it easier on your ears. To contextualize this, a fitness class is 100 dBA, and mowing the lawn produces 90 dBA. The hearing protection feature works across all listening modes and the silicone ear tips help with noise reduction, too.