In iOS 14, Apple continues to build out its extensive accessibility features, and here we're going to show you how you can use the new Headphone Accommodations to amplify certain sounds if you're having difficulty hearing them.

AirPods Pro lifestyle apple
Headphones Accommodations works with Apple and Beats headphones, and is designed especially for those who are hard of hearing: It's able to amplify soft sounds and adjust frequencies to make music, movies, calls, and more sound crisper and clearer.

Follow the steps below to activate the Headphones Accommodations feature in iOS 14 and later.

  1. Launch the Settings app on your iPhone or iPad.
  2. Tap Accessibility.
  3. Scroll down to the Physical and Motor menu and select AirPods.
    settings

  4. Tap the Audio Accessibility Settings option in blue text.
  5. Tap Headphone Accommodations.
  6. Toggle the switch next to Headphone Accommodations to activate it and extend the menu of options.
    how to use headphone accommodations c

From here, you can access a range of options such as tuning audio for Balanced Tone, Vocal Range, or Brightness, and adjusting the volume of soft sounds to be louder.

accessibility
There's also a Custom Audio Setup that walks through a test with soft speaking and different music to determine whether you have specific audio preferences that should be compensated for with the Headphone Accommodations feature.

accessibility
Headphone Accommodations works with the Transparency mode on ‌AirPods Pro and AirPods Max‌ too, making quiet voices louder and tuning the sounds of the environment around you to meet your audio needs.

Top Rated Comments

libmanj Avatar
62 months ago
As a person with moderate high frequency hearing loss, this is EXACTLY what I have been hoping Apple would do. Bravo!
Score: 7 Votes (Like | Disagree)
upandown Avatar
62 months ago

I hate the word "enhance" when it comes to these audio processing features, a great way to instantly destroy all the hard work done by the artists to master these tracks. Listen to the music how it was intended to be
Agreed on original artist intent however this set of features is originally intended for people with hearing deficiencies. Which I think is great.
Score: 7 Votes (Like | Disagree)
ianKent Avatar
62 months ago
Good step in the right direction. For those with tinnitus, where high frequencies can agitate the condition, there needs to be something a little more manual, like an equalizer or an option to decrease higher frequencies.
Score: 6 Votes (Like | Disagree)
DoctorTech Avatar
62 months ago

I hate the word "enhance" when it comes to these audio processing features, a great way to instantly destroy all the hard work done by the artists to master these tracks. Listen to the music how it was intended to be
We don't all hear the same. I have some hearing loss from over exposure to loud noise over the past 30 years. My hearing is fine at lower frequencies but not so much at higher frequencies. This "enhancement" will allow me to hear the music as the artist intended by boosting volume of frequencies that I don't hear as well. I am REALLY looking forward to this feature!

I am hoping Apple will also make this feature available in MacOS and TVOS. I often watch YouTube and/or Apple TV on my laptop and/or television via my Apple TV box. The majority of the time, I am the only one in the room so it would be nice to put on by PowerBeats Pros and listen to enhanced audio of TV, movies and videos.
Score: 3 Votes (Like | Disagree)
Grohowiak Avatar
62 months ago
Sounds like a good old equalizer with auto settings.
Funny that till this day we have to use third party apps on iOS and Mac if we want to do this ourselves.
Score: 2 Votes (Like | Disagree)
DeepIn2U Avatar
62 months ago
Unfortunately this currently implantation doe NOT use all the various microphones on the iPhone. If you have AirPods Pro you’re better off using ambient sound directly via the headphones.
Score: 2 Votes (Like | Disagree)

Popular Stories

AirPods Pro 3 Mock Feature

AirPods Pro 3 Just Months Away – Here's What We Know

Friday April 18, 2025 5:16 am PDT by
Despite being more than two years old, Apple's AirPods Pro 2 still dominate the premium wireless‑earbud space, thanks to a potent mix of top‑tier audio, class‑leading noise cancellation, and Apple's habit of delivering major new features through software updates. With AirPods Pro 3 widely expected to arrive in 2025, prospective buyers now face a familiar dilemma: snap up the proven...
iphone 16 pro models 1

17 Reasons to Wait for the iPhone 17

Thursday April 17, 2025 4:12 am PDT by
Apple's iPhone development roadmap runs several years into the future and the company is continually working with suppliers on several successive iPhone models simultaneously, which is why we often get rumored features months ahead of launch. The iPhone 17 series is no different, and we already have a good idea of what to expect from Apple's 2025 smartphone lineup. If you skipped the iPhone...
Beyond iPhone 13 Better Triad

Apple's 20th Anniversary iPhone May Finally Go All Screen

Tuesday April 15, 2025 6:31 am PDT by
Apple is preparing a "bold" new iPhone Pro model for the iPhone's 20th anniversary in 2027, according to Bloomberg's Mark Gurman. As part of what's being described as a "major shake-up," Apple is said to be developing a design that makes more extensive use of glass – and this could point directly to the display itself. Here's the case for Apple releasing a truly all-screen iPhone with no...
maxresdefault

iPhone 17 Pro Launching Later This Year With These 12 New Features

Sunday April 13, 2025 7:52 am PDT by
While the iPhone 17 Pro and iPhone 17 Pro Max are not expected to launch until September, there are already plenty of rumors about the devices. Subscribe to the MacRumors YouTube channel for more videos. Below, we recap key changes rumored for the iPhone 17 Pro models as of April 2025: Aluminum frame: iPhone 17 Pro models are rumored to have an aluminum frame, whereas the iPhone 15 Pro and ...
CarPlay Hero

Apple Releases Wireless CarPlay Fix

Wednesday April 16, 2025 11:28 am PDT by
If you have been experiencing issues with wireless CarPlay in your vehicle lately, it was likely due to a software bug that has now been fixed. Apple released iOS 18.4.1 today, and the update's release notes say it "addresses a rare issue that prevents wireless CarPlay connection in certain vehicles." If wireless CarPlay was acting up for you, updating your iPhone to iOS 18.4.1 should...
top stories 2025 04 19

Top Stories: iPhone 17 Pro Rumors, CarPlay Bug Fix, and More

Saturday April 19, 2025 6:00 am PDT by
This week saw rumor updates on the iPhone 17 Pro and next-generation Vision Pro, while a minor iOS 18.4.1 update delivered not just security fixes but also a fix for some CarPlay issues. We also looked ahead at what else is in Apple's pipeline for the rest of 2025 and even the 20th-anniversary iPhone coming in 2027, so read on below for all the details on these stories and more! iPhone 17 ...
iOS 19 Roundup Feature

iOS 19 Will Add These New Features to Your iPhone

Tuesday April 15, 2025 7:37 am PDT by
The first iOS 19 beta is less than two months away, and there are already a handful of new features that are expected with the update. Apple should release the first iOS 19 beta to developers immediately following the WWDC 2025 keynote, which is scheduled for Monday, June 9. Following beta testing, the update should be released to the general public in September. Below, we recap the key...