How to Pair Hearing Aids with Your Phone (iPhone & Android Guide)

One of the best things about modern hearing aids is that they can connect directly to your smartphone. Once paired, you can stream phone calls, music, and TV audio straight to your ears — and adjust your hearing aid settings without touching a tiny button. It sounds complicated, but the process is actually quite simple once you know the steps.

This guide walks you through pairing your hearing aids to both iPhone and Android phones, in plain English with no confusing jargon. We also cover what to do when things do not go smoothly.

If you are still deciding which hearing aids to buy, take a look at our guides on the best OTC hearing aids and the best Bluetooth hearing aids for seniors first. Once you have your hearing aids in hand, come back here to get them connected.

Before You Start: What You Will Need

• Your hearing aids (fully charged or with fresh batteries)
• Your smartphone (iPhone or Android)
• The manufacturer's app downloaded from the App Store or Google Play (check your hearing aid's instruction booklet for the app name)
• About 10 minutes of quiet time

That is it. You do not need any special cables or tools.

Understanding Two Types of Bluetooth Hearing Aid Connection

Not all Bluetooth hearing aids connect the same way. There are two main standards to know about:

MFi — Made for iPhone

MFi stands for "Made for iPhone." Hearing aids with this certification connect directly to your iPhone through a special low-energy Bluetooth connection that Apple built into iOS. This connection is very stable and uses very little battery.

Examples of MFi hearing aids: Phonak Audeo Lumity, Oticon Real, ReSound NEXIA, Starkey Genesis.

MFi hearing aids pair through the iPhone Settings app, not the regular Bluetooth menu. We walk through the steps below.

ASHA — Audio Streaming for Hearing Aids (Android)

Google created the ASHA standard for Android phones. It works similarly to MFi — a direct, low-energy connection specifically designed for hearing aids.

ASHA requires Android 10 or later and a phone that supports ASHA (most modern Android phones from Samsung, Google, OnePlus, and others do).

Examples of ASHA-compatible hearing aids: Phonak Audeo Lumity, Jabra Enhance Plus (Android), ReSound NEXIA.

Standard Bluetooth pairing (the way you connect headphones) also works for some hearing aids, but MFi and ASHA give a better, more stable connection when available.

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How to Pair Hearing Aids with an iPhone

Step 1: Turn On Your Hearing Aids

• Rechargeable hearing aids: Take them out of the charging case. They usually enter pairing mode automatically.
• Battery-powered hearing aids: Open the battery door, wait 3 seconds, then close it again. This restarts the device and puts it into pairing mode.

If your hearing aids have been paired before (for example, with an old phone), you may need to reset them. Check your instruction booklet for the reset procedure — it is usually holding down a button for 5 to 10 seconds.

Step 2: Go to iPhone Settings

On your iPhone, tap the Settings app (it looks like a grey square with gears).

Step 3: Open Accessibility Settings

Scroll down and tap Accessibility. Then scroll down and tap Hearing Devices.

Why not the regular Bluetooth menu? MFi hearing aids use a special Apple connection that lives in the Accessibility section. Looking in the regular Bluetooth menu is one of the most common mistakes people make.

Step 4: Wait for Your Hearing Aids to Appear

Your iPhone will search for nearby hearing devices. Your hearing aids should appear on the screen within 30 seconds. They will usually show up with their brand and model name (for example, "Phonak Audeo Lumity" or "Oticon Real").

If they do not appear, try turning the hearing aids off and back on again (step 1).

Step 5: Tap to Pair

Tap the name of your hearing aids on the screen. A box will pop up asking you to confirm — tap Pair (or Pair Both if you have two hearing aids).

You may need to tap Pair twice — once for the right hearing aid and once for the left. This is normal.

Step 6: You Are Connected

A small hearing aid icon will appear at the top of your iPhone screen confirming the connection. You can now adjust volume, switch programs, and stream audio directly from your phone.

Step 7: Download the Manufacturer's App

For full control, download your hearing aid brand's app from the App Store. Just search for the brand name — for example, "Phonak Remote," "Oticon ON," or "ReSound Smart 3D." The app unlocks all the settings and personalization options.

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How to Pair Hearing Aids with an Android Phone

Step 1: Turn On Your Hearing Aids

Same as with iPhone — take them out of the charging case (rechargeable) or open and close the battery door (disposable batteries) to power them on and put them in pairing mode.

Step 2: Open Phone Settings

On your Android phone, open the Settings app (it usually looks like a gear icon).

Step 3: Go to Bluetooth Settings

Tap Connected Devices or Connections (the name varies a little by phone brand), then tap Bluetooth. Make sure the Bluetooth switch is turned On.

Note for Samsung users: On Samsung phones, go to Settings > Connections > Bluetooth.

Step 4: Tap "Pair New Device"

Tap Pair new device or Add device. Your phone will start searching for devices nearby.

