Last Updated on August 14, 2025 by Jonathan Javid Au.D.
A common question from hearing aid wearers is: “Can someone list the settings only the audiologist can change on their end?” If you’ve only seen your provider adjust main volume, balance, and EQ so far, you might wonder what else your hearing aids are capable of — and what can be done during your upcoming appointment to make them perform their best.
Modern hearing aids have two major layers of settings:
- Professional Programming — adjustments only your audiologist can make in their fitting software.
- User Controls — settings you can adjust yourself through your hearing aid’s companion app or on the devices directly.
Settings Only Your Audiologist Can Change
When your audiologist connects your hearing aids to their fitting software, they can access the “deep” programming menu — far beyond what you see in your phone app. These adjustments can include:
- Gain (Volume) by Frequency — fine-tuning amplification at specific pitch ranges to match your audiogram.
- Compression Ratios — balancing loud and soft sounds so speech stays clear without discomfort.
- Frequency Compression/Transposition — shifting very high-pitched sounds down to an audible range.
- Automatic Program Switching — adjusting the speed and sensitivity of how quickly your hearing aids change between quiet, noisy, or music environments.
- Directional Microphone Patterns — controlling how much your devices focus on sounds in front of you versus all around you.
- Advanced Noise Reduction — including soft noise reduction to reduce faint but constant background sounds like fans or refrigerators.
- Speech Enhancement — boosting speech cues for better understanding in challenging listening environments.
- Wind Noise Management — reducing outdoor interference from breezes.
- Feedback (Whistling) Control — calibrating the hearing aids to prevent squealing.
- Adaption Levels — gradually increasing amplification for new users to ease the transition.
- Custom Listening Programs — building dedicated modes for restaurants, music, meetings, or travel.
- Streaming Equalization — separate tuning for Bluetooth audio so music and calls sound natural.
- Tinnitus Masking — programming sound therapy options to help with tinnitus relief.
- Maximum Power Output (MPO) — capping the loudest possible output for comfort and safety.
- Health Tracking Features — enabling step counting, fall detection, or heart rate monitoring in compatible devices.
- Accessory Inputs — pairing and configuring devices like remote microphones, TV streamers, or classroom FM systems.
- Datalogging — reviewing your real-world usage to guide fine-tuning decisions.
These settings aren’t just about making things louder — they shape how your hearing aids react to your world. For example, if you feel your devices switch programs too aggressively, your audiologist can slow the automatic environment detection speed. If you struggle with refrigerator hum, they can increase soft noise reduction. And if your hearing aids cut in and out when streaming, they can optimize accessory inputs and wireless stability.
Settings You Can Adjust in Hearing Aid Apps
While the “core” programming happens at your audiologist’s office, most modern hearing aid apps give you control over daily listening preferences:
- Overall Volume — raising or lowering amplification instantly.
- Low/Mid/High Tone Controls (EQ) — adjusting bass, midrange, and treble response.
- Noise Reduction Level — choosing between comfort and awareness in noisy areas.
- Program Switching — moving between custom modes created by your provider.
- Custom Program Creation — in some brands, saving your own preferred settings.
- Streaming Balance — changing the mix between streamed audio and surrounding sounds.
- Mute Function — temporarily silencing microphones, useful in travel or quiet workspaces.
Some advanced apps also offer remote fine-tuning, where your audiologist adjusts the deeper programming from a distance — no office visit required.
How to Prepare for Your Appointment
Before your appointment, keep track of listening situations where your hearing aids shine — and where they fall short. Examples:
- Noisy restaurants or family gatherings.
- Music sounding dull or distorted.
- Speech clarity issues despite adequate volume.
- Background hums that never go away.
- Streaming audio balance feeling off.
Sharing this with your audiologist helps them decide whether to adjust gain, compression, microphone directionality, speech clarity settings, tinnitus masking, or automatic program behavior — the kinds of changes that make the biggest real-world difference.
For more detailed breakdowns, see our articles on how hearing aids work, improving background noise performance, and Phonak hearing aids.