Live Listen Compatibility Checker
Pick your AirPods (or Beats) and your iPhone. Instantly see which Apple hearing features work: Live Listen, Hearing Aid, Media Assist, Hearing Test, Hearing Protection.
Pick your headphones and iPhone above to see what works.
What each Apple feature does
Live Listen
Turns your iPhone into a remote microphone. Whatever the iPhone microphone picks up is streamed live to your paired AirPods or MFi hearing aid. Original use case: leave the iPhone on a table across the room during a conversation. Works from iOS 12 onward with any H1 or W1 chip Apple audio device.
Hearing Aid feature (OTC hearing aid)
Launched September 2024 with iOS 18.1, exclusive to AirPods Pro 2 and AirPods Pro 3. First FDA-cleared over-the-counter hearing aid software delivered through consumer earbuds. Uses the built-in hearing test result to apply personalised amplification tuned to your audiogram. Fully covered in our AirPods Hearing Aid guide.
Media Assist
Applies your hearing profile to any audio you play: music, video, phone calls, podcasts. Rolls off in the frequencies you hear normally, boosts the ones you have trouble with. AirPods Pro 2 and Pro 3 only, iOS 18.1 or later.
Hearing Test
Clinically validated pure-tone air-conduction hearing test built into iOS. Runs in about 5 minutes with AirPods Pro 2 or Pro 3. Produces an audiogram stored in the Health app that feeds the Hearing Aid and Media Assist features. iOS 18.1 or later.
Hearing Protection
Real-time attenuation of very loud environmental sounds while wearing AirPods Pro 2 or Pro 3 in Transparency or Adaptive mode. Reduces sudden loud noises (sirens, power tools, live music) to a safer level without cutting out speech. iOS 18.1 or later.
Full AirPods x feature compatibility
| Model | Live Listen | Hearing Aid | Media Assist | Hearing Test | Hearing Protection |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| AirPods (1st gen) | Yes | No | No | No | No |
| AirPods 2 / 3 | Yes | No | No | No | No |
| AirPods 4 | Yes | No | No | No | No |
| AirPods 4 with ANC | Yes | No | No | No | No |
| AirPods Pro 1 | Yes | No | No | No | No |
| AirPods Pro 2 | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| AirPods Pro 3 | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| AirPods Max (both) | Yes | No | No | No | No |
| Powerbeats Pro / Pro 2, Beats Fit Pro, Beats Solo Pro | Yes | No | No | No | No |
| Beats without H1/H2 (Studio Pro, Studio Buds, Buds+) | No | No | No | No | No |
| Any non-Apple Bluetooth headphones | No | No | No | No | No |
| MFi hearing aid | Yes | N/A (already is one) | No | No | No |
All features that require iOS 18.1 also need an iPhone XS, iPhone SE (2nd generation) or later. Older iPhones cannot install iOS 18 and cannot get the Hearing Aid, Media Assist, Hearing Test, or Hearing Protection features regardless of AirPods model.
iPhone iOS support summary
| iPhone model | Max iOS | Hearing features? |
|---|---|---|
| iPhone 17, 16, 15, 14, 13, 12, 11 (all variants) | iOS 18+ | Yes with Pro 2 or Pro 3 |
| iPhone SE (2nd gen), iPhone SE (3rd gen) | iOS 18+ | Yes with Pro 2 or Pro 3 |
| iPhone XS, XR | iOS 18+ | Yes with Pro 2 or Pro 3 |
| iPhone X, 8, 8 Plus | iOS 16 | Live Listen only |
| iPhone 7, 7 Plus, SE (1st gen), 6s, 6s Plus | iOS 15 | Live Listen only |
| iPhone 6, 6 Plus and older | iOS 12 | Live Listen only |
Which countries support the Hearing Aid feature
Apple's Hearing Aid feature is available in more than 180 countries, including the United States (FDA-cleared), all EU member states, the United Kingdom, Canada, Australia, and Japan. Some markets have restrictions: it launched later in China (regional health-regulator approval) and remains unavailable in a small number of countries where medical device software rules block it. See Apple's official feature availability page for your specific country.
