From iOS 18, iPadOS 18 and tvOS 18 you can use the ‘Improve Dialogues’ function in Apple’s TV app, among others. This speech mode allows you to hear better what people are saying on TV, especially with loud sound effects or music.
The feature is especially useful to use in combination with an Apple TV. Previously, ‘Improve Dialogues’ was only available in combination with a HomePod that was set up as a home theater, but from tvOS 18 this can also be done on your TV speakers, for example.
Enhance Dialogs for Clear Speech
Improve dialogues makes spoken text more understandable. Thanks to machine learning and computational audio, ‘Improve Dialogues’ recognizes when someone is speaking. This way, even someone who whispers can be heard clearly among the music and background noise while watching a film or series.
Availability
You can use Improve Dialogs on an iPhone 11 or newer from iOS 18, an iPad with iPadOS 18 or newer and an Apple TV 4K with tvOS 18 or newer.
The function can be used via the built-in speakers of your iPhone, iPad or TV. In addition, voice mode also works in combination with HomePod, AirPods, wired or wireless headphones, Bluetooth speakers or other receivers that are directly linked to your device.
Standard video player from Apple
To use Apple’s Enhance Dialogs feature, it is good to know that voice mode only works via Apple’s standard video player. You can find this in the TV app for Apple TV+, but also in third-party apps. When an application, for example Netflix, uses its own video player, the function does not work.
Enhance Enable Dialogs
By default, Apple’s enhanced speech feature will not be activated. If you want to use it, you must enable it manually via the steps below.
- Play a movie or series
- Tap the screen while playing a video on iPhone or iPad
- Tap circle with waves (audio options)
- Select ‘Improve dialogues’
- Choose ‘Improve’ or ‘Boost’
Enable Enhanced Speech Apple TV
For the Apple TV 4K, you can enable the enhanced dialogs by default using the steps below:
- Open Settings on the Apple TV
- Navigate to ‘Video and audio’
- Select the option ‘Improve dialogues’
- Choose ‘Improve’ or ‘Boost’
‘Enhance’ already improves speech by reducing background noise and highlighting speech more clearly. With ‘Boost’ you ensure that the focus is on speech, music and other sounds are brought into the background when speaking.
Have you installed tvOS 17 yet? Then you can enable the ‘Improve Dialog’ option when you have paired HomePods as a speaker.
Set up manually on Apple TV
On an Apple TV, you can also manually turn the feature on or off or give it a boost. While playing a movie or video, tap the Select button on the Apple TV remote. The video player becomes active. Go to the audio settings (circle with audio waves) and choose ‘Improve dialogues’.