How to Put In Hearing Aids Correctly

Understanding your hearing aid style before insertion

The insertion technique depends on which family your device belongs to. Behind-the-ear designs have two parts to place: the body that rests on top of the outer ear and the piece that goes into the ear canal. In-the-ear devices are a single shell, so they go in as one piece. The table below shows which instructions to follow; for full descriptions of each design, see our guide to hearing aid styles.

Before you put your hearing aids in

A 30-second routine before you pick up the device prevents most of the fumbling and feedback covered later in this guide.

‍

Preparation checklist

1. Wash and dry your hands. Clean, dry fingers grip small parts better and keep lotion and oil off the microphones.
2. Find good light, or use a mirror for the first few tries. Seeing the angle of your ear canal makes the motion easier to learn.
3. Identify left and right. Many brands use blue for the left hearing aid and red for the right hearing aid. Each side may be programmed differently.
4. Check the power. Rechargeable hearing aids should come off a full overnight charge. For hearing aids with disposable batteries, make sure the battery door is fully closed.
5. Know each part. Find the dome or earmold, which goes into your ear, and the receiver wire or tubing, which connects it to the body.

How to put in different types of hearing aids

One rule applies to every style: approach from the direction that matches your device, use light and steady pressure, and if it doesn’t seat with a gentle push, reposition rather than force it. Many people find it helps to gently lift and draw your outer ear backward using your opposite hand, which briefly straightens the ear canal.

How to put in behind-the-ear (BTE) hearing aids

Behind-the-ear (BTE) hearing aids come in two versions. Some connect to a custom earmold through tubing (see the ear mold section below). Open fit hearing aids use a thin plastic tube that ends in a soft dome.

1. Hold the hearing aid with the tube facing forward and lift the body over the top of your ear so it rests in the groove behind it.
2. Hold the thin plastic tube where it bends, with the dome pointing toward your ear canal.
3. Gently guide the dome into the canal until the tube lies flat against the side of your head.
4. If your tube has a retention wire, tuck it into the bowl of your ear so it holds the tube in place.

Avoid pulling or steering the hearing aid by the tubing alone, which can loosen or crack it. Boys Town National Research Hospital cautions against this for BTE users.

How to put in receiver-in-canal (RIC) hearing aids

Fortell AI Hearing Aids use a receiver-in-canal (RIC) design. Follow these steps from Fortell’s Instructions for Use to insert them correctly:

1. Position: Place the hearing aid behind your ear. Always use the receiver with a dome attached, and only use parts designed for your hearing aid.
2. Hold: Hold the bend of the receiver wire between your thumb and index finger, with the dome pointing toward the opening of your ear canal.
3. Insert: Gently insert the dome into your ear canal until the receiver wire rests close to your head. If your receiver includes a Sportslock or other retention wire, position it so it follows the natural contour of your ear.

How to put in in-the-ear (ITE) hearing aids

In-the-ear (ITE) hearing aids are custom shells made from an impression of your ear, including smaller CIC (completely-in-canal) and invisible-in-canal (IIC) models. Because the shell matches your ear’s shape, there is usually only one way it fits.

1. Hold the hearing aid between your thumb and index finger, with the canal tip pointing into your ear and the faceplate or battery door facing out.
2. With your other hand, gently pull your outer ear up and back. Some people find pulling the earlobe slightly down works better.
3. Place the tip at the canal opening and push gently, rotating slightly until the shell sits flush with your ear.
4. For CIC and invisible-in-canal hearing aids, leave the small removal handle pointing down and outward so you can reach it later.

How to put in a hearing aid with an ear mold

A custom earmold works differently from a dome. Its shape follows the curves of your ear, so it needs a small twist to lock into place, and skipping that twist is a common cause of a poor seal and whistling. With an earmold, the earpiece goes in first and the hearing aid goes over your ear second. Boys Town National Research Hospital recommends holding the earmold by its bottom, gently pulling back and up on your outer ear, and twisting the earmold slightly forward as you place it in the canal. Then push it in while rotating it backward, press with a fingertip to confirm it’s all the way in, and place the hearing aid over the top of your ear.

