Apple Music Dolby Atmos Compatible With All AirPods Models and Other Headphones

Apple today announced that starting in June, Apple Music subscribers will have access to higher quality Lossless audio streaming, as well as Dolby Atmos, which replicates an immersive audio experience.

AirPods Lineup Feature Triad
Despite Spatial Audio for movies and TV shows being only available on the AirPods Pro and AirPods Max, Dolby Atmos for ‌Apple Music‌, which Apple describes as creating an "immersive audio format that enables musicians to mix music so it sounds like the instruments are all around you in space" will be compatible with all AirPods models as well as other headphones.

Apple says that Dolby Atmos will automatically be enabled for songs that support it with all AirPods and BeatsX, Beats Solo3 Wireless, Beats Studio3, Powerbeats3 Wireless, Beats Flex, Powerbeats Pro, and Beats Solo Pro headphones. Users using other branded headphones will need to enable it manually.

Apple Music subscribers using the latest version of Apple Music on iPhone, iPad, Mac, and Apple TV7 can listen to thousands of Dolby Atmos music tracks using any headphones. When you listen with compatible Apple or Beats headphones, Dolby Atmos music plays back automatically when available for a song. For other headphones, go to Settings > Music > Audio and set Dolby Atmos to Always On. You can also hear Dolby Atmos music using the built‑in speakers on a compatible iPhone, iPad, MacBook Pro, or HomePod, or by connecting your Apple TV 4K to a compatible TV or audiovisual receiver.

Apple says that thousands of songs will support both lossless and Dolby Atmos audio at launch, with new songs being added "regularly."

Related Roundups: AirPods 4, AirPods Max, AirPods Pro
Related Forum: AirPods

Popular Stories

iPhone 17 Pro in Hand Feature Lowgo

iPhone 17 Pro Coming Soon With These 14 New Features

Friday July 4, 2025 1:05 pm PDT by
Apple's next-generation iPhone 17 Pro and iPhone 17 Pro Max are just over two months away, and there are plenty of rumors about the devices. Below, we recap key changes rumored for the iPhone 17 Pro models. Latest Rumors These rumors surfaced in June and July:Apple logo repositioned: Apple's logo may have a lower position on the back of the iPhone 17 Pro models, compared to previous...
iphone 16 pro models 1

Here's How the iPhone 17 Pro Max Will Compare to the iPhone 17 Pro

Saturday July 5, 2025 1:00 pm PDT by
Apple should unveil the iPhone 17 series in September, and there might be one bigger difference between the Pro and Pro Max models this year. As always, the Pro Max model will be larger than the Pro model:iPhone 17 Pro: 6.3-inch display iPhone 17 Pro Max: 6.9-inch displayGiven the Pro Max is physically larger than the Pro, it has more internal space, allowing for a larger battery and...
iPhone Car Key Kia

Here's Which Vehicles Offer iPhone Car Keys

Sunday July 6, 2025 3:03 pm PDT by
In 2020, Apple added a digital car key feature to its Wallet app, allowing users to lock, unlock, and start a compatible vehicle with an iPhone or Apple Watch. The feature is currently offered by select automakers, including Audi, BMW, Hyundai, Kia, Genesis, Mercedes-Benz, Volvo, and a handful of others, and it is set to expand further. Apple has a web page with a list of vehicle models that ...
imac video apple feature

Apple Launching These 15+ Products Later This Year

Sunday July 6, 2025 8:05 am PDT by
The calendar has turned to July, meaning that 2025 is now more than half over. And while the summer months are often quiet for Apple, the company still has more than a dozen products coming later this year, according to rumors. Below, we have outlined at least 15 new Apple products that are expected to launch later this year, along with key rumored features for each. iPhone 17 Series iPho...
iOS 26 Feature

Everything New in iOS 26 Beta 3

Monday July 7, 2025 1:20 pm PDT by
Apple is continuing to refine and update iOS 26, and beta three features smaller changes than we saw in beta 2, plus further tweaks to the Liquid Glass design. Apple is gearing up for the next phase of beta testing, and the company has promised that a public beta is set to come out in July. Transparency In some apps like Apple Music, Podcasts, and the App Store, Apple has toned down the...
iPhone 17 Pro in Hand Feature Lowgo

iPhone 17 Pro to Reverse iPhone X Design Decision

Monday July 7, 2025 9:46 am PDT by
Since the iPhone X in 2017, all of Apple's highest-end iPhone models have featured either stainless steel or titanium frames, but it has now been rumored that this design decision will be coming to an end with the iPhone 17 Pro models later this year. In a post on Chinese social media platform Weibo today, the account Instant Digital said that the iPhone 17 Pro models will have an aluminum...
iphone 17 pro render majin bu

