Help! My Bluetooth Hearing Aids Don’t Work

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First of all don’t panic. 

Your hearing aids still work even if you cannot pair your hearing aids to your device. 

Still, it is frustrating when you cannot connect your hearing aids to your phone - especially when you’ve come to enjoy the convenience of taking hands-free phone calls or streaming your favourite music or TV program.

There is plenty you can do to troubleshoot the problem and most of the time you’ll be back up and running again within a minute or two.

Man texting on his cell phone - outdoorsHere are the questions to ask:

  • Is Bluetooth turned on in both devices?
  • Are all devices ‘discoverable’? This is found in Settings.
  • Are any of your devices in ‘airplane mode’? What about a PIN number? Does that need reentering?
  • Do you need to get a little closer? Most Bluetooth devices have a range of about 10 metres.
  • Have you tried turning your hearing aids off then on again immediately before pairing?
  • Are you close to a WIFI router or other electronic device? That may be generating interference?

If none of these seems to be the problem then try restarting both devices. If a worst-case scenario you might need to unplug the devices, power them down before restarting.

Did you know that any apps you have been using on your phone remain open even after you exit the app?

Check you have closed all apps on your phone by double pressing your home key on your iPhone, which makes all apps you have visited appear on your screen.  Then use an upward swipe with your finger on each app page to close all your open apps.

For Androids, just tap the left of the home key. This makes all the apps you’ve visited appear on your screen. Select which apps you want to close or simply tap the ‘close all apps’ button.

It is rare for a Bluetooth hearing aid to experience interference or fading sound unless its batteries are low, replace or recharge your hearing aids as required. If the problem is with a paired device, check its batteries. If the problem continues, bring your hearing in for service.

We have some great resources on this page for you.

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