Useful App
I found the app to be incredibly helpful in detecting unexpected sounds and conversations. As someone who’s older, I feel more secure using this app to become more aware of my surroundings.
Free
In-App Purchases
About
This app provides visual and haptic alerts for various sounds, including speech, alarms, and weather warnings, designed for Deaf and hard-of-hearing users. It uses on-device machine learning to identify sounds, estimate their direction and distance, and offers real-time transcription of nearby speech.
✓Visual and haptic sound alerts
✓Real-time speech transcription
✓On-device sound identification
✓Directional sound guidance
✓Severe weather alerts
✓Apple Watch integration
✓Siri and Shortcuts support
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What's New in Vigilant Ear
1.1.4
September 9, 2026
BETTER: Remote Link shows captions from the linked phone to yours, and translates if necessary to your chosen language. And, you can pause the link on your end to temporarily stop video and captions at any time, and then resume. BETTER: Display fixes, notifications, and (automatic) wider connection options for Remote Link.
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In-App Purchases
$5.99
Power Pack+
One-time permanent unlock of premium features.
User reviews
FAQ
Does Vigilant Ear have ads?
Vigilant Ear does not contain advertisements. It is designed to be an unobtrusive aid for its users.
What sounds can Vigilant Ear detect?
Vigilant Ear can identify over 300 everyday and emergency sounds, including alarms, sirens, knocks, a crying baby, severe weather, and nearby speech. It also offers earthquake alerts.
Is Vigilant Ear a certified safety device?
Vigilant Ear is an experimental research and accessibility aid, not a certified or life-saving device. Users should always maintain their own situational awareness.
How does Vigilant Ear handle privacy?
All listening, transcription, translation, and sound classification run entirely on your device. Audio or telemetry data never leaves your device, except for a short audio fingerprint for Music ID to Apple's Shazam service.
What devices does Vigilant Ear support?
Vigilant Ear is supported on Apple Watch, iPhone, and iPad, offering alerts on your Apple Watch even when your iPhone is asleep.
What are the 'Power Pack+' features in Vigilant Ear?
The optional Power Pack+ includes features like on-device translation of captions, Constellation for linking nearby iPhones for a more precise sound picture, and Music & Sound ID to name songs. It is free to try for 90 days.
How often is Vigilant Ear updated?
The latest version of Vigilant Ear is 1.0.18, last updated on August 25, 2026. Updates typically include new features, bug fixes, and performance improvements.
Can Vigilant Ear transcribe speech from multiple people?
Yes, Vigilant Ear's Speaker Mode provides live captions that transcribe nearby speech, separating it by speaker. This transcription is done entirely on-device.