Understanding Personalized Spatial Audio
This guide discusses details on Apple Spatial Audio, as well as Personalized Spatial Audio. Spatial audio creates a three-dimensional soundscape with audio from in front, behind, above, or to the sides. From cinematic sound effects to layered music production, spatial audio brings a level of depth and realism that fits naturally into film, music, and gaming. For years, stereo and surround sound have shaped how we hear music and media.
Stereo splits audio into two channels: left and right. It’s simple and familiar, but it lacks depth and vertical movement. Surround sound uses multiple speakers placed around the room to create directionality, typically in front, beside, and behind the listener. Spatial audio goes further, using software to simulate full 3D space including height, distance, and movement. It can create an immersive sound field from just a soundbar, a pair of headphones, or even built-in speakers. Spatial audio doesn’t require a fixed listening position.
All M-powered iPads are supported. All M-powered Macs can play back spatial audio. I don't have a new Intel Mac to test this, but I believe that spatial audio doesn't have support for Dynamic Head tracking.
Spatial Audio vs. Dolby Atmos
Is spatial audio the same as Dolby Atmos? No. Spatial audio is a broad category of 3D sound technologies. Dolby Atmos is one specific format that uses object-based mixing to place sounds in space. It's one way to deliver spatial audio.
If you are an Apple Music subscriber, you have access to Dolby Atmos music and lossless audio at no extra charge. This can work in tandem with spatial audio. This is the only feature that doesn’t require AirPods, but you will have to enable it.
- If on an iPhone, open the Music settings.
- Under Dolby Atmos, select Always On. This setting only affects Apple Music.
- This is where you toggle the feature on. Turning it on for one app does not affect any other apps.
- Note, in iOS 17, tapping on spatial audio when no music is playing will take you back a screen.
Can any song or show use spatial audio? Not all content is created with spatial audio formats like Dolby Atmos or 5.1/7.1 surround. However, Bose devices with TrueSpace technology or Immersive Audio can enhance standard stereo content by adding a spatial effect, even when the original mix isn't spatial.
What’s the difference between spatial audio and surround sound? Surround sound uses multiple speakers to create horizontal directionality. Spatial audio simulates full 3D sound, including height and depth, using advanced processing techniques. It can deliver a more immersive experience through headphones or speakers, even without a multi-speaker setup.
Do I need special headphones to have spatial audio? Not necessarily. Many spatial audio formats, like Dolby Atmos for Headphones or Apple’s spatial audio, work with standard stereo headphones by using software-based binaural processing. However, headphones like the Bose QuietComfort Ultra Headphones and Earbuds use head tracking and special tuning to make sound feel more natural and stable, so it stays in place as you move and feels more lifelike all around you.
How does head tracking improve spatial audio? Head tracking makes spatial audio feel more natural by adjusting the sound based on your movement.
Head tracked, Dynamic head tracking will make the sound seem like it changes direction if you move your head. For example, if your iPhone is stationary on a flat surface and you turn your head to the right, the sound will move to the left. If personalized spatial audio is turned on, head tracking also works for the up and down motion of your head. For example, if you tilt your head back, the sound will sound like it is getting lower and farther away.
Spatial audio works in all apps that play media. 3rd party apps that support multichannel content like Netflix, Disney+ and others will use multi channel formats if the movie or show supports it.
If you have AirPods Max (USB-C), you can also use Spatial Audio and head tracking when you connect to your device with a USB-C cable (your device must have iOS 18.4, iPadOS 18.4, or later). See Connect AirPods Max with an audio cable.
Control Spatial Audio and head tracking on iPhone or iPad
You can control Spatial Audio and head tracking for each supported app in Control Center.
Wear your AirPods, and make sure they’re connected to your device.
Open Control Center, touch and hold the volume control, then tap Spatial Audio at the lower right.
Tap one of the following:
- Off: Turns off both Spatial Audio and head tracking.
- Fixed: Turns on Spatial Audio without head tracking.
- Head Tracked: Turns on both Spatial Audio and head tracking. The audio you’re listening to will sound like it’s coming from your iPhone or Mac.
