Change Hearing Devices settings for accessibility on Mac
Use Hearing Devices settings to pair Made for iPhone (MFi) hearing aids or sound processors with your Mac and adjust their settings.
Note: Made for iPhone hearing devices can be paired only with selected Mac computers with the M1 chip, and all Mac computers with the M2 chip or later. The new style inherits the settings of the style that you selected when you clicked the Add button. For a list of supported hearing devices and more information about Mac system requirements, see the Apple Support article List of Made for iPhone hearing devices.
To change these settings, choose Apple menu > System Settings, click Accessibility in the sidebar, then click Hearing Devices. (You may need to scroll down.)
Open Hearing Devices settings for me
Option | Description |
---|---|
Available Devices | When unpaired hearing devices are in range of your Mac, they appear in the list of available devices. To pair hearing devices with your Mac, move the pointer over the devices, then click Connect. See Pair hearing devices with your Mac. |
Stream to left hearing device | Output your Mac computer’s audio to the left hearing device. See Stream audio from your Mac to your hearing devices. |
Stream to right hearing device | Output your Mac computer’s audio to the right hearing device. |
Adjust independently | Adjust settings like microphone level and presets for the left and right hearing device separately. Turn this option off to adjust both the left and right hearing devices at the same time. Note: Depending on the model of your hearing devices, some settings can only be adjusted separately or for both the left and right devices at the same time. |
Control Nearby Devices | When your hearing devices are paired with and connected to another device where you’re signed in to the same Apple Account, use Hearing Devices settings on your Mac to adjust the settings for that device (such as an iPhone). |
Main Volume | Adjust the overall volume of your hearing devices (including both audio streamed from your Mac and sound picked up by the microphone from the environment around you). |
Microphone Level | Adjust the volume of the sound picked up by your hearing devices from the environment around you. |
Hearing Range | Adjust the sensitivity of the microphone on your hearing devices. Set a higher range to pick up sound from farther away, or a lower range to pick up sound only from nearby. |
Tone | Adjust the amount of treble (high frequency sound) and bass (low frequency sound) picked up from the environment around you. |
Presets | Choose from preprogrammed environmental presets for sound picked up from the environment around you. Preset options vary based on how your hearing devices have been set up. If you’re unsure about the options, check with the audiologist who helped you set up your devices. |
Streaming Presets | Choose from preprogrammed environmental presets for audio streamed using hearing device accessories. Preset options vary by accessory. |
Forget this device | Unpair and disconnect the paired hearing devices from your Mac. |