All the Apps That Support Apple's Spatial Audio Feature

Spatial audio is a sonic feature exclusive to AirPods Pro and AirPods Max that adds surround sound to Apple's premium audio wearables. By utilizing dynamic head tracking, it brings a theater-like audio experience to the movie or video you're watching, so that it seems as if the sound is coming from all around you.

spatialaudiofeature
The feature works by comparing the data from your iOS device's gyroscope and accelerometer against the data from your ‌AirPods‌ Pro or ‌AirPods Max‌, ensuring that the sound field stays anchored to the device, even if you move your head.

Unsurprisingly, spatial audio isn't universally supported by third-party apps and services. To save you spending time wondering if a particular app works with the feature, we've put together a list below of all the apps that have officially been updated to support Spatial Audio, and some popular apps that have yet to add support.

  • Air Video HD (Turn on Surround in Audio settings)
  • Apple's TV app
  • Netflix
  • Disney+
  • FE File Explorer (DTS 5.1 unsupported)

  • Foxtel Go (Australia)
  • HBO Max
  • Hulu
  • Plex (Enable old video player in Settings)
  • Peacock
  • Discovery+
  • Paramount+
  • Vudu
  • Some TIDAL songs
  • Infuse
  • YouTube
  • Vimeo
  • VLC
  • Amazon Prime Video

We'll keep these lists updated as and when we learn of additional third-party apps and updates that come out in support of spatial audio. In the meantime, check the following details to make sure that your hardware is compatible with the feature.

airpods pro max in silver

What You Need to Use Spatial Audio

To take advantage of spatial audio on ‌‌AirPods Pro‌‌ or ‌‌AirPods Max‌‌, you need an ‌iPhone‌ 7 or later or one of the ‌iPad‌ models listed below. Note that spatial audio is not supported by any Mac model or any Apple TV models.

  • iPad Pro 12.9‑inch (3rd generation) and later
  • ‌iPad Pro‌‌ 11‑inch
  • iPad Air (3rd generation)
  • ‌‌iPad‌‌ (6th generation) and later
  • iPad mini (5th generation)

You also need iOS 14 or iPadOS 14 or later installed on your device, as well as the latest firmware on your ‌‌AirPods Pro‌‌ or ‌‌AirPods Max‌‌. To learn more about using spatial audio, check out our dedicated how-to article.

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

Popular Stories

iPhone 17 Pro Blue Feature Tighter Crop

iPhone 17 Pro Launching Later This Year With These 13 New Features

Wednesday April 23, 2025 8:31 am PDT by
While the iPhone 17 Pro and iPhone 17 Pro Max are not expected to launch until September, there are already plenty of rumors about the devices. Below, we recap key changes rumored for the iPhone 17 Pro models as of April 2025: Aluminum frame: iPhone 17 Pro models are rumored to have an aluminum frame, whereas the iPhone 15 Pro and iPhone 16 Pro models have a titanium frame, and the iPhone ...
iphone 17 dummies sonny dickson

iPhone 17 Air Almost as Thin as Its Buttons, New Images Show

Thursday April 24, 2025 2:14 am PDT by
If you missed the video showing dummy models of Apple's all-new super thin iPhone 17 Air that's expected later this year, Sonny Dickson this morning shared some further images of the device in close alignment with the other dummy models in the iPhone 17 lineup, indicating just how thin it is likely to be in comparison. The iPhone 17 Air is expected to be around 5.5mm thick – with a thicker ...
iphone 17 air dummy unbox therapy

iPhone 17 Air's Extreme Thinness Demoed in New Video

Tuesday April 22, 2025 10:22 am PDT by
Apple plans to release an all-new super thin iPhone this year, debuting it alongside the iPhone 17, iPhone 17 Pro, and iPhone 17 Pro Max. We've seen pictures of dummy models, cases, and renders with the design, but Lewis Hilsenteger of Unbox Therapy today showed off newer dummy models that give us a better idea of just how thin the "iPhone 17 Air" will be. The iPhone 17 Air is expected to be ...
AirPods Pro 3 Mock Feature

