Accessibility features for hearing on iPad
iPad comes with built-in tools designed to help you hear better—or stay connected without hearing a sound.
To explore accessibility features for hearing, go to Settings > Accessibility, then scroll down to the Hearing section.
Use alternatives to sound
Get real-time captions of spoken audio With Live Captions, get a transcription of the audio from any app and from live conversations around you. | Customize subtitles and captions Change how subtitles look. Or instead of standard subtitles, use closed captions and SDH when available. |
Blink the iPad light for notifications If you can’t hear your alerts, get notified visually. | Get notified about sounds around you With Sound Recognition, have iPad listen for sounds—such as a doorbell or siren—and alert you when it recognizes them. |
Type to Siri Type your Siri requests instead of speaking them. | Make Real-Time Text (RTT) calls Type to communicate on calls. The person you’re talking to sees your message as you type it. |
You can also get transcriptions of audio messages, HomePod Intercom messages, and podcasts.
Use hearing devices and make audio adjustments
Hearing devices Pair Made for iPhone (MFi) hearing aids or sound processors with iPad and adjust their settings. | Live Listen Stream sound from the iPad microphone to your MFi hearing devices or AirPods. |
Audio balance Play stereo audio as mono, adjust left-right stereo balance, and more. | AirPods Set accessibility options for AirPods and other Apple headphones paired with your iPad. |
Background sounds Have your iPad play ambient sounds—such as ocean waves or rain—to help you focus or rest. |
You can also have Siri announce notifications and calls on your MFi hearing devices.
Tip: Control your go-to accessibility features and settings with the click of a button or from Control Center. See Quickly open features with Accessibility Shortcut.