Hearing aids do more than amplify sound. Bluetooth lets your hearing aids connect to your phone, TV and other smart devices. Think of it as a bridge between your hearing aids and the devices you use every day. When you’re juggling work, home life, hobbies and socializing, that convenience makes a real difference.
So instead of holding your phone up to your ear, turning up the TV or skipping your favorite podcast, here’s how Bluetooth hearing aids make those moments easier.
What Are Bluetooth Hearing Aids?
Bluetooth hearing aids use wireless technology to share audio with compatible smartphones, tablets and TVs. A small radio inside each hearing aid receives the wireless signal and turns it into sound you hear directly in your ears. You can stream music, podcasts, phone calls and more. Battery life has improved over time, and now Bluetooth Low Energy (LE) models stay connected while using far less power.
You may benefit from Bluetooth hearing aids if you:
- Take frequent phone or video calls
- Lead an active lifestyle and like listening to audio while exercising or doing chores
- Listen to navigation, podcasts or audiobooks in the car
- Watch TV often and want your own volume
- Prefer not to wear headphones over your hearing aids
- Feel comfortable using technology
A Day with Bluetooth Hearing Aids
Here’s what a typical day could look like with Bluetooth hearing aids.
Starting Your Day
You take your hearing aids off the charger and head to the kitchen to make coffee. While it brews, you catch up on the latest episode of your favorite podcast, streaming it straight to your hearing aids. You keep listening as you get ready, without missing a word while you walk around, run appliances or let the dog out.
Getting to Work
At the office, you adjust your hearing aid settings from an app on your phone so you can hear coworkers more easily during meetings. When a video call comes up, you stream the audio from your computer straight to your hearing aids, no headset required.
Having Lunch
Your coworkers invite you to lunch at a busy local restaurant. You open your hearing aid app and switch to a “speech in noise” setting, which helps you focus on your tablemates over background chatter and clanging dishes. If it gets too loud, set a table microphone in the center of the group to send voices straight to your hearing aids.
Evening Activities
At home, you turn on the evening news while you make dinner. With a TV streamer, the sound goes directly to your hearing aids, and you can adjust the volume from the app instead of hunting for the remote. And your spouse won’t need to ask you to turn it down.
Later, you video call your grandkids to catch up on their day. Their excited chatter is easier to follow when you don’t have to hold the phone up to your ear.
Will Bluetooth Hearing Aids Work with My Phone?
Most Bluetooth hearing aids connect with today’s smartphones, tablets and computers. Apple’s Made for iPhone (MFi) program lets hearing aids pair directly with iPhones and iPads, while many Android phones use Audio Streaming for Hearing Aids (ASHA). Most major hearing aid manufacturers also offer free apps that let you adjust settings from your phone instead of using small buttons.
Here’s a quick overview of how to pair your hearing aids.
For iPhone:
- Go to Settings > Bluetooth and turn on Bluetooth.
- Put your hearing aids in pairing mode. Turn them off and back on (or open and close the battery doors).
- Go to Settings > Accessibility > Hearing Devices, then select your hearing aids when they appear under MFi Hearing Devices.
- Tap Pair. If you wear two hearing aids, repeat this step for each one.
- Download your hearing aid manufacturer’s app from the App Store to control your settings.
For Android Phones:
- Go to Settings > Connections (or Connected Devices) and turn on Bluetooth.
- Put your hearing aids in pairing mode. Turn them off and back on (or open and close the battery doors).
- Go to Settings > Connected Devices > Pair New Device. On some phones, you’ll find hearing aids under Settings > Accessibility > Hearing Devices.
- Select your hearing aids and accept any prompts to confirm pairing.
- Download your hearing aid manufacturer’s app from Google Play to control your settings.
Menu names vary by phone brand and software version. Some hearing aid brands recommend pairing through their app, so check your manufacturer’s instructions.
Find Bluetooth Hearing Aids in Northern Iowa and Southern Minnesota
If you’re new to Bluetooth hearing aids, the expert audiologists at Hearing Associates can show you how to pair and use them. They can also fine-tune your current hearing aids or Bluetooth settings. Schedule an appointment to find the right Bluetooth hearing aids for your lifestyle.