How to put on and remove your hearing aids

Learn the correct way to put on your hearing aids and ensure they remain comfortable, secure, and discreet throughout your day.

Before you start

1

If you have two hearing aids, make sure you know which hearing aid goes on each ear. They are marked with blue for the left ear and red for the right ear. These colour indicators may be in the form of text, a dot, or the colour of the hearing aid’s shell. Coloured dots are hidden inside the battery drawers on some hearing aids.

    2

    On this page you can find instructions for four different styles of hearing aids:

    • Behind-the-ear style hearing aids
    • Behind-the-ear style hearing aids wit a hook and earmould
    • In-the-ear hearing aids
    • In-the-ear hearing aids with external antenna

      -- Scroll down to your hearing aid type --

      A silver Oticon hearing aid with a sleek design displays a thin wire connecting to a transparent ear dome, set against a white background.

      Putting on behind-the-ear style hearing aids

      These instructions are for miniRITE, RITE, miniBTE and BTE styles that don’t have a plastic hook or an earmould. These types of hearing aids sit behind your ear and slightly on top of it.

      1

      Place the main hearing aid body behind your ear.

      2

      Route the speaker wire or thin plastic tube over the top of your ear.

      3

      Hold the bend of the speaker wire or thin plastic tube between your thumb and index finger.

      The earpiece should point towards your ear canal opening.

      4

      Gently pull your ear outwards and push the earpiece into your ear canal, twisting slightly if necessary.

      Follow the natural contours of the ear canal until the earpiece is fully inserted.
      alt

      Putting on behind-the-ear style hearing aids with a hook and earmould

      These instructions are for miniBTE and BTE styles that have a plastic hook onto which the plastic tube joins. These types of hearing aids sit behind your ear and slightly on top of it.

      1

      Gently pull your ear outwards and press the earmould into the ear canal, twisting slightly.

      2

      Place the hearing aid body behind your ear.

      Removing all behind-the-ear style hearing aids

      1

      Lift the main body of the hearing aid off your ear and let it hang down in front of your ear.

      2

      Gently pull the earpiece out of your ear canal, twisting it slightly if necessary.

      A sleek, black in-the-ear hearing aid is displayed with its pull-out string extended, set against a completely black background for a clear and focused presentation.

      Putting on in-the-ear hearing aids

      These hearing aids sit entirely inside the visible part of your ear and are custom-made to fit you.

      1

      If your hearing aids have a thin, protruding pin, hold it between your thumb and index finger.

      2

      Hold the hearing aid with the coloured dot face up.

      3

      Place the tip of the hearing aid in your ear canal.

      4

      Gently pull your ear outwards and push the hearing aid into your ear canal, twisting slightly if necessary.

      Follow the natural contours of the ear canal until the hearing aid is fully inserted.

      Removing in-the-ear hearing aids

      If your hearing aids have a thin, protruding pin, hold it between your thumb and index finger and gently pull the hearing aids out of your ears. 

      For other in-the-ear hearing aid styles:
      1

      Gently slide your thumb under the bottom edge of the hearing aid.

      2

      Slide your index finger over the top edge of the hearing aid.

      3

      Grip the hearing aid between your index finger and thumb and gently pull the hearing aid out, twisting slightly if necessary.

      alt

      Putting on in-the-ear hearing aids with an external antenna

      These hearing aids sit in your ear canal and a bit out into your outer ear.

      1

      Hold the hearing aid on the black part with your thumb and index finger.

      2

      Hold the hearing aid with the antenna curved up and towards you.

      3

      Place the tip of the hearing aid in your ear canal.

      4

      Gently pull your ear outwards and push the hearing aid into the ear canal.

      Follow the natural contour of the ear canal. Push the hearing aid to make sure it fits comfortably in the ear.

      5

      Ensure the antenna is placed in the curved part of the outer ear just before the ear canal and that the hearing aid is placed upright.

      Removing in-the-ear hearing aids with an external antenna

      1

      Hold the antenna between your thumb and index finger and gently pull the hearing aid out of your ear.

      If it is hard to grab the antenna, gently push on the back side of your outer ear to lift the antenna slightly.