Hearing aid emoji 🦻
The hearing aid emoji 🦻 shows an ear with a behind-the-ear hearing aid. It's used to talk about hearing loss, deafness, and assistive technology.
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What the hearing aid emoji means
This emoji depicts an ear with a small behind-the-ear hearing aid. It belongs to the People & Body group, alongside the ear emoji, mechanical arm emoji, and other body part emoji. It signals hearing loss, deafness, or the device itself.
Unlike the plain ear emoji 👂, this version makes the hearing aid visible. It is used in conversations about audiology, hearing tests, or personal experiences with hearing aids. The emoji can also represent the deaf and hard of hearing community or support for accessibility.
In lighter contexts, people use 🦻 to mean “I didn’t hear you” or “I’m listening carefully.” It adds a playful hint when asking someone to repeat themselves.
How people use the hearing aid emoji
In everyday messages, 🦻 appears when discussing hearing aids, audiology appointments, or adjusting to hearing loss. It can state that someone wears a hearing aid or that they didn't catch what was said. For example: “Sorry, I missed that 🦻” or “Just got my new 🦻 today!”
The deaf and hard of hearing community may use it to express identity and pride. It pairs well with the deaf person emoji when talking about accessibility, sign language, or inclusive design. On social media, it shows up in posts about hearing aid technology, advocacy campaigns, and celebrations of Deaf culture.
It also appears in medical contexts, such as discussing cochlear implants or hearing assistance devices, though the emoji specifically shows a standard behind-the-ear hearing aid.
Compare ear with hearing aid with similar emoji
| Emoji | Name | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| earU+1F442 | The plain ear emoji, without any device | |
| ear with hearing aidU+1F9BB | The focus of this page; shows a hearing aid behind the ear | |
| mechanical armU+1F9BE | Prosthetic or assistive arm, often used for assistive technology topics | |
| mechanical legU+1F9BF | Prosthetic or assistive leg | |
| brainU+1F9E0 | Different body part, used for mental topics | |
| anatomical heartU+1FAC0 | Used for physical heart, emotions, or cardiology |
Skin tone options for the hearing aid emoji
Like most people and body-part emoji, the hearing aid emoji supports skin tone modifiers. You can send 🦻🏻, 🦻🏼, 🦻🏽, 🦻🏾, or 🦻🏿 by long-pressing the emoji on most smartphone keyboards. The default version uses a generic yellow tone.
Choosing a skin tone makes the emoji more personal when you're referring to yourself, a friend, or a public figure with a hearing aid. The modifier applies to the ear, not the device, so the hearing aid remains visible in every variant.
On some platforms, skin tone options appear only when you long-press the base emoji from the keyboard, rather than through a shortcut or text code.
How to copy and type the hearing aid emoji
To copy the hearing aid emoji, select it on this page or from any emoji keyboard, then press Ctrl+C on Windows or Cmd+C on Mac. Paste it with Ctrl+V or Cmd+V into your message.
On phones, open the emoji keyboard and search for “hearing aid” or browse the body parts section. It works on iOS, Android, and Windows. On desktops, you can also use the emoji panel (Win + . on Windows or Ctrl + Cmd + Space on Mac).
Questions people ask
What does the hearing aid emoji 🦻 mean?
It shows an ear with a hearing aid and is used to represent hearing loss, deafness, or assistive technology. It often appears in discussions about audiology, accessibility, or personal identity.
How do I use the 🦻🏻 skin tone version?
Long-press the 🦻 emoji on your keyboard to see skin tone options. The light skin tone 🦻🏻 is one of five modifiers; choose whichever matches the person you're referring to.
Is there an ear emoji without a hearing aid?
Yes, the plain ear emoji 👂 shows just an ear. Use 👂 when no device is involved, and 🦻 specifically for hearing aids.
How do I copy and paste the hearing aid emoji?
Select the 🦻 character on this page or any emoji keyboard, then press Ctrl+C (or Cmd+C on Mac) to copy and Ctrl+V (Cmd+V) to paste it into your message.
What is the difference between 🦻 and 👂?
The 👂 emoji is a generic ear, while 🦻 includes a hearing aid. Choose 🦻 when the conversation is about hearing aids or hearing assistance.
About this guide
Written and maintained by the Emoji Directory editorial team, without ads or sponsorship. Meanings describe how the emoji is commonly used in public posts and messages, not an official definition. Names, code points, versions, keywords and translations come from the Unicode Emoji 18.0 and CLDR data; shortcodes from the gemoji project. Last reviewed . Spotted a mistake or a new usage? Tell us, or read how the directory is made.
