Thanks to the Made for iPhone connectivity of the Cochlear™ Nucleus® 7 and Baha® 5 Sound Processors, staying connected is easier than ever. You can stream calls, music, and other sounds straight from your phone to your sound processor, making for easy wireless streaming.
Do you have questions about how it works or how to get the best listening experience from your technology? You’ve come to the right place!
My name is Skylar and I’m a Baha 5 recipient and college student. Over the next couple of months, I’m going to be sharing some tips and tricks to help you maximize your hearing experience with a Cochlear™ device.
Here are some ways to take your hearing to the next level with Cochlear’s Made for iPhone technology:
1. Pair your sound processor to your iPhone®
All Cochlear™ Nucleus® 7 and Baha 5 Sound Processors can connect directly to, and stream audio from your iPhone®. Pairing your sound processor is simple, and Cochlear has made it even easier with video tutorials. Click the links below to watch the step-by-step process, or follow these instructions:
Pairing a Nucleus 7 Sound Processor:
Open your iPhone. Go to ‘Settings,’ tap ‘General,’ and then tap ‘Accessibility.’ Navigate to ‘MFi Hearing Devices’. Then, turn your sound processor off and back on again. Your Apple® device will then search for your processor and display it in the ‘Devices’ section. Tap on the name of your processor and it will bring up a Bluetooth® pairing request. Tap ‘Pair’ and it will connect. You will hear six beeps to indicate that pairing has started. The sound processor light will flash blue for four seconds. The pairing will be finished when you hear a ripple tone and the sound processor light flashes blue for another four seconds. (Note: The pairing process may take up to two minutes.)
If you have two sound processors, both need to be paired at the same time. You will need to tap ‘Pair’ to connect each of them individually. (However, you can visit your audiologist and ask him/her to pair the devices to simplify the process.)
Pairing a Baha 5 Sound Processor:
Make sure your processor is turned off. Open your iPhone. Go to ‘Settings’, tap ‘General’ and then tap ‘Accessibility.’ Leave that page open as you turn your processor on (by closing the battery door.) Then navigate to ‘MFi Hearing Devices’.
Tap on the name of your processor and it will bring up a Bluetooth pairing request. Tap ‘Pair’ and it will connect. The sound processor will beep with an upward trill to indicate the pairing is complete. (Note: The pairing process may take up to two minutes.)
If you’re a visual learner, you can also view this illustrated guide to iPhone connectivity with a Baha 5 Sound Processor.
2. Stream audio straight to your processor
Now that your phone is connected, you may be wondering exactly how to use it. The answer to that depends on how you use your phone—the possibilities are endless!
Here’s a few ideas to get you started:
- Stream audio from phone calls directly to your sound processor
- FaceTime® without worrying about volume
- Listen to music discreetly- no headphones needed!
- Watch videos or shows from streaming apps
- Play games
- Use it to hear GPS directions clearly
Personally, I love being able to stream music to my processor while I’m walking to and from class every day. I don’t have to worry about bringing or untangling headphones, and it is discreet enough that no one else can tell I’m listening to music.
3. Utilize the Smart App
As part of the Made for iPhone connectivity, both the Nucleus 7 and Baha 5 Sound Processors have apps that allow you to control your processor’s settings—directly from the palm of your hand.
The Nucleus Smart App allows you to monitor your battery life, adjust the mixing ratio to increase/decrease background noise, track your progress with a Hearing Tracker, and locate a lost or misplaced sound processor.
The Baha 5 Smart App allows you to change programs, activate streaming, and adjust your processor volume. You can also adjust treble and bass to customize your settings and locate a lost or misplaced sound processor.
That’s it for this week’s tips! Don’t forget, the Cochlear website has tons of resources to help you connect your processor to your phone—check out these common questions about iPhone connectivity. If you’re still having trouble connecting, contact your audiologist or hearing specialist for additional help. Happy listening!
1 2 3 4 5- The Nucleus 7 Sound Processor is compatible with the Nucleus Profile Series, CI500 Series, CI24RE (Freedom) Series, CI24R and CI24M implants. The timeframe for Nucleus 7 Sound Processor compatibility for other implants depends on research and development timelines, manufacturing processes and regulatory approvals.
- The Cochlear Nucleus 7 Sound Processor is compatible with iPhone, iPad and iPod touch. For compatibility information visit www.cochlear.com/compatibility.
- Apple, the Apple logo, Made for iPad logo, Made for iPhone logo, Made for iPod logo, iPhone, iPad Pro, iPad Air, iPad mini, iPad and iPod touch are trademarks of Apple Inc., registered in the U.S. and other countries. App Store is a service mark of Apple Inc., registered in the U.S. and other countries.
- The Bluetooth® word mark and logos are registered trademarks owned by Bluetooth SIG, Inc. and any use of such marks by Cochlear is under license.
- The Cochlear Nucleus Smart App is available on App Store and Google Play. For compatibility information visit www.cochlear.com/compatibility