Tips for getting a comfortable, secure fit

Once the basic motion feels familiar, a few habits make it faster and more reliable:

• Practice in front of a mirror for the first week or two.
• Use the same hand and the same order every time, so the motion becomes muscle memory.
• If you wear glasses or a mask, put BTE or RIC hearing aids in after them and take them out before, so the ear loops don’t pull the hearing aids off.
• Don’t force a piece that isn’t sliding in. Take it out, check the angle, and reposition.
• Expect insertion to feel effortless after a few days of practice.

“It usually takes time and practice to get used to wearing hearing aids.”

{{banner_living}}

Troubleshooting common hearing aid insertion problems

Most confusion after insertion comes down to two questions: why is it whistling, and is it seated right?

Why does a hearing aid whistle or give feedback after I put it in?

A hearing aid whistles when amplified sound escapes from the ear canal and loops back into its own microphones. Think of a microphone held too close to a speaker at a school assembly. The usual causes are a dome or earmold that isn’t fully inserted, a size that no longer seals well, or earwax that reflects sound back out. A brief whistle when you cup your hand over your ear or hug someone is normal; a constant whistle is not.

For Fortell AI Hearing Aids, the Instructions for Use list three steps when a hearing aid is squealing:

1. Make sure the domes are properly inserted in your ear canals.
2. Use the volume-down button on the left hearing aid or the Fortell app to reduce the volume.
3. Contact Fortell for support if earwax has built up in your ear canal.

If whistling continues after these steps, the dome size or fit may need an adjustment, or the device may need service. Our guide to how long hearing aids last explains when repair or replacement makes sense.

How do I know if my hearing aid is inserted correctly?

A correctly inserted hearing aid feels secure without pain, stays quiet unless something touches it, and sounds balanced between both ears. From the side, the body should rest snugly behind the ear and the wire or tube should lie flat against your head. If one ear sounds muffled, the device whistles, or you feel pressure or soreness after an hour, take it out and reinsert it. If that doesn’t help, ask your audiologist to check the fit.

How to safely remove and store your hearing aids

Removal is the other half of the daily routine, and rushing it is the most common way a dome gets left behind in your ear canal or a device gets damaged. Follow the same calm motion each time:

1. Remove gently. For BTE and RIC styles, lift the body off from behind your ear, then hold the wire or tube near its bend and ease the dome out. For earmolds and ITE styles, grip the earmold or shell itself, not the tubing, and rotate it slightly forward as you pull out.
2. Check the dome. Make sure the dome is still attached to the receiver before you put the hearing aid away.
3. Store it right away. Place Fortell hearing aids in the charging case when you’re not wearing them. Keep the case away from direct sunlight, windows, and hot cars.
4. Plan for longer breaks. If you won’t use Fortell hearing aids for more than 14 days, place them in the charging case and keep the case plugged into power.

“If the dome is missing from the receiver after removing the hearing aid, it may still be in your ear canal.”

Why choose Fortell for your hearing health journey?

Fortell’s receiver-in-canal hearing aids build in small details that remove the most common early frustrations. A blue marking identifies the left hearing aid and a red marking the right, and the charging case uses the same colors, so you don’t mix up the sides. An optional Sportslock, similar to the retention wires some RIC hearing aids use, follows the contour of your ear for extra security during walks, workouts, or a day of travel. The hearing aids turn on when you lift them from the case and off when you return them.

Once your hearing aids are in, you rarely need to take them out to adjust your sound. The Fortell app lets you change volume, listening modes, and tone, while your Fortell audiologist can fine-tune your audio settings remotely. For every detail on physical fit, dome replacement, and daily storage, download Fortell’s official Instructions for Use.

Fortell AI Hearing Aids are for prescription use by adults with hearing loss and available in the U.S. only.

{{banner_comparing}}

Correct hearing aid insertion comes down to three things: knowing your style, repeating the same few-second motion, and running two quick checks, no whistle and no pain. What feels fiddly this week usually feels automatic by the next, and a few days of practice in front of a mirror go a long way.

If you’ve tried the steps in this guide and your hearing aids still feel loose, sore, or noisy, a professional check is the fastest path forward. Start with Fortell’s eligibility check to book a hearing evaluation, or visit a Fortell Audiology location for an in-person fit adjustment.