Hear more. Live fully.
Turn your iPhone into a listening device.
Amplify voices, cut background noise, and read live captions in real time, all on-device. No internet, no account. Works with any headphones.
Free to download · iOS 26+
Works with any headphones
Follow conversations in noisy rooms.
Scan with your iPhone camera to try Clarive free.
Three simple steps
From pocket to clearer conversations in seconds
Connect headphones
Plug in any wired or Bluetooth headphones: AirPods, EarPods, anything. Clarive detects them automatically.
Tap Amplify
Your iPhone mic captures the sound around you and plays it back through your headphones in real time.
See live captions
Every word transcribed on screen as it's spoken, so you never miss what's being said.
Features
Everything your iPhone needs to make voices clearer
Your iPhone already has the microphone. Clarive turns it into a listening device.
Real-time amplify
Your iPhone's microphone picks up the voices around you, and Clarive plays them back louder through the headphones you already own, wired or Bluetooth.
Any headphones
AirPods, EarPods, Bluetooth earphones, wired headphones. If it connects to your iPhone, it works.
Live captions
See what's being said. In real time.
In a meeting, a restaurant, or watching TV, Clarive turns speech into text the moment it's spoken. On-device, no Wi-Fi needed.
- 40+ languages with automatic detection
- On-device, no audio ever sent to servers
- Adjustable font size for easy reading
- Works offline after first setup
Sound intelligence
Shaped for wherever you are.
Clarive tunes sound for your environment, not just how loud it is. Pick a preset, toggle Voice Isolation and Focus Mode, and let the app do the rest.
- Clear, Conversation, Noisy Place, TV & Media, Speech Clarity
- Voice Isolation locks onto the person in front of you
- Focus Mode narrows to sounds ahead
- A live EQ you can shape by hand
Privacy first
Your audio never leaves your iPhone.
Everything in Clarive runs entirely on-device using Apple's built-in speech recognition. No servers. No accounts. No uploads. Your conversations are yours alone.
- Nothing you hear leaves your iPhone
- No account or sign-in required
- Captions work offline after a one-time language download
- Complies with Apple App Store privacy guidelines
Loved by listeners
Rated by the people who use it
Make voices easier to follow today.
Free to download. No account. No setup. Just plug in your headphones.
Free to download · iOS 26+ · Any headphones
From the blog
Guides on hearing more clearly
Written and tested by the person who builds Clarive.
iPhone hearing tools
What Is Transparency Mode on AirPods? Not a Volume Boost
Transparency mode passes outside sound into your AirPods at natural level. Which models have it, how to switch it, and why it won't boost voices.
iPhone hearing tools
Enhance Dialogue on iPhone: Two Features, One Name
Enhance Dialogue on iPhone isn't one setting. Podcasts keeps it in the speed menu. Video needs an Accessibility toggle no popular guide mentions.
iPhone hearing tools
AirPods Volume Low: Which Setting Is Capping It
AirPods volume low, even at maximum? Three of the four iPhone loudness settings never touch them. Here's the one that does, and what to check next.
FAQ
Common questions
What is a listening device?
A listening device is any tool that helps amplify or capture sound to make it easier to hear. Traditional listening devices include hearing aids and assistive listening systems. Clarive turns your iPhone into a digital listening device, using the built-in microphone and your headphones to amplify the world around you in real time, with no extra hardware needed.
Is Clarive the best listening device app for iPhone?
Clarive is purpose-built for iPhone and requires no extra hardware. Just plug in any headphones. It combines real-time amplification, live captions in 40+ languages, and smart environment presets in one app, making it one of the most complete assistive listening solutions available on iOS. It works on any iPhone running iOS 26 or later.
How does a listening device that connects to a phone work?
Clarive uses your iPhone's microphone to capture ambient sound, then processes it through the app and plays it back through your headphones with amplification applied, in real time. Bluetooth headphones, AirPods, and wired EarPods all work. There is no external hardware to buy, and it works the moment you open the app.
What is an assistive listening device?
An assistive listening device (ALD) is technology designed to help people with hearing difficulty hear more clearly. ALDs include hearing loops, FM systems, and phone-based apps like Clarive. Unlike traditional ALDs that require specialized hardware, Clarive works on any iPhone running iOS 26 or later. Just connect your headphones and open the app.
Does Clarive work without an internet connection?
Yes. Audio amplification works completely offline. Live captions use Apple's on-device speech recognition, which also works offline after the first language model download. No Wi-Fi or mobile data required once set up.
What headphones work with Clarive?
Any headphones that connect to your iPhone work: AirPods, wired EarPods, Bluetooth earphones, over-ear or in-ear headphones. Unlike Apple's Live Listen, you do not need AirPods or an MFi hearing device. Clarive works with whatever headphones you already own. No special hardware to buy.
Is Clarive free?
Clarive is free to download and includes a limited free tier. Unlimited use is a paid upgrade, available as weekly, monthly, yearly, or one-time lifetime plans, with free trials on some of them. Check the App Store listing for current pricing.