When Apple launched iOS 17 in September, it included many innovative and exciting features such as the Check-In feature and Live Stickers. However, an earlier update, iOS 16.4, released in March 2023, introduced a feature that enhances phone call audio quality. This update added Voice Isolation for phone calls. Previously, Apple had introduced Voice Isolation and Wide Spectrum for FaceTime calls with iOS 15 in 2021, but only Voice Isolation was extended to phone calls.
Voice Isolation works by suppressing background noise that could disrupt your conversation, ensuring clear communication whether you’re on a business call or chatting with friends, unaffected by noises like barking dogs or nearby construction.
Voice Isolation is not located in the Settings menu but can be activated during a phone call. Once activated, it remains enabled for all future calls until you decide to turn it off.
How to enable Voice Isolation:
- Start or answer a phone call.
- Swipe down from the top-right corner of your screen to open the Control Center.
- Tap Mic Mode, located near the top-right corner.
- Choose Voice Isolation.
Pro tip: You can test this feature by calling yourself and setting up Voice Isolation as described.
To disable Voice Isolation, repeat the steps but select Standard in the Mic Mode options. This resets the microphone to its default settings.
What is Wide Spectrum?
Next to Voice Isolation in the Mic Mode options is Wide Spectrum. While Voice Isolation focuses on muting background noise, Wide Spectrum does the opposite by enhancing ambient sounds, making sure that all sounds around you are audible.
Wide Spectrum is especially helpful during multi-person FaceTime calls to ensure everyone is heard clearly. Currently, Wide Spectrum is available only for FaceTime and not for regular phone calls, although its presence in the Mic Mode menu during phone calls suggests it might be supported in future updates.
