What is a hearing aid app?
Most modern hearing aids can connect to a smartphone. Each manufacturer makes its own free app, which you download from the App Store on an iPhone or Google Play on an Android phone. Once paired, the app works like a remote control, letting you make small changes without touching the hearing aids themselves.
An app is optional. Your hearing aids are set up by your audiologist to work well on their own, and many people use the app only now and then. For others, especially people who find the small buttons on the aids fiddly, the app quickly becomes part of everyday life.
What can hearing aid apps do?
Features vary between manufacturers and between models in the same range, so treat this as a guide to what is common rather than a promise of what your aids can do.
Volume control
Turn both aids up or down together, or adjust each ear separately. Many apps also let you change bass and treble a little within limits your audiologist sets.
Listening programmes
Your audiologist may set up extra programmes for situations such as restaurants, music or outdoor wind. The app lets you see and switch between them by name, which is often easier than counting button presses.
Battery level
Many apps show how much charge or battery life is left in each aid, which helps you plan a long day out.
Finding a lost hearing aid
Some apps can show the last place your phone was connected to your hearing aids. This can help narrow down where an aid was dropped.
Streaming and connected devices
Apps often let you control streaming from a TV adapter or other accessory, and adjust how much of the room sound you hear while streaming. Our guide to hearing aids for TV explains these accessories.
Remote adjustment
Some hearing aid systems allow your audiologist to send new settings to your aids through the app, after you have described a problem. Whether this is available depends on the hearing aid, the app and the service your clinic provides, so ask your audiologist before relying on it.
Wellbeing and tinnitus features
Certain models include extras such as step counting or relaxing sounds for people with tinnitus. These vary a great deal, so your audiologist is the best person to tell you what your particular aids include.
Which hearing aid app do I need?
You need the app made by your hearing aid’s manufacturer, and sometimes a specific app for a particular range. The brands we fit, Phonak, Oticon, Signia, Starkey, ReSound, Widex and Unitron, each have their own app. Apps change and are updated regularly, so the simplest approach is to ask your audiologist at your fitting which one to install. They can help you set it up before you leave.
How to pair hearing aids with an app
The exact steps differ by manufacturer, but the general pattern is similar:
- Make sure Bluetooth is switched on and your phone is charged.
- Download the correct app from your phone’s app store.
- Restart your hearing aids, usually by placing them in the charger and taking them out, or by opening and closing the battery doors. This puts them into pairing mode for a few minutes.
- Open the app and follow the on-screen instructions. On an iPhone, some hearing aids pair first through the phone’s accessibility settings.
- Once connected, explore the main screen and try changing the volume to confirm it works.
If pairing fails, restarting the phone and the hearing aids and trying again near each other solves most problems. If not, bring your phone and aids to your next appointment.
Common problems with hearing aid apps
- The app cannot find the aids. Check Bluetooth is on and restart the aids to put them back into pairing mode.
- Only one aid connects. Restart both aids together and keep them close to the phone.
- Connection drops. Phone updates can affect pairing. Removing the aids from the phone’s Bluetooth list and pairing again often helps.
- The app has changed. Manufacturers update their apps and layouts can move. Your audiologist can show you around the new version.
Do I need a smartphone to use hearing aids?
No. Every hearing aid we fit works without a phone. Volume and programme changes can usually be made with buttons on the aids, and some manufacturers offer a small separate remote control. If you do not have a smartphone or prefer not to use one, tell your audiologist so they can set up the aids with simple, automatic settings. Our guide to getting used to hearing aids may also help in the first few weeks.
Setting up your hearing aid app in Sutton Coldfield
When you choose hearing aids at Sutton Hearing Care, your audiologist can install and pair the right app with you at the fitting, show you the features your aids actually have, and help again at your follow-ups in the first two weeks. You can also try the aids and the app at home during a free 14-day home trial before you decide.
Prices for a pair start from £1,595, with app connectivity varying by model. See our hearing aid prices, or start with a free hearing test by calling 0121 369 0780 or booking online.