Basics

Inserting and removing custom earplugs in 4 steps

Thijs Worm4 October 2026Updated 23 October 20266 min read

How do you put custom earplugs in? Hold the custom earplug by the outside, guide the canal part into your ear canal with your hand tilted slightly forward, turn it backwards until it drops into the hollow of your outer ear and press it in gently. Taking it out works the other way round. You hold it by the edge, never by the filter or the cord, and gently turn it forward out of your ear. At first, it feels unfamiliar. With a little practice, it gets easier and easier.

Below, you can read the four steps in more detail, how to tell left and right apart and what to do if it doesn't work. For things that go beyond putting them in, such as the wrong filter or cleaning with alcohol, read common mistakes when using custom earplugs.

For your first custom earplugs, a partner hearing care professional takes impressions of your ears. The ear impressions are included in the price and you pay at the hearing centre.

What a custom earplug looks like

A custom earplug has two parts. The canal part is the narrow end that goes into your ear canal. The wide part rests in the hollow of your outer ear, just in front of the entrance to your ear canal. The filter sits in that wide part, on the side that faces outwards. Take a good look at your custom earplug before you put it in for the first time. Then you know which side goes where.

Inserting custom earplugs in 4 steps

Step 1. Take the correct earplug in the correct hand

Take the right earplug in your right hand and the left one in your left hand. Hold it by the outside between your thumb and index finger, with the canal part towards your ear. Do not hold it by the filter. If you are not sure which of the two is the right one, first read further down how to recognise left and right.

Step 2. Guide the canal part into your ear canal

Bring the custom earplug to your ear and tilt your hand slightly forward. Carefully place the canal part in the entrance to your ear canal. That is how Starkey describes it in the user manual for its custom earmoulds. If it feels stiff, gently pull your earlobe down a little with your other hand. A patient leaflet from the James Paget University Hospital in England gives that tip too.

Step 3. Turn it backwards into place

Turn the custom earplug backwards in one smooth movement, so that the wide part drops into the hollow of your outer ear. A custom earplug only fits one way, so do not force anything. If an edge stays outside the hollow, take it out and start again. According to the same NHS leaflet, an earpiece that is not fully in place will rub and make your ear sore. If you already have this problem, read custom earplugs hurt, what can you do?

Step 4. Press gently and check

Gently press the custom earplug in with your fingertip. It now lies flat in your ear and nothing sticks out at an angle. A quick check is to clap your hands next to your ear. Starkey writes that the clap sounds clearly muffled with a well-fitting earplug. Then talk and chew for a moment. According to Ambulancezorg Nederland, the Dutch association for ambulance services, a custom earplug only fits into the ear canal one way and jaw movements do not affect it. If it moves anyway, put it in again. A hearing care professional can measure whether it really seals well with a fit check.

Taking custom earplugs out without pulling on the filter

The filter determines how much sound gets through. It sits in a recess in the custom earplug and is interchangeable. Starkey describes removing a filter by pulling it out of that recess with your fingernail. So if you pull on the filter when taking the earplug out, it can come loose. Do it like this.

Hold the custom earplug by the edge. Hold the wide part between your thumb and index finger at the top and bottom, not by the filter in the middle.
Loosen it. Gently pull your earlobe down with your other hand. According to Starkey, that helps to loosen the custom earplug.
Turn it forward and out. Turn it a little forward, towards your face, while you gently take it out of your ear. That is how the American manufacturer E.A.R. describes it in its user guide.
Never pull on the cord. If your earplugs hang on the cord, do not use it to pull them out of your ears. Starkey and E.A.R. both warn against this.

Then put your custom earplugs straight into the storage case. Your earplugs come with a cord, a clip and a storage case. If the filter has come loose anyway, press it straight and all the way back into the recess. If you are not sure it is in properly, contact us. Read more about the types of filters on our filter page.

Which custom earplug goes in which ear?

The well-known rule is red for right and blue for left. This colour code comes from the world of hearing aids. E.A.R. writes in its user guide that earmoulds usually have a red dot for right and a blue dot for left. A handy way to remember it is that red and right both start with an r.

At Audibling, you choose the colour yourself, from clear, black, white, green, red and blue, or a custom colour by arrangement. If you want a different colour for each ear, let us know via the custom colour option. If you have two of the same colour, get to know their shape and always put them in the case the same way. More tips are in which colour earplug goes in which ear?

Having trouble putting them in?

Practise calmly a few times. A leaflet from East Sussex Healthcare says that putting in earmoulds feels unfamiliar at first and gets easier with practice. Ambulancezorg Nederland writes that it takes a few days to get used to a custom earplug.
Use a mirror the first few times. Then you can see how the wide part drops into your outer ear.
Warm up a cold custom earplug. Hold it in your hand for two to three minutes. Starkey gives that advice because the material can get a bit stiffer in the cold.
Does it hurt? Do not force anything and have the fit checked. Our article on painful custom earplugs explains what you can do.
Is it loose or does it fall out? Have the fit checked by a hearing care professional. Looking for a partner hearing centre? See Find a hearing centre.

Still unsure about the material? Hard acrylic is smooth and slides easily in and out of the ear. Silicone is more flexible. Read acrylic or silicone custom earplugs, which suits you?

Frequently asked questions

How do I know if my custom earplug is in properly?

It lies flat in your outer ear, does not move when you talk or chew, and a clap next to your ear sounds clearly muffled. For a precise check, the hearing care professional can do a fit check.

Which custom earplug goes in my right ear?

If you have a red one and a blue one, the red one goes in your right ear. If they are the same colour, you will recognise them by their shape after a few times.