Frequently Asked Questions

Traditional hearing aids mostly adjust volume and pitch. Fortell separates voices from background noise first, then boosts what you want to hear.

To break it down:

• What do most hearing aids do?

  They treat everything as one blended sound and try to “filter” it by turning volume and pitch up or down.
• Why doesn't that work well in real life?
  Voices and noise overlap-so speech still gets lost in restaurants, cafés, and group conversations.
• What does Fortell do instead?
  Fortell splits sound into two streams in real time: voices and background noise.
• What does that feel like for you? In noisy places, the background noise is dampened so you can focus on the person in front of you.
• How does it happen without an awkward delay?
  Fortell runs that spatial Al and Al model directly on a custom on-device chip so your hearing aid can process sound in real time without "lag," which matters because even tiny delays can feel unnatural in conversation.

We offer receiver-in-the-ear (RIC) hearing aids, often referred to as behind-the-ear hearing aids. Only a small part sits behind the ear—the speaker sits in the ear canal for better sound quality and comfort.

About 80% of hearing aid wearers use this style because it’s comfortable, often more discreet than fully in-ear options, and can support a wider range of features, including our cutting edge AI.

Yes. Fortell AI Hearing Aids are for prescription use by adults only. You’ll need either a hearing exam in the Fortell clinic or an audiogram from the past 6 months.

Fortell AI Hearing Aids are designed for adults with mild to profound hearing loss. Everyone’s hearing loss is a little different, so a consultation with one of our audiologists is required to confirm Fortell is right for you.

Not at this time. Fortell hearing aids are designed for adults ages 18 and up.

Hearing aids can last many years depending on how well they’re cared for. Fortell AI Hearing Aids come with 5 years of audiological care and a 3-year repair warranty. Part of working with our audiologists is learning how to care for your hearing aids—mostly keeping them dry and clean—so you can get the most years out of them!

Yes, Fortell AI Hearing Aids are rechargeable, with a battery life of 18+ hours when fully charged. The charging case holds 60+ hours of additional charge so you can extend the battery life on the go. It takes about 3 hours to achieve a full charge, but we recommend you put the hearing aids in the charger overnight.

Fortell AI Hearing Aids are compatible with iPhones. The companion app lets you adjust volume, noise-reduction settings, and connect with your care team.

Yes. The left hearing aid has buttons for volume control. The right hearing aid controls the different modes available with your devices.

• All-day AI: This amplifies people’s voices and reduces all other noises.
  
  • When All voices is selected, your hearing aids will not remove voices behind you.
  • When Front voices is selected, your hearing aids WILL remove voices behind you.
• Conventional: This amplifies voices and ambient noises like a conventional hearing aid.
• Live music: This is designed for more natural-sounding music at a concert or live performance.
• You can make additional adjustments in the Fortell app such as adjusting the volume of the hearing aids independently, adjusting the equalizer, and browsing new or previous adjustments your audiologist has shared with you.

Yes, Fortell AI Hearing Aids are compatible with Bluetooth on iPhone. You can connect to your phone and use the hearing aids to stream music, listen to podcasts, and take calls.

Every purchase includes:

• A pair of hearing aids (left and right) 
• A portable charging case
• A USB-C cable and power adapter
• Cleaning tools
• Replacement wax guards
• Multiple sizes and types of ear domes
• 5 years comprehensive audiological care (annual hearing exams, regular adjustments and fine-tuning, unlimited cleanings)
• 3-year comprehensive warranty
• 3 years of loss and damage coverage

Fortell hearing aids come in silver, champagne, bronze, graphite, and cobalt.

Fortell AI Hearing Aids are prescription devices so your initial fitting must happen at our New York City Clinic, located at 530 Park Avenue. Follow-up visits can be done in the clinic or via phone or video chat.

Our clinic is located at 530 Park Avenue New York, NY. More locations will be opening in 2026, so keep an eye out!

Schedule an appointment online or give us a call at (917) 410-5407 from 9 AM to 5 PM ET. Our clinic is in New York City, with more locations opening soon.

You can stop by anytime for a demo! However, to get a fitting with an audiologist you’ll need to make an appointment.

The Fortell Audiology Clinic located at 530 Park Avenue in New York is open Monday to Friday from 9 AM to 5 PM.

We look forward to welcoming you to our clinic! If you have worn hearing aids before or have a recent audiogram, please bring those to your appointment. Also, bring your questions! Your audiologist can help you understand your unique hearing loss as well as discuss any concerns.

You’ll meet with one of our licensed audiologists who’ll do a full hearing evaluation to determine if you have hearing loss. If you’re a candidate for Fortell AI Hearing Aids your audiologist will give you a demonstration and walk you through the purchasing process. Fortell AI Hearing Aids come with a 100-day home trial so you can test them out in all of your favorite places.

Our hearing evaluation adheres to audiological best practices. We test three key areas:

1. Audibility: How well you hear different tones and volumes. 
2. Type of hearing loss: Determine whether the issue is conductive or sensorineural. 
3. Speech discrimination: How well you understand speech in both quiet and noisy environments.

The entire test typically takes just 15–20 minutes and your audiologist will then explain your test results to you.

Fortell AI Hearing Aids are available by prescription from a licensed audiologist. If you have a recent audiogram, we can use that for programming. If not, we will conduct a thorough hearing evaluation in our clinic.

Absolutely. We offer a 100-day home trial so you can test your hearing aids in all of your favorite places. We hope you love them and see how much clearer your conversations can be. If for any reason you’re unhappy, you can bring them back to our clinic for a full refund.

Fortell AI Hearing Aids come with a 3-year comprehensive warranty. Full details are available at fortell.com/warranty.

Your purchase also comes with 5 years of audiological care (annual hearing evaluations, fine-tuning adjustments as needed, and unlimited cleanings). You can visit your audiologist in our clinic, or reach them by phone, email, or chat through the Fortell companion app.

You’ll receive a soft cleaning brush as a part of your kit. Give your hearing aids a gentle scrub whenever you notice wax buildup or at least every few days to prevent clogging of the receiver/speaker. If clogging occurs, we also include wax guards that you can easily replace. Click this link to open a video tutorial in the Fortell companion app.

We also recommend keeping the hearing aids in their charging case when not in use. This helps keep out moisture and extends the life of your hearing aid. Remember to also remove your hearing aids before bathing, swimming, and applying products like lotion or hairspray.

Reach out to us! If you have the Fortell app, you can contact us there, or call us at (917) 410-5407. If you’re comfortable, you can also try a few of these basic steps on your own.

• Before anything else, make sure your hearing aids are charged. Place them in the charger:
  
  • 1 blinking light = Still charging, this may be the issue.
  • 2-3 solid lights = Sufficient charge to turn on, this is likely not the issue.
• Clean them: Use the provided brush to remove any wax buildup.
• Change the wax guard: If cleaning doesn’t help, try replacing the wax guard. Watch a video tutorial in the Fortell companion app.

Yes. Fortell AI Hearing Aids are for prescription use by adults only. You’ll need either a hearing exam in the Fortell clinic or an audiogram from the past 6 months.

We offer a 100-day home trial so you can test your hearing aids in all of your favorite places and variety of environments. We hope you love them and they can make a meaningful difference in your daily life. If it ends up not working out, you can bring them back to our clinic for a full refund.

You can pay with a debit/credit card or a check in person at our clinic. Financing is available through Affirm. Call us for details at (917) 410-5407.

You can reach out to us via the Fortell app or give us a call at (917) 410-5407.

We are not yet in-network with any insurance providers. We offer full diagnostic services and can provide paperwork for you to submit for out-of-network coverage.