To use the Made for iPhone hearing devices, you need one of these devices:
- iPhone 5 or later
- iPad Pro (all models)
- iPad Air (all models)
- iPad (4th generation) or later
- iPad mini (all models)
- iPod touch (5th generation) or later
Find out which hearing devices are compatible with your Apple device
With supported Made for iPhone hearing devices, these devices support bidirectional streaming, which allows users to talk hands-free: iPhone 11 models and later, iPad Air (4th generation) and later, iPad mini (6th generation) and later, iPad Pro 11-inch (3rd generation) and later, and iPad Pro 12.9-inch (5th generation) and later.
Pair and connect
When you pair a Made for iPhone hearing device to your Apple device, audio from your Apple device goes to your hearing device. If you turn off your hearing device, you need to reconnect it when you want to use it with your Apple device again.
To pair your hearing device:
- Make sure that Bluetooth is on. Go to Settings, then select Bluetooth.
- Open the battery doors on your hearing device. If you have a rechargeable hearing device, refer to the manufacturer's instructions for how to activate pairing mode.
- On your Apple device, go to Settings > Accessibility, and select Hearing Devices.
- Close the battery doors on your hearing device. Your Apple device will search for your hearing device.
- Under MFi Hearing Devices, tap the name of your hearing device.
- Tap Pair when you see the pairing request on the screen. If you have two hearing devices, you'll get two requests. Pairing could take up to a minute.
You can start using your hearing device when you see it under MFi Hearing Devices with a check mark. Control on Lock Screen will be on. Leave it on to control your hearing device from the Lock screen (using the Accessibility Shortcut) and from Control Center on your iPhone or iPod touch, or Control Center on your iPad.
Pair with more than one device
When you pair your hearing devices with more than one Apple device, the connection for your hearing devices switches from one device to the other when you use audio. The connection also switches when you receive a call on your iPhone. If you make changes to your hearing device settings on one device, they're sent to your other devices.
To pair with another iPhone, iPad, or iPod touch:
- Make sure all devices are connected to the same Wi-Fi network and signed in to iCloud with the same Apple ID.
- Follow the steps for how to pair your hearing device.
Connect when you turn on your hearing device
When you turn off your hearing device, it disconnects from your device. When you turn on your hearing device, open and close the battery doors on your hearing device to connect again.
If you don't hear audio through your hearing device after pairing
- On your Apple device, open an audio app, such as Music, then choose an item to play.
- Swipe down from the upper-right corner of your screen to open Control Center.
- Tap the group of controls in the upper-right corner, then tap the AirPlay Audio button
. - Choose your hearing device as the playback destination.
While audio is playing, you can also change the playback destination on the Lock Screen.
The playback destination returns to your Apple device if you move the hearing device out of Bluetooth range.
Control your MFi hearing device
You can use your Apple device to select environment presets adjust the volume, turn on Live Listen, and more. To control your hearing device, use Settings or the Accessibility Shortcut.
Set preferences for features that you control with your Apple device by going to Settings > Accessibility > Hearing Devices. Then tap your hearing device.
- Play Ringtones: You can play ringtones through connected hearing devices.
- Audio Routing: Choose the default device for audio playback from the following options.
- Auto: The last connected device will play audio.
- Always: This hearing device will always play audio.
- Never: This hearing device will not play audio unless you select it.
- Control Nearby Devices: Use your Apple device to adjust the settings of hearing devices that are on the same Wi-Fi network and connected to your iCloud account.
- Audio Handoff: Continue listening to media through your hearing device when you switch between your Apple devices. For example, if your hearing device is connected to your iPhone but you start watching a movie on your iPad, the hearing device automatically switches to the iPad.
- Control on Lock Screen: Quickly make preset and volume adjustments on your hearing device right from the Lock Screen with the Accessibility Shortcut or Control Center hearing button.
You can also tap your hearing device's name in Settings to:
- View connection status
- Adjust volume levels for either or both hearing devices
- Choose an audio preset
- Turn on Live Listen
- Unpair your hearing device
Learn how to use the Accessibility Shortcut to control your hearing devices.
Learn more
Learn more about compatibility with other hearing devices.