AirPods · Display & Sound
Enable Personalized Spatial Audio with dynamic head tracking
Spatial Audio simulates a surround-sound field for supported movies, shows, and music, and dynamic head tracking keeps that sound field anchored to the screen even as you turn your head.
What you should know
- Turn it on or off under Settings → Bluetooth → [your AirPods] → Spatial Audio, choosing Fixed (sound stays relative to the device) or Head Tracked.
- Personalized Spatial Audio uses a short TrueDepth camera face and ear scan to tailor the sound profile to your specific ear shape.
- Works with content mixed in Dolby Atmos, as well as automatically up-mixed stereo and 5.1/7.1 audio in supported apps.
Why it matters
Spatial Audio is easy to dismiss as a gimmick when it's actually off or misconfigured — with head tracking enabled and a personalized profile set up, the difference in movies and Atmos music is substantial, not subtle.
Best practices
- Set up a Personalized Spatial Audio profile under Settings → Bluetooth → [your AirPods] → Personalized Spatial Audio for the most accurate effect.
- Use Head Tracked mode for movies and TV so the sound field stays locked to the screen; switch to Fixed for music you want to sound consistent regardless of movement.
Common problems and fixes
- Spatial Audio option is missing entirely
- Confirm the AirPods model supports it — base AirPods (1st/2nd generation) never show this option regardless of iOS version.
- Sound field doesn't seem to move with my head
- Check that Head Tracked (not Fixed) is selected, and that the content is actually Spatial Audio–enabled — not all audio supports it.
Tips and tricks
- Spatial Audio with head tracking briefly "resets" the sound field to center whenever you look back at the screen — useful when the effect feels off after moving around a lot.
Frequently asked questions
Does Spatial Audio work with any song or video?
No — it requires content mixed for Dolby Atmos or a supported multichannel format; regular stereo content is only up-mixed by apps that opt in.
Related settings
- Noise Control (ANC & Transparency)AirPods Pro and AirPods Max offer Active Noise Cancellation to block outside sound, Transparency mode to let it in, and — on newer models — Adaptive Audio, which blends the two automatically based on your environment.
- Automatic Ear DetectionBuilt-in sensors detect when an AirPod is in your ear versus set down or in the case, automatically pausing playback the moment you take one out and resuming when you put it back in.