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Update: Successfully reset! The hearing aid is protected and cannot be connected. how do i overcome this?

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I thought I’d try adjusting my old Audeo P90-RTs but get “hearing aid is protected” message from Target 11 and can’t connect. (I can successfully connect my new i90 Spheres however)

Is there a way to overcome this? I bought them privately 4 years ago from opticians called Scrivens in UK. Although out of warranty they function ok.

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Yes, an audiologist can lock Phonak hearing aids using proprietary software and a password, a process sometimes called “password protecting” or “protecting the fitting”. This prevents other clinics from accessing and adjusting the hearing aids. The locking feature is typically used by clinics to prevent patients from getting service or adjustments from other providers.

How Phonak hearing aids can be locked

  • An audiologist can lock a Phonak hearing aid by enabling a feature called “password protect” within the fitting software (like Phonak Target13).

  • This creates a “locked” state for the device, requiring a password to make changes to its settings.

  • This is often done to prevent other audiologists from working on the device, as the specific fitting information and password are not available to them.

Consequences of locked hearing aids

  • Limited service options: You can only get adjustments, programming, and repairs from the clinic that locked the hearing aids.

  • Inconvenience: If the clinic closes, you move, or you are unhappy with the care, you may not be able to find another provider to service the device.

  • Potential for a new purchase: In some cases, you may have to buy new hearing aids if you are unable to get the locked ones serviced elsewhere.

What to do if your hearing aids are locked

  • Communicate with your audiologist: Before purchasing, ask about the practice’s policy on locked hearing aids and how you can get service if you move or travel.

  • Ensure a local provider exists: If you have locked hearing aids, check that there is another clinic nearby that can service them, just in case your current provider retires or closes.

  • Reset to factory settings: If you need to use your hearing aids with a different audiologist, they can often be reset to factory settings, which removes the lock. However, this will erase the custom fitting, and a new one will need to be created.

@cantoris said:

I thought I’d try adjusting my old Audeo P90-RTs but get “hearing aid is protected” message from Target 11

Yeah this is common with Specsavers, I’ve never heard of Scrivens, but it seems to be a UK thing to “lock” with a password, it’s extremely rare for this to happen with most clinics tho, as these are your own you can have any clinic ask to get the password from Scrivens, or if they play hardball you can ask to have them sent to Phonak to be reset.

@Gerhard_R said:

How Phonak hearing aids can be locked

Weee!! Looks like someone is using some chat cut and paste.. again

@Gerhard_R said:

they can often be reset to factory settings, which removes the lock

Can’t connect to target without the password tho, how do you “reset to factory” without connecting, ask your chat bot, this would be good information for anyone with locked Specsavers models..

well I just wanted to re affirm to him, that his aids can be locked.

I he can’t find an option in his target to factory reset, he might have to send them in, or ask help elsewhere.

I only found this and can’t confirm:

All trial devices must be reset to factory settings at the end of each trial period. You can achieve this through the fitting software by going to [Trial & tools] > [Reset to factory settings] > [Reset].

If the hearing instrument cannot be connected to the fitting software or fails during fitting, send to GC for repair (repair fee applies if not in warranty, country specific) or, if not needed anymore, discard.

there’s also a “reset” my holding down the bottom rocker switch for 20sec. then putting them in a charger for 3 sec and taking them out. not sure if that helps with the PW.

Yeah the trial are quite different, I can reset them every few weeks, but still I think this practice should be banned outright,if you buy them you own them, one shouldn’t be “beholden” to any one clinic like this.

Thanks Tenkan and Gerhard; looks like I will have to go back to where i bought them ask them to unlock. There didn’t seem to be anywhere on target to enter a password which would have been more convenient than travelling as i now live in a different country :face_with_raised_eyebrow:

Actually there is a place, I can’t remember exactly where now, but under “preferences” comes to mind? But anyways I hope you manage to find it and don’t have to travel, is it possible to call/email them?

In reply to @Gerhard_R

@Gerhard_R said:

“reset” my holding down the bottom rocker switch for 20sec. then putting them in a charger for 3 sec and taking them out. not sure if that helps with the PW.

It won’t. This resets state data, but not programming at all. If your aids get hung up somehow, this can get them working again. But it won’t change the programming. I had a p90 failing, repeated resets to power on throughout the day. The hard reset was recommended. Didn’t work, of course. But it was worth trying.

WH

In reply to @tenkan

update: issuing audiologist (Scrivens in UK) will send “paperwork” in the post (takes about 10 days) that i can then take to my adopting new audiologist to maintain the old aids. It will be interesting to find out if, with the paperwork, i can unlock/unprotect the aids using Target. If I cannot do it myself and ask a registered audiologist to do it then I suspect it will be at a cost!

here’s how i reset “protected” aids: using Target select Trial and Tools option, then Reset/Stock Mode, then Reset Hearing Aids to Factory Setting, then Reset. Target then offered an updated firmware 1.1.15.0 I was then able to do my and set up everything to my requirement.

Happy me!

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