New iPhone 17 Pro Renders Highlight Apple Logo and MagSafe Design Changes

Sunday July 6, 2025 8:43 pm PDT by
New renders today provide the best look yet relocated Apple logo and redesigned MagSafe magnet array of the iPhone 17 Pro and iPhone 17 Pro Max. Image via Majin Bu. Several of the design changes coming to the iPhone 17 Pro model have been rumored for some time, such as the elongated camera bump that spans the full width of the device, with the LiDAR Scanner and flash moving to the right side. ...
Prime Day 25 Feature Warm Triad

The Best Early Prime Day Deals on Apple Products

Saturday July 5, 2025 7:22 am PDT by
Amazon is soon to be back with its annual summertime Prime Day event, lasting for four days from July 8-11, the longest Prime Day yet. As it does every year, Prime Day offers shoppers a huge selection of deals across Amazon's storefront, and there are already many deals you can get on sale ahead of the event. Note: MacRumors is an affiliate partner with Amazon. When you click a link and make a ...
airpods pro 2

AirPods Pro 3 to Help Maintain Apple's Place in Earbud Market Amid Increasing Low-Cost Competition

Thursday July 3, 2025 7:25 am PDT by
Apple's position as the dominant force in the global true wireless stereo (TWS) earbud market is expected to continue through 2025, according to Counterpoint Research. The forecast outlines a 3% year-over-year increase in global TWS unit shipments for 2025, signaling a transition from rapid growth to a more mature phase for the category. While Apple is set to remain the leading brand by...

Top Rated Comments

Ultimateomega Avatar
54 months ago

This is such a joke-
First of all Dolby atmos is meant for surround sound systems with multiple speakers above and around NOT for soundbars and headphones-yes, they are on it-only because there is licensing and sales money to be made. But otherwise this is a poor mans atmos and is just marketing

secondly-the area spatial audio would matter most is for the Apple TV-NOT Apple music

Bring to the Apple TV and stop with this other filler
Always funny seeing people finding ways to be negative about a feature that is no additional cost to the consumer….

I have a Sonos surround sound system. Sonos Arc Sound bar which has 2 atmos height speakers built in, 2x Sonos One’s for rear surrounds and the Sonos sub. All with eARC for uncompressed hi-res Dolby Atmos. And it actually does well in representing the ‘height’ for me in my flat with a small living room. YMMV depending on your space of course.

Obviously it wont match physical speakers built in to the roof but dismissing it as a joke obviously means you’ve not actually heard some of the newer sound bars that have released.

At least you get the choice to just not use the feature. Everyone else that would like to can try it and enjoy it!
Score: 7 Votes (Like | Disagree)
alexjholland Avatar
54 months ago

Do you mean Apple TV 4K via headphones/AirPods? Unfortunately it won’t be via headphones (eg AirPods Max) judging by this, just via speakers, like existing Dolby Atmos support for tv & movies. I really want spatial audio support via ATV4K (old or new) with AirPods Max, I use them a lot in the wee hours when the world (and my neighbours chiefly!) sleep.


“You can also hear Dolby Atmos music using the built‑in speakers on a compatible ‌iPhone‌, ‌iPad‌, MacBook Pro, or HomePod ('https://www.macrumors.com/roundup/homepod/'), or by connecting your Apple TV ('https://www.macrumors.com/roundup/apple-tv/') 4K to a compatible TV or audiovisual receiver.”
I have zero interest in spatial audio for films via headphones until it's available on Apple TV.

Watching films on a phone or tablet is nothing like a big screen.
Score: 5 Votes (Like | Disagree)
DSquiz Avatar
54 months ago
Is this only for headphones or will it work if you have a Dolby Atmos surround sound system?

Edit: Looks like I missed the article answering my question (and now I'm even more excited):
"You can also hear Dolby Atmos music using the built‑in speakers on a compatible iPhone, iPad, MacBook Pro, or HomePod, or by connecting your Apple TV 4K to a compatible TV or audiovisual receiver."
Score: 4 Votes (Like | Disagree)
photogpab Avatar
54 months ago
would the spatial audio work with my Sony WH-1000XM4 headphones?
Score: 4 Votes (Like | Disagree)
Vangeli Avatar
54 months ago

I'm not sure that would work for music unless they want an arena live act effect. Because if you turn your head to the right everything that was on a side now is projected behind and in front of your head. That would be just weird.
It all depends on how artists/engineers want to mix their music.

That said, concerts with Atmos? I want that to happen. Being able to face the crowd and have such a more immersive atmosphere would be amazing.
Score: 3 Votes (Like | Disagree)
DSquiz Avatar
54 months ago

Could someone explain this to me?

Will I get an "Dolby Atmos-like" experience even when I only have a 2.0 stereo setup (using with my apple tv4k) ?
Atmos is an enhanced form of surround sound where you don't just have back channels but "height" also. This is created with speakers above you or upfiring speakers (speakers that point upwards and bounce sound off the ceiling). For AppleTV you need a specific receiver with a 7 or 9 speaker setup.

Atmos can also be created using headphones designed for it (AirPods Pro and Max etc).
Score: 3 Votes (Like | Disagree)