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How to Enable Spatial Audio on AirPods Pro

Apple Spatial Audio offers an innovative, immersive audio experience that transforms how you listen to music, watch movies, and interact with audio content. It is designed to add a three-dimensional, cinema-like audio experience to your everyday headphone usage. But what does this mean, and how does it work?

Spatial Audio is Apple’s solution to immersive sound. Spatial Audio uses dynamic head tracking to position sound all around you as if you’re in a movie theater. It employs directional audio filters and subtly adjusts the frequencies each ear receives to place sound sources virtually anywhere in a space. This creates a cinematic sound stage, making it feel like the audio comes from different directions.

For instance, if a movie character speaks from the left side of the screen, it will sound as if their voice is actually coming from that direction, enhancing the realism of your viewing experience. The technology is particularly effective when watching movies or TV shows that support surround sound formats, like 5.1, 7.1, or Dolby Atmos.

As you move your head, the audio stays fixed to the device, providing a consistent and realistic sound experience. Spatial Audio AirPods transform your listening experience from a passive to an almost tangible, interactive event. You’ll need compatible hardware to experience Spatial Audio.

To use Spatial Audio on AirPods, ensure they’re connected to your iPhone or iPad. While the AirPods or headphones are crucial for Spatial Audio, the source device also plays a significant role.

Here's a quick compatibility overview:

  • No: AirPods 1 and 2 do not support Spatial Audio.
  • Yes: AirPods Max supports Spatial Audio.
AirPods Max Spatial Audio
AirPods Pro Spatial Audio: Setup and Demo

Using 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.

Here’s how to set it up:

  1. 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.
  2. 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.
  3. 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.
  4. 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.
  5. Audio and visual cues will help you finish setup.

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.

Personalized Spatial Audio Setup

Stopping Personalized Spatial Audio

If you wish to stop using Personalized Spatial Audio, follow these steps:

  1. Wear your AirPods, and make sure they’re connected to your device.
  2. 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.
    • Vision Pro: On your Vision Pro, go to Settings > Sounds, then turn off Personalized Spatial Audio.
  3. To use Personalized Spatial Audio again, you can set it up on your iPhone.

Note: Camera data used to develop your profile is processed entirely on your device and images are not stored.

Controlling Spatial Audio and Head Tracking

You can control Spatial Audio and head tracking for each supported app in Control Center. Here's how to do it on different devices:

On iPhone or iPad

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.

  1. Wear your AirPods, and make sure they’re connected to your device.
  2. Open Control Center, touch and hold the volume control, then tap Spatial Audio at the lower right.
  3. 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].

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.

  1. Wear your AirPods, and make sure they’re connected to your Mac.
  2. Click the AirPods icon in the menu bar.
  3. 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.)
  4. 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.

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.

  1. Wear your AirPods, and make sure they’re connected to your Apple TV 4K.
  2. 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).
  3. 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 .

Dolby Atmos on iPhone

If you subscribe to Apple Music, you can play available tracks in Dolby Atmos, which creates an immersive, three-dimensional (spatial) audio experience on stereo headphones and speakers or receivers compatible with Dolby Atmos. Albums and songs available in Dolby Atmos have the Dolby icon next to them. If a track is playing in Dolby Atmos, the icon also appears on the Now Playing screen.

Note: Apple Music and Dolby Atmos aren’t available in all countries or regions. See the Apple Support article Availability of Apple Media Services.

To turn on Dolby Atmos:

  1. Go to Settings > Apps > Music.
  2. Tap Dolby Atmos, then choose Automatic or Always On.
    • Automatic: Plays Dolby Atmos whenever iPhone is connected to compatible headphones such as AirPods 3, AirPods Pro, or AirPods Max, or to speakers or receivers compatible with Dolby Atmos.
    • Always On: Plays Dolby Atmos on any headphones or speakers. The Music app will attempt to play Dolby Atmos tracks on any headphones or speakers connected to iPhone.

Dolby Atmos will play on any headphones, but not all speakers will play Dolby Atmos as intended.

Controlling Spatial Audio and Head Tracking on iPhone

When you play supported music on your iPhone with AirPods 3, AirPods Pro, or AirPods Max, you can use Spatial Audio and head tracking to create an immersive, theater-like environment with sound that surrounds you. Follow these steps to control Spatial Audio and head tracking in Control Center.

  1. Wear your AirPods, then open Control Center.
  2. Touch and hold the volume control, then tap Spatial Audio at the lower right.
  3. 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. This setting allows the sound to follow the movement of your head.

The settings you choose are saved and applied automatically the next time you use that app.

You may see a “Spatial Audio Not Available” message for a few reasons:

  • Content: Spatial Audio works with content that supports surround sound formats.
  • Mono Audio: Check if your device’s Mono Audio is enabled by going to Settings > Accessibility > Audio/Visual.