AirPods Pro 3 Just Months Away – Here's What We Know

Friday April 18, 2025 5:16 am PDT by
Despite being more than two years old, Apple's AirPods Pro 2 still dominate the premium wireless‑earbud space, thanks to a potent mix of top‑tier audio, class‑leading noise cancellation, and Apple's habit of delivering major new features through software updates. With AirPods Pro 3 widely expected to arrive in 2025, prospective buyers now face a familiar dilemma: snap up the proven...
iPhone 17 Air Pastel Feature

iPhone 17 Air Launching Later This Year With These 16 New Features

Thursday April 24, 2025 8:24 am PDT by
While the so-called "iPhone 17 Air" is not expected to launch until September, there are already plenty of rumors about the ultra-thin device. Overall, the iPhone 17 Air sounds like a mixed bag. While the device is expected to have an impressively thin and light design, rumors indicate it will have some compromises compared to iPhone 17 Pro models, including only a single rear camera, a...
ipad air windows 11 arm

M2 iPad Air Runs Windows 11 ARM via Emulation, Thanks to EU Rules

Tuesday April 22, 2025 5:01 am PDT by
A developer has demonstrated Windows 11 ARM running on an M2 iPad Air using emulation, which has become much easier since the EU's Digital Markets Act (DMA) regulations came into effect. As spotted by Windows Latest, NTDev shared an instance of the emulation on social media and posted a video on YouTube (embedded below) demonstrating it in action. The achievement relies on new EU regulatory...
Global Close Your Rings Day Pin

Apple Stores Giving Away a Limited-Edition Pin For Free Today

Thursday April 24, 2025 10:15 am PDT by
Starting today, April 24, Apple Stores around the world are giving away a special pin for free to customers who request one, while supplies last. Photo Credit: Filip Chudzinski The enamel pin's design is inspired by the Global Close Your Rings Day award in the Activity app, which Apple Watch users can receive by closing all three Activity rings today. The limited-edition pin is the physical...
Apple Logo Spotlight Blue

White House Hits Back at Apple's Massive EU Fine

Thursday April 24, 2025 5:57 am PDT by
Apple's $570 million fine from the EU has triggered a sharp rebuke from the White House, which called the fine a form of economic extortion, Reuters reports. The fine was announced on Wednesday by the European Commission, following a formal investigation into Apple's compliance with the bloc's Digital Markets Act (DMA), a landmark piece of legislation aimed at curbing the market dominance of ...

Top Rated Comments

jclo Avatar
54 months ago
Let us know if we're missing any apps that have spatial audio support and we'll add them to the list.
Score: 6 Votes (Like | Disagree)
G5isAlive Avatar
54 months ago

Shame the MacBook pro does not support this.
The reason the Macs and Apple TV don't support this is Apple doesn't just positionally track the AirPod Max or Pro, but it tracks the video device as well. The necessary hardware is not in the Mac or Apple TV (yet).
Score: 5 Votes (Like | Disagree)
yegon Avatar
54 months ago
My uncle who works at Google told me YouTube will support Spatial Audio when Apple releases their car and it’s accompanying 12 foot by 12 foot AirPower charging mat.
Score: 5 Votes (Like | Disagree)
Seanm87 Avatar
54 months ago
You mean popular apps that refuse to support spatial audio
Score: 4 Votes (Like | Disagree)
Morgenland Avatar
54 months ago

I still don't understand this tech. Why wouldn't you want this to work like normal surround sound instead of virtual directional audio so it sounds like it's coming from your iPhone instead?
You can watch movies and distinguish sounds from the left, right, front and back and only need 2 sound sources.
The method uses multi-channel audio (e.g. 5.1 AC3 or 7.1/Atmos E-AC3) and Apple recalculates it.
It realistically only works with headphones though (and only in theory with 2 speakers).
Due to the gyro head movement detection of the AirPods, which Apple includes in the sound calculation in real time, the sound positions remain stationary in the room even when the head is turned. I tried it with the AirPods Pro, which is stunning.
Score: 4 Votes (Like | Disagree)
neoelectronaut Avatar
54 months ago
I still don't understand this tech. Why wouldn't you want this to work like normal surround sound instead of virtual directional audio so it sounds like it's coming from your iPhone instead?
Score: 3 Votes (Like | Disagree)