Apple brings the AirPods Pro 2 Hearing Aid feature to the UK

(Image credit: Future)

Users across the pond in the U.S. have been able to use the Hearing Aid feature with their AirPods Pro 2 for a few months now, taking the hearing test, and using their AirPods as de facto hearing aids. And now, thanks to a quick update, users in the U.K. can do the same as well.

As of this morning (Feb 24), Hearing Aid is just a quick update on your iPhone away from working with your AirPods Pro 2 with USB-C.

Clinical hearing aids, a fraction of the cost

The Hearing Aid feature launched to massive fanfare in the U.S. — no surprise given that it was more than just a fancy version of transparency mode. It was authorized by the FDA in the states, and Apple stacked it up against recognized audiologists to see if it stood up to scrutiny.

Now that it's come to the U.K., Apple took the Hearing Aid hearing tests to the British Academy of Audiology to make sure that they were up to scratch and found that they matched recognized audio tests.

Even U.K. Health Secretary Wes Streeting has weighed in: “It is estimated that half of people with hearing problems don’t use hearing aids, so new products like this can help more people better manage their health."

And it's been warmly welcomed by users so far, with some reporting that it immediately helped them hear detail in their surroundings they couldn't access before — and all without the need for a traditional hearing aid.

Hearing Test is easy to access — just hop into the settings menu, and look for the Hearing Aid functions in the AirPods Pro 2 portion. There you'll find the hearing tests, as well as the Hearing Aid functions and other settings like loud sound reduction.

At the moment, the Hearing Aid feature is available in the U.K. now on AirPods Pro 2 with USB-C. Whether Apple rolls this out to other AirPods models, or launches it exclusively with new editions, remains to be seen.

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Tammy and her generous collection of headphones have found a new home — Tom's Guide! After a two-and-a-half-year stint as iMore's resident audiophile, Tammy's reviews and buying guide expertise have more focus than ever on Tom's Guide, helping buyers find the audio gear that works best for them. Tammy has worked with some of the most desirable audio brands on the planet in her time writing about headphones, speakers, and more, bringing a consumer focussed approach to critique and buying advice. Away from her desk, you'll probably find her in the countryside writing (extremely bad) poetry, or putting her screenwriting Masters to good use creating screenplays that'll never see the light of day.