iOS 26 adds a new hearing protection setting to AirPods Pro 2 and AirPods Pro 3 in some European and Middle Eastern countries, such as Belgium, Czech Republic, Hungary, Italy, Poland, Saudi Arabia, Spain, Turkey, and the United Arab Emirates.
Specifically, there’s a new “EN 352 Protection” setting in these countries. When this setting is turned on, Apple’s website says that the hearing protection feature on AirPods Pro 2 and AirPods Pro 3 complies with the European hearing protection standard EN 352, limiting the maximum volume level for media playback to 82 dBA.
When a set of AirPods Pro 2 or AirPods Pro 3 is paired with an iPhone, this new setting can be turned on or off in the Settings app by tapping on your AirPods, selecting Hearing Protection, and adjusting the “EN 352 Protection” toggle switch.
It’s unclear whether Apple had to implement this setting or added it voluntarily.
iOS 26 will be released to the general public on Monday, September 15. AirPods Pro 3 are available for pre-order and will be available on Friday, September 19.
With the integrated hearing protection feature, AirPods Pro 2 and AirPods Pro 3 can help protect your hearing in loud environments by reducing exposure to loud sounds.
The new setting was revealed by MacRumors contributors Aaron Paris and Steve Moser.
