In iOS 15 and iPadOS 15, Apple has made its FaceTime video calling platform more appealing with several new features that aim to make it a viable alternative to rival video conferencing apps. However, one of these features, called Voice Isolation, can also be used with third-party apps like WhatsApp and Teams to make it easier for people hear your voice on a video call.
When you're on a call, your device's mic usually picks up a wide range of sounds in the environment, but with Voice Isolation, machine learning distinguishes these sounds, blocks out any ambient noise and prioritizes your voice so that it comes through clearly.
Sometimes, however, you might want a wide range of sound to come through on a video call, so Apple has also introduced Wide Spectrum, a feature that the company says can pick up "an entire symphony of sound – your voice and everything around you." And like Voice Isolation, Wide Spectrum can be used with any video calling app on your device.
The following steps show you how to enable voice isolation and wide spectrum when on a video call on an iPhone or iPad running iOS 15 or iPadOS 15.
- Initiate a FaceTime video call or use a third-party app with a video calling function.
- Once you're in the call, pull down the Control Center by dragging down diagonally from the top-right corner of the screen.
- Tap the Mic Mode button at the top.
- Select from Standard, Voice Isolation, and Wide Spectrum.
Your chosen microphone mode will now be activated, and you can turn it off at any time simply by accessing the Control Center again and selecting Standard.
