Hearing Aid Batteries: Sizes, Colour Codes and Free Supply
Last checked November 2026. Offers and rules change: confirm with the provider before you rely on them.
Hearing aid batteries come in four standard sizes, each with its own colour code, so you only need to remember a colour. If your hearing aids came from the NHS, the batteries are free: never pay for them.
Free batteries for NHS hearing aids
NHS hearing aids are provided as a free long-term loan, and the NHS says batteries and repairs are also free from the hearing aid service that fitted them. How you collect batteries depends on where you live. Common arrangements are:
- from the audiology (hearing) department, in person or by post;
- from some GP surgeries, health centres, libraries or community centres;
You will usually be asked for your hearing aid record book or battery card, which shows the size you need. If getting out is difficult, ask the department to post batteries to you, or ask a relative to collect them with your book. If you lose an NHS aid, the service can replace it, but there may be a charge.
If you bought your hearing aids privately, batteries are not free from the NHS. Check what your purchase included: some providers supply batteries for a set period. See our hearing aids buying guide for how NHS and private aids compare.
Sizes and colour codes
The colour is on the pack and on the sticky tab on each battery. The colours are the same for every brand.
| Size | Colour of tab | Typically used in |
|---|---|---|
| 10 | Yellow | The smallest aids, worn in the ear canal |
| 312 | Brown | Small behind-the-ear and in-the-ear aids |
| 13 | Orange | Standard behind-the-ear aids |
| 675 | Blue | Large, high-power behind-the-ear aids |
Size 10 is the smallest and 675 the largest. The smaller the battery, the shorter its life and the harder it is to handle. If you find tiny batteries a struggle, mention it to your audiologist when your aids are next reviewed: a model that takes a larger battery, or a rechargeable one, may suit you better.
How the batteries work
Standard hearing aid batteries are "zinc-air" batteries. They are sealed with a coloured sticky tab, and they switch on when you peel the tab off and air gets in through tiny holes. Three things follow from that:
- Leave the tab on until you are ready to use the battery. Once it is off, the battery starts running down, and sticking the tab back on does not stop it.
- After peeling off the tab, leave the battery on the table for a minute or so before you put it in, so it reaches full power.
- The flat side, usually marked with a plus sign, is the side the tab was on. The battery door will only close easily if the battery is the right way round. Never force it.
How long should they last?
It varies with the size of battery, the power of the aid, how many hours a day you wear it, and whether it streams sound wirelessly from a phone or television. As a rough guide, the smallest batteries may last only a few days, and the largest a couple of weeks or more. If yours suddenly last much less time than they used to, ask your audiology department to check the aid.
To get the most from each battery:
- Open the battery door at night. This switches the aid off and lets moisture dry out.
- Store spare batteries at room temperature, not in the fridge, the bathroom or a hot car.
- Keep them in their pack, away from coins and keys, which can short them out.
- Carry a spare pair when you go out. Most aids give a warning beep shortly before the battery dies.
Buying batteries
If you do need to buy, batteries are sold in pharmacies, opticians that offer hearing care, supermarkets and online, usually in cards of six. As a rough guide, expect to pay from around £2 to £5 for a card of six, with multi-packs working out cheaper per battery. Do not stockpile more than you will use in a year or so. Buy from a retailer you know: see buying on marketplaces for why very cheap packs from unknown sellers can be old stock.
Making battery changes easier
- Change batteries sitting at a table, over a tray or a light-coloured cloth, in good light. See lighting for ageing eyes.
- A small magnetic battery tool, often supplied free with the aid, picks the battery up and places it for you.
- A magnifier helps you see the plus sign. See reading glasses and magnifiers.
- If changing them is beyond you, ask a relative, carer or pharmacist to do it weekly on a set day.
Safety
Common questions
Do I get free batteries if I am over 60 with private hearing aids?
No. Free batteries are for hearing aids issued by the NHS, at any age. You are entitled to ask your GP for an NHS hearing assessment even if you already own private aids.
Can I use ordinary watch batteries?
No. They may be the same shape but they are a different type and voltage. Use zinc-air hearing aid batteries of the right colour code.
My new battery does not work. What now?
Check the tab is off, wait a minute, check it is the right way round, and make sure the door is fully shut. Then check the tube or the wax filter for a blockage. If it is still silent, contact the service that supplied the aid.
What else helps with hearing at home?
See TV headphones and hearing amplifiers and big button phones, many of which work with hearing aids.