There is no doubt that Bluetooth hearing aids have opened the door to a world of possibilities. They make it possible to stream music, television audio and even theatre events directly into your hearing aids. They put near-total control of your listening experience in the palm of your hand. They connect you directly to the electronic world we now live in.
As the old saying goes, though, there is nothing perfect under the sun. Like anything made by man Bluetooth will occasionally have a glitch. When it happens, it might make you believe your under-attack by Gremlins. No worries though, in most cases, when your Bluetooth hearing aid stops working correctly, the issue usually is minor and easy to fix.
Here is a list of some of the most commonly encountered Bluetooth issues and how to correct them.
Pairing issues
Pairing, connecting to another Bluetooth device, probably accounts for 90 per cent of people’s frustration. If your Bluetooth hearing aid is having pairing issues run down this checklist.
- Do both devices have Bluetooth turned on.
- Are all devices set in discoverable mode? This is found in settings.
- Check if either device is insecure/aeroplane mode and or requires a code to be entered.
- Are you close enough? Most Bluetooth devices have a minimal range, so get as close as possible. It is best to place your devices on top of your phone, do not try to pair them while they are in your ears.
- Ensure that you turn your hearing devices off then on again immediately before paring.
- Are you close to a wi-fi router or other electronic device that may be generating interference?
If none of these seems to be the problem, then try restarting both devices.
Bluetooth is not working.
There are multiple reasons why a device’s Bluetooth will quit working. If you experience this problem, follow these steps to try and get things back in working order.
- Disable and re-enable Bluetooth on all connected devices.
- 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.
- Restart all devices.
- It is essential to turn your hearing devices off then on again immediately before pairing to your phone or iPad.
- Disconnect the power to or remove the batteries from all devices, wait 15 seconds and restart.
- Contact your hearing centre or the other devices repair service for advice.
Interference
It is rare for a Bluetooth hearing aid to experience interference or fading sound unless its batteries are getting low.
- If the problem is with a paired device, check the battery.
- If it is with your hearing aid, itself try fresh batteries.
- If the problem continues, bring your assistive listening device in for service.
If in Doubt
Bluetooth can be tricky even frustrating at times. If it’s working, wonderful, if not help is just a call away. Make life easy with our team walking you through the process in a step by step consultation. It doesn’t cost you anything to ask, and you have everything to gain.