Hard of Hearing Phone Guide: How to Make Calls Easier at Home and on the Move
Hard of Hearing Phone Guide: How to Make Calls Easier at Home and on the Move
The best phone for someone who is hard of hearing is the one that suits how they actually make calls: a clear, loud landline at home, a smartphone with the right settings when out and about, or a captioning or relay service when a voice alone is not enough.
Phone calls are often the first place people notice that listening has become harder. There is no face to watch, the sound is thinner than a real voice, and a bad line makes it worse.
This guide helps you choose a hard of hearing phone setup that works for you or for someone you care about. It covers landlines, smartphones, free relay help and where a personal sound amplifier fits in. It also says honestly when a phone is not the answer.
Why are phone calls harder to follow than face-to-face conversation?
Calls are harder because you lose the visual clues that quietly help you follow speech, such as lip movements and facial expressions. Phone audio is also generally narrower and less natural than a voice in the room.
What gets lost on a call
None of this means something is wrong with you. It means the setup matters, and a few sensible changes can make calls far less tiring.
Which type of phone suits someone who is hard of hearing?
Three types of phone cover most situations: an amplified landline, a smartphone with accessibility settings, and a simple phone with big buttons and a loud speaker. Each has trade-offs, so it helps to match the phone to the person.
Amplified landline phones
An amplified telephone for hard of hearing users makes the caller's voice louder through the handset or base. Many also let you adjust the tone and offer a loud or flashing ringer so you do not miss a call.
Smartphones with accessibility settings
A smartphone gives the most flexibility, because it can combine calls, video calls and messaging in one device. Most current smartphones have an Accessibility menu with options such as captions, mono audio, louder ringtones and flashing alerts.
The names and locations of these settings differ by make and software version, so we have not listed exact menu paths here. Look in Settings and search for "accessibility" or "hearing", or ask the maker's support team to show you.
Simple phones with big buttons
Phones designed for older users often have large buttons, a loud speaker and a clear screen. They are good when ease matters more than features, but they usually have fewer accessibility options than a modern smartphone. Try one in your hand first if you can.
| Option | Best for | Watch out for |
|---|---|---|
| Amplified landline | Calls at home, a reliable ringer, people who prefer a handset | Not portable, and it does not caption or help with video calls |
| Smartphone | Captions, video calls, messaging, calls on the move | Settings take a little time to set up, and small screens can be fiddly |
| Simple big-button phone | Ease of use, a loud speaker, less to learn | Fewer accessibility features |
What free help is available for phone calls in the UK?
Relay UK is a free phone relay service for people who are deaf, have hearing loss or have a speech impairment. You pay only your normal call charges.
A relay assistant types what the other person says so you can read it. They also read your typed replies aloud to the person you are calling. You can use it through an app on a smartphone or tablet. The service has replaced the older Text Relay and Next Generation Text services.
You can read the full details on the RNID Relay UK page.
Emergency calls: if you plan to rely on text for emergencies, check the RNID page for the current steps in advance. It explains the different number to use through the app or a textphone, and that you must register for the emergencySMS service before you need it.
Captioning is another option. Many smartphones can show live captions of speech, and video calls let you see the person talking. Both are worth trying before you decide a louder phone is the only answer.
Can a personal sound amplifier help with phone calls?
A personal sound amplifier can make a call easier to follow by making the voice louder and clearer in your ear, but how well it works depends on the model and on how you take the call. It is designed for mild to moderate everyday listening challenges, and it is not a hearing aid.
Speakerphone with an amplifier in
The simplest method is to put the call on speaker and wear your amplifier as normal. The amplifier lifts the voice from the room, and you keep both hands free. This works with any phone, and it needs no pairing.
Bluetooth call streaming
Streaming sends the call straight to your ears, which can reduce room noise. In our range, only the Cantara Pro RIC (previously sold as the Clarity Pro RIC) streams calls. The Clarity CIC range (JD-931, JD-931HD and JD-931BE) has no Bluetooth and no app, and the Cantara Pro Micro CIC uses its app for settings only, so it cannot stream.
Holding the handset to your ear
Holding a phone against an in-ear device can cause whistling, because the sound loops back into the microphone. Try speakerphone, move the handset slightly away, or lower the call volume. Our guide to why hearing amplifiers whistle covers the fixes.
