AirPods Pro 2 Hearing Test fails with "Unable to classify due to background noise" error.

Yep - firmware upgraded - 7B21. I jumped on the update and then tried the hearing test. No change for me, failing the same as previous attempts. Maybe, the 18.2 OS update will make a difference.

For me, I tested the hearing test by randomly poking responses, whether I heard a tone or not. And, the test successfully completed, no issues. It seems clear that, at some level, the testing system itself is the problem.

Same i have tried at least 7 or 8 times different rooms with doors shut in back of house cant get through the left ear as it keeps failing because of background noise- this last time is said to clean my airpods pro 2 - did that - same result unable to classify due to background noise- pretty sure it is not the background noise

I honestly don’t think it’s noise at all. I’ve done it in dead silence as I said I even put shooting hearing over the top in a dead silent house and it still fails after it finishes on the second ear every time. If it detects noise it will fail immediately. It doesn’t wait until it finishes.

OK, same here. Current Firmware 7B19 on AirPods Pro 2 on OS 18.1. Tried several times on my iPhone 13 and my brand new iPad Pro in an inner closet of the master bathroom with doors closed. Prechecks before all tests were green lighted. I tried different ear tips - all were properly sealed and tested OK. I tried with noise cancellation on. The test runs to end on the left ear and then ends with the "Unable to Classify" message. Always that, nothing else.

Took the test at least 10 times. Passed once on the left ear then failed on the right only to have to restart from the beginning. Tried several rooms including interior bathroom. Turned AC off. Opened mouth to reduce any breathing through the nose. Put headphones on over the AirPods. Still unable to classify. I don't think there is any background noise. Very disappointed with new AirPods purchased just for this test.

I seem to be having the same issue with the hearing test crapping out after it finishes the left ear. I've done the test several times with the same results. I've taken the test in my home office with absolutely nothing running or making noise. The ambient background noise level is 23db. I've taken the test wearing my rifle range ear muffs and still fail to get an acceptable result. Apple is famous for its all too early release of software and hardware so I'll assume this is a similar issue. Considering I purchased the Pro 2 just for this feature is even more frustrating.

Update: Today (Sunday) I was finally able to finish the hearting test. Briefly, the last few days were like this:

1. Last week, many failed attempts to finish the hearing test, just like everyone here.
2. Friday, I call Apple, end up with someone in the Health app support department. He asked for some info, we get disconnected and he never calls back. Later I get an email "we're trying to get in touch with you..."
3. I call back, get a different rep. She sends me a link to gather logs from my iPhone. I couldn't get the link to work, so we schedule a call back for Sunday morning.
4. Sunday morning, no call. I get an email "we're trying to get in touch with you..." I call in and get a third rep. He wants to send me the link for logs again. We waited 30 minutes for the email then gave up, scheduling another call for Monday. Three hours later, the email arrives.
5. I ran the link for the iPhone logs, and it did something...but I think you have to be on the phone with Support because it ended with a "waiting for support" spinning ball.
6. I reboot my iPhone, ran the hearing test...and it worked!

So, it appears to be the luck of the draw if the hearing test works or not.

I'm not real happy with Apple Support today. It's clear their call back system does not work (yes, I turned off block unknown callers).

I believe all this hearing test drama is due to either buggy software on the iPhone or buggy firmware in the AirPods Pro 2. I'm sure the next iOS update will include the line "...fixes a problem in the Hearing Test."

Thanks for the link to the Product Feedback site. I've reported the issue. After nearly a dozen attempts to take the hearing test on my AirPod Pro 2's, and always getting the "Unable to classify due to background noise", no matter how quite the setting, I've given up. Has to be a bug in the firmware. If enough of us complain, maybe it will speed up the release of a new version and fix.

Do not buy the airpod pro 2 with the intention of hearing assistance. Like many other users, I have taken the hearing test now 11 times (with apple confirmed fit and environmental silence level) with the same answer: "unable to classify". Apple support is wholly unable to help and just a waste of time. Thoroughly disgusted and wish I had not wasted my money.

I expect the next iOS or AirPod firmware update to include the line: "fixed problem with completing the hearing test."

In my case the hearing test completed twice fine. First was for me, second for my wife so she could try out the new feature. Then the third test (to set them up for me again) failed. Then about 10 to 15 more failures. Then one worked.

Someone just posted that turning on iCloud for the Health app worked for them, but I've had that turned on all along.

I got one complete test out of many (many!) and the results were wildly wrong, saying I had "little to no" hearing loss. I had hearing loss when I was 5 years old, and 60 years since of loud rock and roll have not helped. A test a few years ago by an actual audiologist showed that I have significant hearing loss, particularly in the high end - not unusual for someone my age.

On problem with taking the test over and over is that as far as I can tell, it's always the same test, so you know what to expect. They should have enough variants so that if you retest, you are starting with a fresh test - of course it should just work the first time. Over an hour with Apple support did not help.

My wife and I have identical iphone 14’s. My airpod pro 2 are made China and hers are made in Vietnam. My iphone and airpods complete the hearing test every time, no errors. I tried her phone and airpods, and the test failed 2 out of 3 times that I took it. All firmware on all devices match. Could there be a difference between China and Vietnam builds?

I have tried all suggestions, even those on the MacObserver, as suggested. To date, there's no difference for me - 'Unable to Classify'. Assuming it's not an AirPods hardware issue, I think the failures may be related to degree of hearing loss in various frequencies, particularly the low frequencies. Plus, I have tinnitus which may also be a contributing factor.

Again, I did have ONE successful test when I randomly pressed the tone response button, even if I heard nothing.

I will wait for the iOS 18.2 update and try one more time. If that does not solve the issue, I will return the AirPods for replacement.

Attempted to complete the test about 25 times, all without success like almost everyone else on this thread, and I also probably tried all the suggestions proposed here and elsewhere.

Then, as some other did in this forum, I cheated the test by clicking at what I judged to be the correct timing, no matter whether I heard the tones or not. Something interesting happened: the test succeeded for both ears, AND completed in about A THIRD of the time it normally takes when clicking without cheating!

Although the results were obviously completely invalid, stating that I had no loss of hearing either side, which I know for a fact to be wrong, it brings to the front possible bugs with the test software itself: If the test uses the results in real time to make decisions how to proceed, there might be a point where the test gets confused in the sequence/branching and consequently reaches the wrong conclusion, but this is just my 2 cents...

In addition, in makes you wonder if only people with no hearing loss can complete the test successfully most of the time, which kind of defeats the purpose. But again, these are speculations.

Put on your airpods pro, open settings, select your airpods pro (near the top of the list of settings), select hearing assistance, tell the app you don’t have sinusitis etc, select the hearing test (that you must have previously completed using Mimi and then shared with the health app), and Bob’s your uncle.