Unlocking Immersive Sound: Spatial Audio on Apple Music Explained
Explore your music like never before with three-dimensional surround sound that puts you and your listeners in the center of a song. Spatial Audio revolutionizes the way artists make music, giving them more control than ever over what a listener hears and from where they hear it.
This innovative audio experience not only transforms the way artists create music but also how their fans listen to it on Apple Music. Likened to the transition of mono to stereo, Spatial Audio is all about empowering artists and producers to deploy techniques that create ear-catching first impressions.
What is Spatial Audio with Dolby Atmos?
Spatial Audio with Dolby Atmos is an advanced sound technology that creates immersive, three-dimensional audio experiences. Dolby Atmos is a surround-sound format that has been around for over a decade. It is known as an object-based format rather than a channel-based format.
Simply put, Spatial Audio changes the relationship between recordings and space. Capturing the “where” of sound is exactly what Spatial Audio is all about. It transcends the limits of two-channel stereo recordings to add an entirely new dimension to how your fans hear songs on Apple Music.
The Spatial Audio experience on Apple Music is powered by Dolby Atmos, the groundbreaking multichannel audio technology that maps sounds to specific locations around the listener’s headspace. With help from dynamic head tracking, it gives listeners the sensation of being immersed in sounds that feel native to their environment.
Unlike traditional stereo, which plays left and right, spatial audio creates a three-dimensional soundscape with audio from in front, behind, above, or to the sides. 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. And unlike surround setups, spatial audio doesn’t require a fixed listening position.
Whereas every track of a song once had to fit into the left or right channel, working in a three-dimensional field is like putting your music on a bigger stage. Within Dolby Atmos, there are innovative ways for musical objects to move around this bigger stage beyond traditional left-right panning. You also have the power to change not just how your song is heard, but the story it tells.
Thanks to precise control over the position of sounds around a listener’s headspace, artists can insert scene-setting narrative touches that are heard just as they would be in real life. Taking advantage of Spatial Audio doesn’t require starting from scratch, either - it opens up a world of possibilities for artists looking to remaster their catalog.
Benefits of Spatial Audio
Shaping your sound with immersive audio can help take your music journey to new heights and attract new listeners. Engage your audience. Grow your reach across platforms. Spatial Audio experiences are available in more places than ever. Expand your creative expression.
Creating music in Spatial Audio takes a high caliber of dedication, and Apple Music acknowledges these efforts. We believe artists should be compensated for the time and investment they put into mixing in Spatial Audio.
Examples of Spatial Audio in Music
Artists from all genres, both seasoned and emerging, have already begun creating and expanding their catalogs with Spatial Audio. Nile Rodgers, renowned artist and producer has a tenured history of taking his music one step further with the latest technology. He was able to see early on how Spatial Audio was paving the future for music, which is why he used it to remix his entire catalog.
FINNEAS used Dolby Atmos to help make the single “What Was I Made For?” By making the vocals the focal point of the Barbie soundtrack, the song becomes even more evocative and immersive with the added dimensions.
Creating Spatial Audio Content
When creating content to deliver in Spatial Audio, it can be helpful to map out your process from concept to execution. Start at the conceptual stage. Think in 3D. Use Dolby Atmos-enabled software like Logic Pro.
With Logic Pro, everything you need to place “objects” (song elements such as drums, bass, and other instruments) onto the Dolby Atmos three-dimensional plane is natively integrated into your workflow. Whether you’re in a professional studio working with an engineer or you’re a DIY bedroom producer, the Dolby Atmos Production Suite fits seamlessly into the mixing process without interrupting your creative process.
Ready to start mixing your next tracks in Dolby Atmos? Working with an experienced Dolby Atmos mix engineer is a great first step and can provide high-quality results. Following our guidelines for delivering Dolby Atmos to Apple Music can help ensure your content is accepted and available on Apple Music.
When delivering Spatial Audio to your label or distributor, keep in mind that Dolby Atmos audio files generated from stereo mixes are not allowed. You can add Spatial Audio to new and previously delivered music. We strongly suggest delivering releases with both stereo and Dolby Atmos.
If you want to deliver Dolby Atmos audio, you’ll need to work with a distributor or encoding house approved to deliver Dolby Atmos to Apple Music. Music successfully delivered with Dolby Atmos capabilities will be reflected in Apple Music with Dolby Atmos badging.
Albums delivered with all tracks containing Dolby Atmos will have a badge displayed on Apple Music. Badging at the album level will be visible if all tracks have Dolby Atmos audio delivered and all respective Spatial Audio start dates have passed.
Listening to Spatial Audio
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.
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.
To set up Personalized Spatial Audio:
- 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 stop using Personalized Spatial Audio:
- 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.
To use Personalized Spatial Audio again, you can set it up on your iPhone.
Controlling Spatial Audio and Head Tracking
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.
Spatial Audio on Mac and Apple TV 4K
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.
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.)
Troubleshooting and Additional Information
To stay up to date on the latest features and releases, check out the Apple Music Spatial Audio category page. There you’ll find Spatial Audio new releases, featured artists, playlists by genre, and more.
Frequently Asked Questions
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.
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.
Enabling Dolby Atmos on Your Devices
Here's how to ensure you're experiencing Spatial Audio with Dolby Atmos on your Apple devices:
- iPhone/iPad: Go to Settings > Apps > Music, then turn on Download in Dolby Atmos.
- Mac: Open the Apple Music app. In the menu bar, choose Music > Preferences. Click the General tab, then select Download in Dolby Atmos.
- Apple Vision Pro: Go to Settings > Apps > Music, then turn on Download in Dolby Atmos.
- Android: Open the Apple Music app. Tap the More button, tap Settings, then turn on Download Dolby Atmos.
- Windows: Open the Apple Music app.
You may need the Dolby Access app for Dolby Atmos playback on your device. Check with your PC manufacturer to be sure you have the right hardware to play music in a Dolby Atmos audio format.
Additional Tips
- Update your Mac to the latest version of macOS.
- Update your Apple TV 4K to the latest version of tvOS.
- Turn on Sound Check. On your iPhone or iPad, go to Settings > Apps > Music, then turn on Sound Check. On your Mac, open the Apple Music app. From the menu bar, choose Music > Settings (or Preferences).
When you download a Dolby Atmos version of a song, a stereo version of the song is downloaded too.
“It’s a very, very unique way to experience music. When you are younger, and you are dissecting music, and hearing the nuances and the subtleties, and the things that you might have missed before, Spatial Audio just makes it so much easier to catch those things. You’re walking down the street, you turn left, you’re going to catch something you didn’t catch before. It really makes the music be experienced through life."