TERRE HAUTE, Ind. (WTHI) - The new Apple AirPod has a function that lets people use the device as a hearing aid. News 10 checked in with Chris Strole, a local hearing specialist from Beltone Hearing Care in Terre Haute. He says it's best used for people with mild hearing loss who may not need a traditional hearing aid yet.

The hearing aid feature is available with AirPods Pro 2 models, and requires an iPhone or iPad to set it up. It starts with built-in tests that will help users determine if they have hearing loss, set up the feature if they do, and set personalized amplification levels.

Now that iOS 18.1 is available to the masses, Apple’s new hearing aid feature is ready for use. The tool is one of three hearing health items the company announced alongside the iPhone 16 in September.

For now, the hearing aid feature is only available with the AirPods Pro 2 model. Users will need an iPhone or iPad to set it up. The feature setup starts with built-in hearing loss tests to determine whether or not users have hearing loss. If they do, they can then set up their own customized amplification levels.

With the iOS 18.1 update, Apple has given AirPods Pro 2 owners access to the new "hearing aid" feature for the first time. This functionality lets the device amplify sounds, making it easier to hear conversations and navigate different environments.

With Apple's latest software update, AirPods Pro 2 devices can now be used as hearing aids. Here's how to access this new feature.

Apple's AirPods Pro 2 now have a “hearing aid feature”: a hearing test and the ability to amplify sound for mild or moderate hearing loss, with a free software update.