Hearing Aids Not Connecting to Your Phone: A Step-by-Step Fix

A common problem with simple first steps

Phone streaming is one of the most used features of modern hearing aids, so a lost connection is frustrating. The good news is that many connection problems are solved with a few checks that take only minutes. This guide collects the steps that Apple, Google, Philips and Oticon themselves describe, in a sensible order.

Not every step applies to every hearing aid or phone. If you are not sure whether your hearing aids can connect to your phone at all, start with Bluetooth hearing aids and phone compatibility.

Step 1: The basics

• Bluetooth on. Philips's iPhone pairing guide starts with: make sure Bluetooth is on.
• Close together. Philips advises placing your hearing aids close to your iPhone when pairing.
• Charged or fresh batteries. A hearing aid that is low on power may behave unpredictably. Charge rechargeable hearing aids or put in fresh batteries before you start.

Step 2: Restart the hearing aids

Restarting puts hearing aids back into pairing mode. Philips explains that restarting your hearing aids will put them in pairing mode for about three minutes, which should force a reconnection.

How you restart depends on the model:

• Hearing aids with replaceable batteries: Apple explains that you open the battery door on each device, then close the door when you are ready to pair.
• Rechargeable hearing aids: Oticon describes placing them in the charger and taking them out. Philips describes turning them off by pressing the lower button of each hearing aid for three seconds.

Your own user guide is the reference for your exact model.

Step 3: Turn Bluetooth off and on, and restart the app

Philips explains that switching Bluetooth off and on forces your phone to reconnect with your hearing aids, which can improve the connection. Both Philips and Oticon also suggest closing the hearing-aid app the way you normally close apps, then opening it again.

Step 4: Forget the old pairing and pair again

Philips notes that clearing an old pairing from your iPhone and re-pairing can solve connection problems. Apple gives the same advice if your hearing device appears dimmed: make sure it is near your Apple device, unpair it if possible, then pair it again.

On iPhone, Apple's path is Settings, then Accessibility, then Hearing Devices, where you pair the hearing device and follow the onscreen instructions. Philips notes that if you have two hearing aids you will need to confirm two pairing requests, and that pairing can take up to a minute.

On Android, Google describes pairing through the Connected devices settings or through Accessibility, then Hearing devices. Google notes that some of these steps work only on Android 14 or later, and that if you cannot find your hearing device you can tap See more devices. Oticon explains that to stream directly, your Android device must support Bluetooth LE Audio or Audio Streaming for Hearing Aids (ASHA).

Step 5: One phone at a time

Philips warns that having your hearing aids paired to more than one device can cause disconnections. Oticon explains why: the hearing aids can struggle to work out which device they should connect to. Apple adds that if your hearing device is paired with a different Apple device, you should unpair it from that device.

This often happens in families: the hearing aids were once paired to a tablet or to a relative's phone during a visit. Oticon also recommends keeping as few Bluetooth devices as possible paired with your phone.

Step 6: Update the phone, the app and the hearing aids

• Philips advises checking that your phone has the latest software available for it.
• Oticon notes that connectivity improvements are regularly provided through software updates.
• Apple advises making sure your hearing device has the latest firmware from the manufacturer.

Only one hearing aid shows in the app

If the app shows only one hearing aid, Oticon suggests turning Bluetooth off and on and checking that both hearing aids are paired with your phone. In the Philips HearLink 2 app, troubleshooting is found under More, then Help and Support, then Troubleshooting.

When to ask for help

If you have worked through these steps and the hearing aids still do not connect, the problem needs a closer look at the exact combination of phone, software and hearing aids. A hearing aid that also sounds weak, cuts out or does not charge may need service; see hearing aid repair and service in Israel.

Before you call G-Sound, note the make and model of your hearing aids, your phone model and software version, which app you use, and exactly what happens: no pairing at all, pairing that drops, or sound that does not stream. G-Sound offers Philips and Oticon hearing aids.