The settings you choose are saved and applied automatically the next time you use that app. For example, if you tap Fixed while listening to a song in the Music app , the Fixed setting is automatically used the next time you play a song in that app.
Note: To disable head tracking for all apps on your iPhone or iPad, go to the Settings app , then tap Accessibility. Tap AirPods, tap the name of your AirPods, then turn off Follow [device].
Control Spatial Audio and head tracking on Mac
You can use Spatial Audio and head tracking to make supported shows, movies, and music sound like they’re coming from all around you (on Mac computers with Apple silicon and macOS 12.3 or later). You can turn Spatial Audio and head tracking on or off for each supported app.
If you have AirPods Max (USB-C), you can also use Spatial Audio and head tracking when you connect to your Mac with a USB-C cable (on Mac computers with macOS 15.4 or later). See Connect AirPods Max with an audio cable.
Note: Spatial Audio isn’t available for all apps or content.
Wear your AirPods, and make sure they’re connected to your Mac.
Click the AirPods icon in the menu bar.
If the AirPods icon isn’t in the menu bar, go to the System Settings app , then click Menu Bar in the sidebar. Below Menu Bar Controls, select Sound . (You may need to scroll down.)
Choose one of the following below Spatial Audio:
- Off: Turns off both Spatial Audio and head tracking.
- Fixed: Turns on Spatial Audio without head tracking.
- Head Tracked: Turns on both Spatial Audio and head tracking. This allows the sound to follow the movement of your head.
Control Spatial Audio and head tracking on Apple TV 4K
You can customize the Spatial Audio settings for each supported app using Control Center on Apple TV 4K. You can also turn head tracking on or off for all apps. (tvOS 15.1 or later required.)
Note: Spatial Audio isn’t available for all apps or content.
Wear your AirPods, and make sure they’re connected to your Apple TV 4K.
While watching a movie or TV show or listening to music, open Control Center, then navigate to the AirPods icon at the top of the screen (next to the time display).
Navigate to Spatial Audio, then select an option.
The settings you choose are saved and applied automatically the next time you use that app. For example, if you turn on Spatial Audio while using the Apple TV app with your AirPods, Spatial Audio automatically turns on the next time you use the app with your AirPods.
Note: To disable dynamic head tracking for all apps on Apple TV 4K, double-click on the Siri Remote, then go to the Settings app .
Personalized Spatial Audio
As I discussed in a previous forum comment, personalized spatial audio will scan your head to make a HRTF (Head Related Transfer Function) on your iPhone. This will allow spatial audio to use your HRTF rather than a generic one.
According to Wikipedia, “A head-related transfer function (HRTF), also known as anatomical transfer function (ATF), or a head shadow is a response that characterizes how an ear receives a sound from a point in space. This allows reflections of the sound to bounce off of walls in a virtual room giving the effect of the audio being in a living room or studio/theater.
To create a Personalized Spatial Audio profile, you will need an iPhone 10 or later. Tap on your AirPods at the top of the settings list. You will be asked to complete the front view capture. After you complete the front view capture, you will be asked to complete the right ear capture. There is no one way to complete this from my testing. My recommendation is to do this. Hold the phone out in front of you, and then turn to the left. Then, you will turn your head to the right and left until it works. That’s the best advice I can give you. Next, repeat that all over again but this time for the left ear capture. Same advice as before, you kind of have to figure it out as you go. Apples “turn your head left” and turn your head right” messages play seemingly randomly.
After you complete the set up process, Personalized Spatial Audio is ready!
Well, I love the idea.
One thing that I’ve been noticing is that things sound very up close with personalized spatial audio turned on compared to regular spatial audio. Normal spatial audio feels much more immersive. I like the way spacial audio as a whole makes regular stereo content in apple music and YouTube have a sense of depth.