An honest limit: an amplifier will not turn a poor line into a good one, and it makes background sound louder as well as speech. If you still cannot follow calls in a quiet room, please speak to your GP or an audiologist. Our phone amplifiers guide goes deeper on this.
How can you get clearer phone calls today?
You can make calls clearer today with small changes to the room, the caller and the phone settings, before you spend anything. These steps cost nothing and often make a real difference.
How do you choose phones for the elderly, or for a parent?
The best phone for an older relative is the one they will actually use, so confidence matters more than features. If you are choosing for someone else, a few checks before you buy can save a lot of frustration.
When is a phone not the answer?
A phone is not the answer if calls are only one of several places where listening has become difficult, or if the change has been sudden or affects one ear. In those cases, a hearing check is the sensible next step.
You can start with our online hearing test, which is a simple first look and not a diagnosis. Your GP or an audiologist can advise on anything more. If everyday listening is mildly to moderately difficult, you can also browse our personal sound amplifiers. Our 30-day returns policy lets you try one in your real home on your real phone (check the returns page for conditions).
Frequently asked questions about phones for people who are hard of hearing
The best phone is the one that matches how you make calls, because no single model suits everyone. For home, an amplified landline with an adjustable volume, tone control and flashing ringer is a sensible start. For out and about, a smartphone with its accessibility settings switched on usually gives you the most choice. If a voice call is hard even when it is loud, a captioning or relay service may help more than a louder phone.
Yes, most people can. Current smartphones usually have an Accessibility menu with options such as captions, mono audio, louder ringtones and flashing alerts. The exact names and locations differ by make and software version, so look in Settings first, or ask the shop or the maker's support team to show you. Video calls can also help, because seeing the other person's face makes speech easier to follow.
Yes, Relay UK is a free service, and you pay only your normal call charges. It is a phone relay service for people who are deaf, have hearing loss or have a speech impairment. A relay assistant types what the other person says so you can read it, and reads your typed replies aloud to them. You can use it through a smartphone or tablet app. You can read the full details on the RNID website.
Yes, but it is usually a service or app rather than a special handset. Text relay through Relay UK, video calls, messaging and captioning apps all let you take part without relying on the sound of the call. If you are finding voice calls very difficult across the board, it is worth speaking to your GP or an audiologist, because a personal sound amplifier is designed for mild to moderate everyday listening challenges.
A personal sound amplifier can make a phone call easier to follow, but how it works depends on the model. Used with speakerphone, any in-ear amplifier simply makes the voice louder and clearer in the room. Direct call streaming needs Bluetooth, and in our range only the Cantara Pro RIC (previously sold as the Clarity Pro RIC) streams calls. The Clarity CIC range (JD-931, JD-931HD and JD-931BE) has no Bluetooth and no app.
Whistling can happen when a phone handset sits close to an in-ear device, because the sound loops back into the microphone. Try switching to speakerphone, moving the handset slightly away from the ear, or lowering the call volume. A snug, well-sized ear tip also reduces whistling. Our guide to why hearing amplifiers whistle walks through the fixes step by step.
Good phones for older people are the ones they will actually use, so ease and confidence matter more than features. Look for large, clearly labelled buttons, a loud speaker, a bright and readable screen and a ringer that is easy to hear or see. If you are choosing for someone else, ask them to hold the phone in a shop first and keep their existing phone working until they are comfortable with the new one.
No, you do not need a test to buy a phone, and our amplifiers are sold without a prescription. A hearing check is still a good idea if calls are getting harder, if one ear seems worse than the other, or if the problem is sudden. Our online hearing test is a simple starting point, and your GP or an audiologist can advise on anything more.
Yes, JD Health Tech has a 30-day returns policy, so you can try an amplifier at home and send it back if it does not suit you. Please check the returns page for the exact conditions, including how worn ear tips are handled. Trying it on your real phone, in your real home, is the best test of whether it helps.
Make everyday calls a little easier
Browse our rechargeable personal sound amplifiers, try them at home, and return them within 30 days if they are not right for you.
Shop hearing amplifiersTake the online hearing testJD Health Tech sells personal sound amplifiers, which are not hearing aids or medical devices. They are designed for mild to moderate everyday listening challenges. If you have concerns about your hearing, please speak to your GP or an audiologist. Need help after buying? Visit your account area.
