Skip to main content

How to turn on Voice Isolation with Apple AirPods

are airpods waterproof pro water resistance 04
Phil Nickinson / Digital Trends

Apple’s AirPods remain one of the best pairs of wireless earbuds you can buy, always sitting at the forefront of delivering exceptional audio experiences, catering to music enthusiasts, professionals, and everyone in between. Apple now offers Voice Isolation on select AirPods, including the AirPods Pro 2 and new AirPods 4. This tool significantly enhances call clarity by minimizing background noise and focusing on your voice.

Below, we explore enabling and using Voice Isolation with your Apple AirPods to make your conversation as straightforward as possible.

Recommended Videos

Difficulty

Easy

Duration

5 minutes

What You Need

  • Your AirPods-connected iPhone or iPad with iOS 18 or iPadOS 18 installed

  • AirPods Pro 2 or AirPods 4

What is Voice Isolation?

Voice Isolation is a technology designed to improve call quality by using machine learning to filter out background noise. Whether you’re in a noisy coffee shop, amid heavy traffic, or at a windy park, Voice Isolation makes sure that your voice comes through clearly, while reducing ambient noises.

The feature has long been available on select iPhone, iPad, and Mac models. More recently, Apple began offering the service for calls with supported AirPods involved.

Which AirPods support Voice Isolation?

Before diving into the settings, ensure your AirPods support this feature. As of the latest updates, Voice Isolation is supported on:

  • AirPods Pro (2nd generation)
  • AirPods (4th generation)

Additionally, ensure your iPhone or iPad is updated to the latest iOS or iPadOS to access this feature.

How to use Voice Isolation

To use Voice Isolation, you must activate it during calls or video conferences, and you must be using your AirPods. It works with compatible apps, including Phone, FaceTime, WhatsApp, and Zoom.

Step 1: During a call, access the Control Center on your iPhone or iPad by swiping down from the upper-right corner of the screen.

Step 2: In the Control Center, find the volume slider, then long-press it to reveal additional audio settings.

Step 3: Select Voice Isolation from the choices available. This will activate the feature for the duration of your call.

Voice Isolation steps on an iPhone 16 Pro Max with iOS 18.
Bryan M. Wolfe / Digital Trends

Voice Isolation tips and tricks

To maximize the performance of Voice Isolation:

  • Stay Updated: Always ensure your devices and AirPods firmware are up to date to maintain compatibility and access the latest features.
  • Charge Your AirPods: Make sure your AirPods are fully charged to prevent any interruptions during calls.
  • Positioning: To ensure optimal results, ensure that the AirPods are positioned correctly in your ears.

Voice Isolation with Apple AirPods can revolutionize the way we handle calls in noisy environments by focusing solely on your voice and minimizing all other background noise. By following the simple steps outlined above, you can enhance your auditory experience during calls, ensuring clearer, more professional communication. Whether for personal chats or professional meetings, Voice Isolation is a valuable feature for anyone looking to improve call quality in loud spaces.

Bryan M. Wolfe
Bryan M. Wolfe has over a decade of experience as a technology writer. He writes about mobile.
Best Apple deals: Save on AirPods, Apple Watch, iPad, MacBook
Apple MacBook Air M1 open, on a table.

With Apple being one of the biggest tech companies on the market, it's probably no surprise that it makes some of the best wireless earbuds, the best smartwatches, the best laptops, and even the best tablets. So, if you're within the Apple ecosystem, then you have a pretty substantial plethora of options when it comes to your tech, and with the best on offer, it's probably no surprise that Apple gear is expensive. Luckily, there are a lot of excellent Apple deals floating around, which is why we've gone out and collected a few of our favorite ones.

That's why we've gone out and searched through various big retailers to find you some of the best deals we can find. That includes everything from the MacBook deals, AirPods deals, Apple TV deals and Apple Watch deals to the AirTag, so hopefully, you can find the perfect deal that fits your needs and budget.
Apple AirTag (4-Pack) -- $80 $99 19% off

Read more
Amazon Prime Big Deal Days AirPods deals 2024: What’s still available?
Apple AirPods Pro 2 with USB-C and MagSafe review

Update 10/10/24: We've reached the end of Prime Big Deal Days, but if you missed out you can still grab some great Prime Day deals in its wake. Several AirPods models are still seeing Prime Day pricing and we've organized the best AirPods Prime Day deals below.

Amazon Prime Big Deal Days is now overwith, but Amazon has kept many Prime Day deals still available. There are big deals across Amazon (and its competitors), so we're still on the lookout for amazing bargains. The event has been huge, and you can still score some low prices on all sorts of tech — there are fantastic Dell Prime Day deals as well as Lego Prime Day deals, and everything in between. Here, we're going to focus on the best AirPods deals that you can get, whether you're looking for their multiple generations and styles of earbuds or their over-the-ear headphones.
Apple AirPods 2 — $89 $129 31% off

Read more
AirPods Pro 2 haven’t gone back to full price since Prime Day
The Apple AirPods Pro 2 with USB-C and MagSafe buds on a table with case in the background.

The Apple AirPods Pro 2 with USB-C and MagSafe are originally priced at $249, but they've been available with a discount from Amazon since Prime Day in July. They're on sale right now at $190, which isn't as cheap as from the AirPods deals of the shopping event when they were going for $169, but the $59 discount is still a pretty nice score for these premium wireless earbuds. However, the longer this trend goes on, the higher the chance that the streak ends and they go back to their regular price. If you want to take advantage of the savings, we highly recommend pushing through with your purchase as soon as you can.

Why you should buy the Apple AirPods Pro 2 with USB-C and MagSafe
The lowered price of the Apple AirPods Pro 2 with USB-C and MagSafe likely remains because of the launch of the Apple AirPods 4 with ANC, which brought active noise cancellation to the entry-level AirPods. The feature was previously only available in the AirPods Pro line. However, because the Apple AirPods Pro 2 come with silicone eartips, they do a superior job at preventing you from hearing unwanted noise. Both models of wireless earbuds offer USB-C charging, but the Apple AirPods Pro 2 feature a force sensor that translates swipes into volume adjustments, and overall better sound quality for listening to music and taking calls.

Read more