The In the Canal (ITC) hearing aid followed the development of the In the Ear (ITE) hearing aid. It was accomplished by decreasing the size of all the hearing aid components along with a smaller battery. When placed in the ear, it is not as visible as the ITE hearing aid which is a desirable feature to some people. The disadvantage is that it is more expensive and the batteries need to be replaced more often.

The entire hearing aid is built into a custom-made shell obtained from an impression of the ear canal. This style of hearing aid is most appropriate for mild to moderate losses. While this is one of the smallest hearing aid styles available, it may not be appropriate for certain degrees and configurations of hearing loss.