Imagine your favorite movie or song with sound that moves around you. This is what Personalized Spatial Audio brings to AirPods users. Using the TrueDepth camera on your iPhone, you can create a custom audio profile that delivers sound perfectly tuned to your ear shape and size.
AirPods with Spatial Audio already provide an immersive listening experience, but the personalized version takes this further. The technology uses your iPhone’s camera to scan your ears and head shape, creating a sound profile unique to you. This setup works with third-generation AirPods, AirPods Pro, or AirPods Max when paired with an iPhone running iOS 16 or later.
Setting up this feature is simple and quick. After connecting AirPods to an iPhone, users can access the setup through their device settings. The process involves a brief scan using the front-facing camera, after which Apple’s technology creates a custom audio profile that makes movies, music, and calls sound more natural and immersive.
Setting Up Personalized Spatial Audio for Your AirPods
Personalized Spatial Audio enhances your listening experience by tailoring sound to the shape of your ears using your iPhone’s TrueDepth camera. This feature provides a more immersive and dynamic audio experience, especially for supported apps and content.
How to Set Up Personalized Spatial Audio
- Ensure Compatibility
Personalized Spatial Audio works with AirPods Pro (1st & 2nd Gen), AirPods Max, and AirPods (3rd Gen). Ensure your iPhone is running iOS 16 or later. - Connect Your AirPods
- Open the AirPods case near your iPhone.
- Tap Connect when the prompt appears.
- Access Spatial Audio Settings
- Open Settings on your iPhone.
- Tap Bluetooth and select your connected AirPods.
- Choose Personalized Spatial Audio and tap Set Up Personalized Spatial Audio.
- Scan Your Ears Using the TrueDepth Camera
- Follow the on-screen instructions to scan your face and ears.
- Position your head within the frame and slowly turn to complete the scan.
- Enable Spatial Audio
- Once the scan is complete, go to Control Center on your iPhone.
- Press and hold the volume slider.
- Tap Spatial Audio and select Fixed or Head-Tracked, depending on your preference.
Once set up, Personalized Spatial Audio dynamically adapts to your head movements and enhances audio depth, providing a more immersive listening experience. If you want to reset your personalized profile, go back to Settings > Bluetooth > Your AirPods > Personalized Spatial Audio and select Reset.
Key Takeaways
- Personalized Spatial Audio creates a custom sound profile based on your unique ear shape using your iPhone’s camera.
- The feature works with newer AirPods models and requires an iPhone with iOS 16 or later.
- The setup process takes just a few minutes and significantly improves sound quality for music, movies, and calls.
Understanding Spatial Audio and Compatibility
Spatial Audio transforms how you listen to music and watch movies by creating an immersive sound experience that mimics real-world audio. This technology works with specific Apple devices and requires compatible headphones to deliver its full effect.
What Is Spatial Audio?
Spatial Audio creates a theater-like sound experience by placing sounds in a virtual three-dimensional space around you. Unlike standard stereo, which only plays from the left and right, Spatial Audio makes sounds seem like they come from different directions.
This technology works with Dolby Atmos content to create more depth in your listening experience. When combined with head tracking, Spatial Audio adjusts the sound field as you move your head, making it feel like the audio is coming from your device.
Personalized Spatial Audio takes this even further by using your iPhone’s TrueDepth camera to create a custom sound profile based on your ear shape. This tailoring makes the sound experience even more realistic and immersive.
Apple Music supports Spatial Audio for thousands of songs, letting you hear music with more dimension and clarity.
Compatible Devices and Requirements
To use Spatial Audio, you need both compatible headphones and devices:
Compatible Headphones:
- AirPods Pro (1st and 2nd generation)
- AirPods Max
- AirPods (3rd generation)
- Beats Fit Pro
- Beats Studio Pro
- Beats Solo 4
Device Requirements:
- iPhone with iOS 16 or later
- iPad with iPadOS 16 or later
- Mac with macOS Ventura or later (works best with Apple Silicon)
- Apple TV 4K with tvOS 16 or later
To set up Personalized Spatial Audio, you specifically need an iPhone with a TrueDepth camera running iOS 16 or later. Once set up, your personal profile syncs across all your Apple devices through iCloud.
For the best experience, you need content that supports Spatial Audio, such as movies from Apple TV+ or music from Apple Music labeled with “Dolby Atmos.”
Setting Up Personalized Spatial Audio
Personalized Spatial Audio creates a custom sound experience tailored specifically to your ear shape and listening preferences. This technology uses advanced scanning to map your unique features and deliver more immersive audio through your AirPods.
Preparation and Initial Setup
Before setting up Personalized Spatial Audio, make sure you have compatible devices. You’ll need:
- iPhone with Face ID (has TrueDepth camera)
- AirPods (3rd generation), AirPods Pro, AirPods Max, or compatible Beats headphones
- iOS 16 or newer
First, connect your AirPods to your iPhone. Once connected, go to Settings and tap on your AirPods name near the top of the screen. Your AirPods must be connected to your iPhone before you can see this option.
Look for the Personalized Spatial Audio option in the settings menu. If you don’t see it, check that your AirPods firmware is updated. Your iPhone might prompt you to update if needed.
Customizing Your Audio Profile
To begin customization, tap on Personalize Spatial Audio in the settings menu. Your iPhone will guide you through a series of steps to create your personal audio profile.
The process involves:
- Positioning your face within the camera frame
- Turning your head slowly to capture different angles
- Scanning your ears from various positions
Follow the on-screen instructions carefully. The iPhone will display visual guides showing how to position your head. Make sure you’re in a well-lit area to help the TrueDepth camera capture clear images.
Your completed profile is saved to your Apple Account and syncs across devices through iCloud. This means you’ll enjoy your personalized audio experience on any compatible Apple device you use.
Using Face ID and TrueDepth Camera for Personalization
The TrueDepth camera system is the key technology that makes Personalized Spatial Audio possible. This is the same camera that powers Face ID on your iPhone.
During setup, the camera creates a detailed map of your ears and head shape. These measurements help create sound that feels like it’s coming from all around you in a way that’s uniquely suited to your physical features.
For best results:
- Remove hats, glasses, or earrings that might interfere with scanning
- Keep hair away from your ears during the scanning process
- Hold your iPhone about 10-12 inches from your face
After setup, you can toggle Personalized Spatial Audio on or off through Control Center. Access Control Center, press and hold the volume control for your AirPods, and tap the Spatial Audio button to switch between modes.
Your personal profile enhances how you experience immersive audio content like movies, TV shows, and specially mixed music tracks.
