How to turn on Voice Isolation on an iPhone in iOS 18

Key Takeaways
  • Voice Isolation supresses background noise and transmits just your voice as the audio on a call.
  • Voice Isoaltion is available on devices running on iOS 16 and above.
  • To turn on Voice Isolation on iPhone, open the Control Centre while you are on a call, select Controls and tap on Voice Isolation.

Having an important conversation interrupted by a loud background noise is the last thing you want when you’re on a call. This is exactly where Voice Isolation comes to the rescue. Here’s everything you need to know about Voice Isolation, including how to use the feature on your iPhone.

Table of Contents
  • What is Voice Isolation on iPhone?
  • What devices support Voice Isolation?
  • How to turn on Voice Isolation in iOS 18 on an iPhone
  • Voice Isolation is my favorite feature on the iPhone
  • Video: iOS 18: How to Turn ON Voice Isolation on iPhone

What is Voice Isolation on iPhone?

Voice Isolation is a feature that suppresses background noise and improves the quality of your voice on calls. It does this by isolating your voice from background noises so the person at the other end of the phone call can hear you loud and clear.

With the launch of iOS 18, users can take advantage of the new Automatic Mic Mode, which defaults to Voice Isolation. This innovative feature prioritizes your voice during calls while effectively blocking out ambient noise, ensuring clearer communication.

Voice Isolation is available on most popular apps that support audio and video calling. WhatsApp, Telegram, Zoom, and Google Meet are some known names that support the feature. You can use Voice Isolation with the built-in microphone on your iPhone or an external one from your wired or wireless earphones.

What devices support Voice Isolation?

Voice Isolation is supported on the following devices:

  • iPhone XR, iPhone XS models, and later
  • iPad (8th generation) and later
  • All iPad Pro 11-inch models
  • iPad Pro 12.9-inch (3rd generation) and later
  • iPad Air (3rd generation) and later
  • iPad mini (5th generation) and later

How to turn on Voice Isolation in iOS 18 on an iPhone

The Voice Isolation option appears only when you’re on a call. Here’s how to access and enable it on an iPhone:

  1. While on a call, swipe down from the top-right corner to access the Control Center.
  2. Select Controls next to the name of the app on which you are on a call at the top.
  3. Finally, select Voice Isolation.

    Enabling the Voice Isolation option in the Control Center to remove background noise on a call.

As soon as you do this, the background noise will decrease, and the person on the other end of the call will be able to hear you without any disturbances.

If you’re in a setting where Voice Isolation is a little too aggressive, you can try the other available options.

  • Automatic: The latest iOS 18 update adds an Automatic Mic mode on your iPhone. This mode automatically switches between Voice Isolation and Wide Spectrum based on your surroundings. If your environment has a lot of background noise, your iPhone will select Voice Isolation and prioritize your voice. Wide Spectrum will be selected in quieter environments to allow all kinds of sound in your phone call.
  • Standard: The Standard mode doesn’t change the quality of your audio. It transmits it to the receiver as is.
  • Wide Spectrum: Wide Spectrum obtains a wide range of sounds from your audio on the phone call. It amplifies various parts of your audio to the receiver. This is helpful in situations when live music is playing on a video call so that the microphone ensures no part of the audio is omitted or suppressed.

Voice Isolation is my favorite feature on the iPhone

Many of my friends use the Voice Isolation feature on their iPhones. I recently found out that some of them even used it while talking to me in a crowded street packed with noise and traffic, and it surprised me because I didn’t hear any of it on the call.

When I tried Voice Isolation, I was pleasantly surprised to see a feature that enhances the very fundamental function of a mobile phone—talking to people on calls. Not only is the feature effective, but it’s also consistent; every single time I’ve spoken in a noisy environment, not even once have I heard complaints about my voice being muffled.

However, my Voice Isolation experience has been using the built-in microphone on my iPhone. If you use the feature on a headset, it will still block out the background noise, but the overall quality and loudness of your voice will purely depend on the microphone’s quality.

Besides, there is a minor caveat with this feature. When Voice Isolation is enabled, and someone nearby speaks, their voice can be quite noticeable to the person you’re talking to. As background noise is suppressed, the nearby voice may sound closer and more amplified than it actually is. While this isn’t a deal breaker for me, it’s something to be aware of, as you might experience something similar.

Video: iOS 18: How to Turn ON Voice Isolation on iPhone

Wrapping up

I don’t remember the last time someone told me, “I can’t quite catch your voice; there’s a lot of disturbance.” On a phone call, my voice sounds crystal clear, thanks to the iPhone’s voice isolation feature. You may also use features like Wi-Fi calling to improve the call quality on your iPhone.

FAQs

Why is Voice Isolation not working on my iPhone?

If Voice Isolation isn’t working, you can check out our how to fix the Voice Isolation feature guide to learn how to troubleshoot the issue.

Where is Voice Isolation on my iPhone?

The Voice Isolation option appears in the Control Center when you are on a call.

Does Voice Isolation consume an extra battery?

The effect Voise Isolation has on the battery life of your iPhone is negligible.

Does Voice Isolation work if someone is using an Android phone?

Yes, as long as you are calling someone with Voice Isolation enabled on your iPhone, the feature will work irrespective of the device the receiver is using.

How do I disable Voice Isolation?

Swipe down to open the Control Center, select Mic Mode, and tap on Standard or Automatic.

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