GoKawiilHearing difficulties aren't just an issue for older adults. Roughly 48 million Americans have some kind of hearing issue in one or both ears, according to a CDC report. What's to be blamed? From listening to music at dangerously loud volumes to regular exposure to unhealthy ambient sound levels at concerts or sporting events, hearing difficulties are a silent epidemic plaguing young Americans.
That got us thinking -- just how good was our own hearing health? Moreover, what can we do to safeguard it? CNET's wellness experts put Apple's Hearing Test through its paces using the AirPods Pro 2. We also tapped experts for professional opinions and to better understand the results. Here's what we found.
What is the Apple Hearing Test?
In the fall of 2024, Apple announced its clinically validated Hearing Test with its Hearing Aid and Protection features. To turn your AirPods into hearing aids, you must first take the Hearing Test, which is based on pure-tone audiometry.
The hearing test built into the AirPods Pro is more scientifically backed than what you would expect from a consumer device. Using the Health app on your iPhone or iPad, you'll be taken through a series of tones at different volumes (similar to what's used in a clinical setting), and you will be given a result based on your answers in one of these five categories: slight, mild, moderate or severe hearing loss or normal hearing.
Apple received FDA authorization for this hearing test as an over-the-counter hearing aid and screener. It's important to note that it doesn't provide a diagnosis, but it's a great screening tool that can flag something worth discussing with your doctor.
Apple's hearing test also integrates seamlessly into the brand's broader hearing health ecosystem, including real-time monitoring of environmental noise levels, a hearing aid mode that can amplify ambient sound and headphone audio exposure tracking.
How to take Apple's Hearing Test
To take Apple's Hearing Test, you need the AirPods Pro 2 or AirPods Pro 3 and a compatible iPhone or iPad. The test takes about five minutes to complete. First, connect your AirPods to your iPhone or iPad. Go to Settings, click your AirPods, then under Hearing Health, click Take a Hearing Test.
"The idea that they can test their hearing before they have significant concerns is a great way for many people to get baseline hearing testing done," Tricia Ashby-Scabis, senior director of audiology practices at the American Speech-Language-Hearing Association, tells CNET. "When I was working clinically, I could not tell patients if their hearing had changed unless I had tested them previously. Most people don't undergo baseline hearing testing and don't seek services from an audiologist until they suspect they have hearing loss. If they are curious and test their hearing with their AirPods, we now have a baseline audiogram to work from for monitoring potential changes in hearing."
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