What to do if your setup does not support Hearing Aid
Three options depending on your gear:
- Right iPhone, wrong AirPods. Upgrade to AirPods Pro 2 or Pro 3. The Pro 2 is often discounted below the Pro 3 price and offers the exact same Hearing Aid capabilities.
- Right AirPods, wrong iPhone. The oldest iPhone that supports Hearing Aid is the iPhone XS (2018). Refurbished XS units are widely available at low cost.
- Neither. Live Listen still works with any H1/H2 AirPods on almost any iPhone. Third-party amplifier apps (including Spy Hearing) offer more amplification and EQ control than Live Listen, and they work with any headphones including wired.
Frequently asked questions
- Do all AirPods support Live Listen?
- All AirPods with an H1 or H2 chip support Live Listen: AirPods (2nd, 3rd, 4th generation, including AirPods 4 with ANC), AirPods Pro (all three generations), and AirPods Max (both Lightning and USB-C). The original 1st generation AirPods use a W1 chip and also support Live Listen with iOS 12 or later. Beats with an H1 or H2 chip (Powerbeats Pro, Beats Fit Pro, Beats Solo Pro) work too. Beats without H1/H2 (Studio Pro, Studio Buds, Studio Buds+) do not support Live Listen.
- Which iPhone models support the Hearing Aid feature?
- Any iPhone that can install iOS 18.1 or later. That covers iPhone XS, iPhone XR, iPhone SE (2nd generation, 2020) and every iPhone released after them: 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17 series, plus SE 3rd generation. iPhone X and older cannot install iOS 18 and cannot access the Hearing Aid feature, even paired with AirPods Pro 2 or Pro 3.
- Can I use Live Listen with regular AirPods and use my iPhone as a hearing aid?
- Not officially. Live Listen amplifies live audio from your iPhone microphone but does not apply a personalised hearing profile. Standard AirPods (non-Pro) route audio through Live Listen but cannot use the Hearing Aid feature. If you want personalised amplification tuned to your hearing loss, you need AirPods Pro 2 or Pro 3 on iOS 18.1 or later.
- Does Live Listen work with non-Apple Bluetooth headphones?
- No. Live Listen requires the H1, H2, or W1 chip found in Apple and Beats audio products. Any third-party Bluetooth earbuds or headphones cannot receive the Live Listen stream. Third-party amplifier apps (Petralex, Google Sound Amplifier, Spy Hearing, Hear Boost) work with any Bluetooth or wired headphones because they do not depend on Apple’s proprietary chip.
- What is the difference between Live Listen and the Hearing Aid feature?
- Live Listen (2018+) uses the iPhone microphone to pick up sound and streams it to your AirPods in real time. Same amplification for all frequencies, no personalisation. Hearing Aid (2024+) uses the AirPods microphones themselves, applies a personalised amplification profile based on your hearing test result, and works continuously as you go about your day. Live Listen is a situational tool. Hearing Aid is designed for all-day use as an actual over-the-counter hearing aid.
- How do I check my iOS version?
- Open Settings, tap General, tap About, and look at the iOS Version line. If you are on iOS 17 or below, tap Software Update in the General menu to install the latest iOS your device supports. If iOS 18 or later is not offered, your iPhone is not compatible with the newer hearing features.
- What if my AirPods firmware is out of date?
- AirPods firmware updates automatically when charging in the case while paired to an iPhone that has internet access. To check the current firmware, open Settings, Bluetooth, tap the info icon next to your AirPods, and scroll to Version. The Hearing Aid feature requires firmware 7A302 or later on AirPods Pro 2. Newer firmware ships automatically over time; there is no manual trigger to force an update.
- Can I use two hearing aids or two AirPods at once?
- Yes. AirPods and MFi hearing aids both stream stereo audio to a pair of devices. If you are using MFi hearing aids, both left and right receive the Live Listen stream simultaneously. If you own more than one pair of AirPods, iOS routes audio to whichever pair is currently paired and in-ear.