Everyone’s head is not the same, so spatial audio will work better or worse by default for some people. There was an old app called waves NX which would let you play your music through 3-D sound. For example, an app called Boom 3D which is designed for playing music and podcasts as well as radio stations through has a large virtual room. If you heard a short kick drum, it would sound like it was in a big room. While personalized spatial audio is free for all iPhone users, apps like boom3d are locked behind Pay Walls or hard to cancel subscriptions. (Trust me, I know. If personalized spatial audio is turned off, the virtual room changes completely and is nothing like the room that personalized spatial audio uses. Other changes include the amount of the virtual room used on dolby Atmos signals on apple music being lessened. Over the course of spatial audios whole entire existence, I have noticed that on dolby Atmos signals the virtual room varies a lot more than regular 2 channel content.
I feel like there has been a boost in all sounds that are mono, or the mid channel. Adding this boost makes sounds that normally pan Out wider stay closer to the center which I feel like is the opposite of immersive. Regular spatial audio does not do this. If you were too over exaggerate the side channel on the other hand (not individual stereo channels) the audio panning would be over exaggerated. Apple should find a happy medium. If you could use the renderer that non-personalized spatial audio content uses, the ideal experience would be a bit better.
Camera data used to develop your profile is processed entirely on your device and images are not stored. When you watch or play a supported show, movie, song, or game, or make a FaceTime call on your device, AirPods 3, AirPods 4, AirPods Pro, and AirPods Max use Spatial Audio and head tracking to create an immersive theater-like environment with sound that surrounds you.
How to use Personalized Spatial Audio
You can use your iPhone X or later to create a representation of your ear and head shape for Personalized Spatial Audio. Your Spatial Audio profile customizes audio to better match how you hear sound, and syncs across your Apple devices with iOS 16, iPadOS 16.1, macOS 13, tvOS 16, or later, where you’re signed in to the same Apple Account.
Do one of the following:
- Open the case lid with your AirPods inside, hold the case close to your iPhone, then follow the onscreen instructions.
- Wear your AirPods, and make sure they’re connected to your device. On your iPhone, go to the Settings app , then tap the name of your AirPods near the top of the screen. Tap Personalized Spatial Audio, then tap Personalize Spatial Audio.
To learn more about how to set up Personalized Spatial Audio, see the Apple Support article Listen with Personalized Spatial Audio for AirPods and Beats.
With your AirPods or Beats connected to your iPhone, go to Settings > [your Spatial Audio enabled device] > Personalized Spatial Audio > Personalize Spatial Audio.
On your Vision Pro, go to Settings > Sounds, then turn on Personalized Spatial Audio.
To capture the Front view, hold your iPhone about 12 inches directly in front of you. Position your face in the camera frame, then slowly move your head in a circle to show all the angles of your face. Tap Continue.
To capture a view of your right ear, hold your iPhone with your right hand. Move your right arm 45 degrees to your right, then turn your head slowly to the left.
To capture a view of your left ear, switch your iPhone to your left hand. Move your left arm 45 degrees to your left, then turn your head slowly to the right.
Audio and visual cues will help you finish setup.
How to stop using Personalized Spatial Audio
Wear your AirPods, and make sure they’re connected to your device.
Do one of the following:
iPhone or iPad: Go to the Settings app , then tap the name of your AirPods near the top of the screen. Tap Personalized Spatial Audio, then tap Stop Using Personalized Spatial Audio.
Mac: Go to the System Settings app , click the name of your AirPods in the sidebar (you may need to scroll down), then click Stop Using Personalized Spatial Audio.
On your Vision Pro, go to Settings > Sounds, then turn off Personalized Spatial Audio.
To use Personalized Spatial Audio again, you can set it up on your iPhone.
With your AirPods or Beats connected to your iPhone, go to Settings > [your Spatial Audio enabled device] > Personalized Spatial Audio > Stop Using Personalized Spatial Audio.
Supported devices for Personalized Spatial Audio
The following table lists the devices that support Personalized Spatial Audio:
| Device Type | Supported Models |
|---|---|
| iPhone | iPhone X or later |
| iPad | All M-powered iPads |
| Mac | All M-powered Macs |
| Apple TV | Apple TV 4K (tvOS 15.1 or later required) |
| AirPods | AirPods (3rd generation), AirPods Pro (all generations), AirPods Max |
| Beats | Beats Fit Pro, Beats Studio Pro |