Issues with AirPod Pro 3 setup and hearing test on iOS 18.7

I had this exact issue after buying the 3’s today. I talked with support in chat and an actual phone call with their final take was that the 3’s require iOS26. The footnotes for the Airpod Pro 3 say the hearing test, hearing aid, and attenuation features will work with iOS18 or later and AirPod Pro2 or later. The AirPods do not show up on the first Settings page as they should, so the only way to get to the hearing test is through the health app. Then the message saying I need to clean my brand new AirPods comes up and cannot be resolved. Frustrating to say the least.

I'm not about to update my 15 pro max to iOS 26 until they hammer the bugs out. Too many horror stories for my liking.

Between the problems with iOS 26 and the clear incompatibility with AirPod Pro 3 and iOS 18.7, Apple seems to be rushing things and releasing product well before they’re ready.

Your story is very similar to mine and you have the same iPhone as me. You have probably already found out that you can access most of the AirPro main menu by going to the connected AirPod Pros via the Bluetooth menu. Most of it's there but no volume sliders for me.

I haven’t tried to it as my audiogram migrated over for the 2s to the 3s but (if you have an audiogram) have you tried to input it manually into the health app?

It's not new for Apple to rush things out. The same happened this time last year and they upset thousands of customers. I was still on IOS 17 and fortunately didn’t have the same problems. I am happy to wait but the 17 Pro Max is on hold and I may even send the Pros 3s back until they have ironed out the bugs.

Because I have AirPod Pro 2s as well as 3s it was simple enough to do a test on the 2s and the 3s worked with the new audiogram. The alternative, of course, is to use a third part app like Mimi to take a test. If you already have an audiogram, you can also add it manually in the health app. I was tweaking mine today.

I much prefer the fit of the 3s in my ears but simply annoyed that 3s are so crippled until I update to IOS 26 and it will be a while before I update.

You said on another discussion that you had an iPhone that is much more modern than the iPhone XS.

I recommend you update to iOS 26, which was issued as the LATEST iOS your phone can run, on the same day, 15 September 2025, that the iPods Pro3 were released.

I have a 15 Pro Max but there is not a chance that I will be upgrading any time soon.

When the bugs have been squashed I'll think about it. I have been using Macs since 1987 and every new OS or IOS always has numerous bugs and issues. 26.3 or 26.4 should be around the time it will be stable.

Last year there were many disappointed people around the world who had been using the AirPod Pro 2s as hearing aids running IOS 17. When the FDA approval for them to officially be used as hearing aids happened, IOS 18.1 broke the feature until each country was given approval by their authorities. I think a few are still waiting.

A lot of people lost faith in Apple over that period. I am happy to wait as they are working for me. Just a few features missing.

I’m having the same

problem. Brand new AirPod pro 3x, iPhone 14 Pro, iOS 18.7 and no hearing aid support and hearing test is telling me to clean them. Again, they are brand new. There’s no way they need cleaning. The only thing they have been through is changing the tips. Otherwise they’ve spent 99% of their life in the case.

They also don’t show up on the first screen in Settings like every video about this feature shows.

I set up my mother-in-law’s AirPod Pro 2’s six months ago (note before iOS 26 was released) and they work fine as hearing aids.

WTFM has anyone found a solution?

Use a 3rd party app like Mimi for the test and if you have problems loading it onto the AirPod Pro 3s add it manually in the Health app.

iOS 26 or MacOS 26 is clearly REQUIRED.

It specifies the latest IOS yet when I read , I had just updated to 18.7 so I actually had the latest IOS.

There was nothing clear about it. If IOS 26 had been specified rather than saying latest IOS I would have left well alone. I still may send them back for a refund and buy next when the bugs have been fixed. They are already working on IOS 26.0.1 because people are having issues.

They are definitely better than the Pro 2s but there are functions that don't work. Using Transparency Mode or Noise cancellation there are no volume sliders which is ridiculous.

Same here. Running IOS 18.7 did not allow me to set up the AirPod Pro 3s in the normal way. I had to find them in the Bluetooth menu and add them. Then I get the "limited functionality" blurb appear. I am not bothered by language support etc until they add Thai to the options but what I do need is volume sliders in the Transparency and Noise Cancellation modes.