macOS Sequoia Supports HDMI Passthrough for Dolby Atmos Content

In macOS Sequoia, several Apple apps have gained a new HDMI Passthrough feature that enables a Mac to send an unaltered Dolby Atmos audio signal to a connected AV receiver or soundbar.

dolby atmos hdmi passthrough
The new functionality appears in various places in macOS 15, including Apple's TV, Music, and QuickTime Player apps. Apple says turning on the option lets users "Play supported audio in Dolby Atmos and other Dolby Audio formats using HDMI Passthrough when connected to a supported device."

The feature is likely to be welcomed by users who connect their Mac to an external device that supports Dolby Atmos, such as an AV receiver or soundbar. When conected via HDMI cable, the device will be able to decode and output the full immersive Dolby Atmos audio as it was meant to be experienced by the creators, while sending any accompanying video signal to a connected TV.

It's unclear whether this option will be included in tvOS 18, but given that Apple has made it a system-wide feature in ‌macOS Sequoia‌, there is a good chance we will see it come to Apple TVs in a future update. Both ‌macOS Sequoia‌ and tvOS 18 are currently in developer beta, with public betas expected later this month, followed by a general release in the fall.

Related Roundup: macOS Sequoia
Related Forum: macOS Sequoia

Popular Stories

iOS 18

Apple Releases iOS 18.5 With New Wallpaper, Screen Time Changes, Carrier Satellite Support for iPhone 13 and More

Monday May 12, 2025 10:06 am PDT by
Apple today released iOS 18.5 and iPadOS 18.5, the fifth updates to the iOS 18 and iPadOS 18 operating systems that came out last September. iOS 18.5 and iPadOS 18.5 come a little over a month after Apple released iOS 18.4 and iPadOS 18.4. The new software can be downloaded on eligible iPhones and iPads over-the-air by going to Settings > General > Software Update. The iOS 18.5 update has a...
tvOS 18 Feature

Apple Releases tvOS 18.5

Monday May 12, 2025 10:01 am PDT by
Apple today released tvOS 18.5, the latest version of the tvOS operating system. tvOS 18.5 comes a little over a month after the launch of tvOS 18.4, and it is available for the Apple TV 4K and Apple TV HD models. tvOS 18.5 can be downloaded using the Settings app on the ‌Apple TV‌. Open up Settings and go to System > Software Update to get the new software. ‌Apple TV‌ owners who have...
iPhone 17 Pro Blue Feature Tighter Crop

WSJ: Apple Weighing Price Hikes for iPhone 17 Lineup Without Blaming Tariffs

Monday May 12, 2025 3:36 am PDT by
Apple is considering raising prices for its upcoming iPhone 17 models set to release this fall, according to people familiar with the matter cited by The Wall Street Journal. The company reportedly aims to pair the potential price hikes with new features and design changes to justify the increased cost to consumers, rather than attributing them to U.S. tariffs on goods from China. The...
iOS 18

iOS 18.5 Expected This Week With These New Features

Monday May 12, 2025 7:20 am PDT by
Following more than a month of beta testing, Apple is expected to release iOS 18.5 to the general public this week. While the software update is relatively minor, it still includes a handful of new features and changes for iPhones. Below, we recap everything new in iOS 18.5. Pride Wallpaper Apple recently announced its 2025 Pride Collection, including a new Apple Watch band, watch face,...
macOS Sequoia Feature

Apple Releases macOS Sequoia 15.5

Monday May 12, 2025 10:10 am PDT by
Apple today released macOS Sequoia 15.5, the fifth major update to the macOS Sequoia operating system that launched last September. macOS Sequoia 15.5 comes a little over a month after the launch of macOS Sequoia 15.4. Mac users can download the ‌‌‌macOS Sequoia 15.5‌‌‌ update through the Software Update section of System Settings. It is available for free on all Macs able to run ...
Mayday Calendar

Apple Acquisition Hints at Upgraded Calendar App on iOS 19 or Beyond

Friday May 9, 2025 9:13 am PDT by
Apple acquired Canadian startup Mayday Labs in April 2024, according to a European Commission listing, spotted by French blog MacGeneration. The acquisition had not received widespread attention from tech publications until now. Apple is legally required to report certain acquisitions to the European Commission, under the terms of the EU's Digital Markets Act. Mayday Labs founder Jeremy...
top stories 2025 05 10

Top Stories: iOS 18.5 Release Imminent, iPhone Rumors for 2025 and Beyond, and More

Saturday May 10, 2025 6:00 am PDT by
With Apple's developer conference where it will show off iOS 19 just a month away, the company is wrapping up work on iOS 18.5 ahead of an imminent release to deliver a few new features and updates. This week also saw a number of iPhone-related rumors, encompassing not only this year's iPhone 17 lineup but also Apple's plans for 2026 and 2027, even as Apple's Eddy Cue suggested AI could make ...

Top Rated Comments

Aaargh! Avatar
11 months ago

I think the Apple TV supports that already?
Apple TV only supports DD+ with Atmos, and only if you let the OS play the video file. Hopefully this change means proper support for bitstreaming: allowing any application directly send a stream of data to the receiver. That would allow apps like Plex to support Dolby TrueHD+Atmos and DTS:X.
Score: 27 Votes (Like | Disagree)
ric22 Avatar
11 months ago
About time. Should have been implemented sooner.
Score: 11 Votes (Like | Disagree)
Axl2023 Avatar
11 months ago
We are waiting for bitstream audio in tvOS 18 :)
Score: 11 Votes (Like | Disagree)
Jus711 Avatar
11 months ago

Yeah I have no idea what the end of the OP meant when mentioning TvOS. Dolby Atmos and Audio of multiple formats is there has been there a few generations.
Not exactly, it supports lossy Atmos, not lossless HD audio like Dolby TrueHD or DTS HD-MA, it can’t decode those or send the unencoded version for the receiver to decode which is what passthrough would allow.
Score: 10 Votes (Like | Disagree)
urmaster Avatar
11 months ago

What sort of Atmos are we talking about here? The streaming kind or the lossless one?
Isn’t that the point of the feature; it’s pass through it doesn't matter what the content is.
Score: 9 Votes (Like | Disagree)
reallynotnick Avatar
11 months ago

Yeah I have no idea what the end of the OP meant when mentioning TvOS. Dolby Atmos and Audio of multiple formats is there has been there a few generations.
It’s not passthrough, it’s decoded into LPCM (LPCM+MAT in DD+ Atmos’s case) and sent to the device. And as already pointed out it’s just lossy DD+ not Dolby TrueHD.
Score: 7 Votes (Like | Disagree)