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Accessibility features for hearing on iPhone

iPhone 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 👁 Image
> Accessibility, then scroll down to the Hearing section.

Use alternatives to sound

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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.

Get live captions of spoken audio

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Customize subtitles and captions

Change how subtitles look. Or instead of standard subtitles, use closed captions and SDH when available.

Display subtitles and captions

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Get notified if someone says your name

With Name Recognition, have iPhone listen for your name and alert you when it recognizes it.

Recognize your name

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Get notified about sounds around you

With Sound Recognition, have iPhone listen for sounds—such as a doorbell or siren—and alert you when it recognizes them.

Recognize sounds

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Feel the music

Experience music as taps, textures, and refined vibrations that are synchronized with a song’s audio.

Play music as vibrations and other haptics

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Type to Siri

Type your Siri requests instead of speaking them.

Change Siri accessibility settings

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Make Real-Time Text (RTT) calls

Type to communicate on a phone call. The person you’re talking to sees your message as you type it.

Set up and use RTT and TTY

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Blink the iPhone light for notifications

If you can’t hear your alerts, get notified visually.

Flash the iPhone screen or indicator light for notifications

You can also get transcriptions of audio messages, HomePod intercom messages, and podcasts.

Use hearing devices and make audio adjustments

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Hearing devices

Pair Made for iPhone (MFi) hearing aids or sound processors with iPhone and adjust their settings.

Use hearing devices

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Live Listen

Stream sound from the iPhone microphone to your MFi hearing devices or AirPods.

Use iPhone as a remote microphone with Live Listen

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Audio balance

Play stereo audio as mono, adjust left-right stereo balance, and more.

Adjust audio settings

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AirPods

Set accessibility options for AirPods and other Apple headphones paired with your iPhone.

Adjust the accessibility settings for AirPods

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Background sounds

Have your iPhone play ambient sounds—such as ocean waves or rain—to help you focus or rest.

Play background sounds

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.

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