Step 5: Select Your Hearing Aids

Your hearing aids should appear in the list of available devices within 30 seconds. Tap their name to start pairing.

If a box pops up asking you to confirm a pairing code, tap Pair or OK. You do not need to type anything.

Step 6: Grant App Permissions

Some Android phones will immediately ask you to download the hearing aid brand's app, or they may prompt you to give the hearing aids permission to receive audio calls. Tap Allow or OK on any permission requests.

Step 7: Download the Manufacturer's App

As with iPhone, download your hearing aid brand's app from Google Play for the full experience. Search by brand name (for example, "Jabra Enhance" or "Signia App"). The app gives you much more control than the basic Bluetooth connection alone.

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Pairing the Manufacturer's App to Your Hearing Aids

Once your hearing aids are connected to your phone via Bluetooth, the manufacturer's app needs to link to them as well. Here is how this usually works:

1. Open the app after downloading it.
2. Allow the permissions it asks for — Bluetooth permission is required, and some apps also ask for microphone access (to run hearing tests).
3. Tap "Connect" or "Find my hearing aids" — the app will detect the hearing aids that are already paired to your phone.
4. Follow the setup wizard — most apps walk you through a quick hearing test and initial setup. Take your time with this; it sets up your personalized sound profile.

If the app cannot find your hearing aids, try closing the app and reopening it, or turning the hearing aids off and back on while the app is open.

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What You Can Do Once Connected

With your hearing aids paired to your phone and the app installed, you unlock a range of useful features:

• Volume control from your phone screen — no more reaching up to touch the hearing aid
• Switch between programs — quiet, social, restaurant, outdoor, and more
• Stream phone calls — the caller's voice comes through both hearing aids clearly
• Stream music and podcasts — audio plays directly in your ears
• Battery level indicator — see exactly how much power is left before you leave the house
• Remote sound adjustments — many apps let you fine-tune the treble, bass, and directional focus

For more on how to get the most from these features, take a look at our guide to the best hearing aid apps for seniors.

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What to Do If Your Hearing Aids Won't Pair

Connection problems are frustrating, but they are almost always fixable. Here are the steps to try, in order:

1. Turn the hearing aids off and back on. This is the most effective first step. Open the battery door or put them in the case and take them out again.
2. Turn your phone's Bluetooth off and back on. Go to Settings and toggle Bluetooth off, wait 5 seconds, then toggle it back on.
3. Move closer together. Bluetooth range is typically 30 feet, but walls and interference can reduce this. Stay within 5 feet during pairing.
4. Check that the hearing aids are not already connected to another device. If your hearing aids were previously paired to a tablet or old phone, they may be trying to connect to that device instead. Turn off Bluetooth on any other devices nearby.
5. Forget and re-pair. On iPhone, go to Settings > Accessibility > Hearing Devices, tap your hearing aids, and tap "Forget This Device." On Android, go to Bluetooth settings, tap the hearing aid name, and tap "Unpair" or "Forget." Then start the pairing process from the beginning.
6. Restart your phone. Sometimes a simple restart clears connectivity glitches.
7. Check for app and phone software updates. Outdated software can cause connection issues. Make sure both your phone's operating system and the hearing aid app are up to date.

For more detailed troubleshooting help, including problems like feedback, weak sound, or aids cutting out, see our full hearing aid troubleshooting guide.

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Frequently Asked Questions

Do all hearing aids work with all phones?

No. MFi hearing aids are designed for iPhones and may have limited functionality with Android. ASHA-compatible hearing aids work best on Android phones running Android 10 or later. Many modern hearing aids support both standards, but always check the manufacturer's compatibility list for your specific phone model before buying. Our guide on Bluetooth hearing aids covers compatibility in more detail.

Can I pair my hearing aids to more than one phone?

Most hearing aids can remember connections to two or more devices, but they can only be actively connected to one at a time. To switch from your phone to your tablet (for example), open the Bluetooth settings on the tablet and connect from there. Some apps let you manage multiple paired devices from within the app itself.

My hearing aids keep disconnecting from my phone. What should I do?

Frequent disconnections are usually caused by one of three things: the phone's battery-saver mode is cutting off Bluetooth connections; there is signal interference from other wireless devices nearby; or the hearing aids are out of range. Check your phone's battery settings and make sure Bluetooth is not being limited to save power. Also try staying closer to your phone for a day to see if the disconnections stop.

Do I need Wi-Fi to use my hearing aid app?

No. The hearing aid app communicates with your hearing aids via Bluetooth, not Wi-Fi. However, you will need an internet connection (Wi-Fi or mobile data) to download the app initially, and some apps use the internet to sync your settings or offer remote support. Day-to-day use of the app — adjusting volume, switching programs — works entirely over Bluetooth without any internet connection.