How to listen to music in Dolby Atmos

Music created in Dolby Atmos goes beyond the ordinary listening experience, fully immersing you so that every detail of the sound is revealed with unparalleled clarity and depth. When creators mixed in stereo they were limited to creating sounds for just the left and right speakers, but music mixed in Dolby Atmos allows artists to now place individual sounds all around you. Sounds envelop you to create a spatial sound environment designed all around you, bringing you right into their world.

With a simple setup, listening to music in Dolby Atmos is easy. It’s available on a number of devices from home cinema and TVs to soundbars and phones. To get the best possible listening experience you’ll need three things: a device, steaming service, and music — all enabled with Dolby Atmos.

Listening in Dolby Atmos is simple really. There is a good chance your device has Dolby Atmos. Just look for the Dolby badge in the settings and turn it on. Likewise, keep an eye out for the Dolby badge on the music you want to stream.

If you have a Sonos soundbar enabled with Dolby Atmos or Echo Studio, you are all set for a shared listening experience at home.

You can also listen to music in Dolby Atmos on Android or iOS devices with any pair of headphones.

To find content in Dolby Atmos, head to Apple Music, Amazon Music Unlimited, or TIDAL HiFi for a truly spatial listening experience where you can listen to artists such as Bad Bunny, The Beatles, BTS, Beyonce, Ed Sheeran, Harry Styles, Queen, Taylor Swift, and The Weeknd.

Is Dolby Atmos on Apple Music?

The Dolby Atmos catalogue on Apple Music is growing every day. Subscribers can seek out editorial Apple playlists which curate Dolby Atmos titles. There’s also the added cool factor of Apple’s dynamic head tracking feature, available on Apple’s AirPods and Beats headphones paired with a compatible iPhone or iPad to adjust sound as the head moves.

You can also experience Dolby Atmos on a variety of studio albums and tracks. Albums and tracks will display the Dolby Atmos badge. If you are listening to a playlist, be sure to look for the Dolby Atmos badge on the cover art. For more information on how to listen to Dolby Atmos Music on Apple Music, click here.

How to listen to Dolby Atmos Music on Apple Music

If you have an Apple TV 4K, connect it to a TV, soundbar, or AV receiver enabled with Dolby Atmos. You can also listen to music in Dolby Atmos on many Apple devices. Listening to Dolby Atmos is free for Apple Music subscribers.

Be sure to turn on Dolby Atmos in your settings by following the steps below:

Choose how to listen to Dolby Atmos on your iPhone or iPad.
Update your iPhone or iPad to the latest version of iOS or iPadOS.
Go to Settings.
Tap Music.
Under Audio, tap Dolby Atmos.
Choose Automatic, Always On, or Off.
We also recommend setting Sound Check to On.

If you choose Automatic, here’s what you need to do:

Supported songs automatically play in Dolby Atmos when you're listening with:
AirPods Pro, AirPods Max, AirPods (3rd generation), or Beats Fit Pro with Spatial Audio turned on.
AirPods (1st or 2nd generation).
BeatsX, Beats Solo3 Wireless, Beats Studio3, Powerbeats3 Wireless, Beats Flex, Powerbeats Pro, Beats Solo Pro, or Beats Studio Buds.
Any Bluetooth headphones that you categorise as headphones on your iPhone or iPad.
The built-in speakers on an iPhone XS or later (except iPhone SE), iPad Pro 12.9-inch (3rd generation or later), iPad Pro 11-inch, or iPad Air (4th generation or later).

If you choose Always On, here’s what you need:

If you want to use wired headphones, choose Always On.
For more info on how to enjoy Dolby Atmos from Apple Music on iPad, HomePod, Mac, or Android Dolby Atmos-enabled devices, visit Apple Support here.

Does Dolby Atmos work with Amazon Music?

Amazon Music hosts a wide range of songs from ground-breaking artists. Just look for the Dolby Atmos badge on your music, or on Echo Studio just ask, "Alexa, play the best of Dolby Atmos Music” to hear a selection of top songs in Dolby Atmos.

How to listen to Dolby Atmos Music on Amazon Music

To enjoy your favourite artists creations in Dolby Atmos on Amazon Music, you first need to get set up with the Amazon Music App and with an Amazon Music Unlimited subscription.

Be sure to turn on Dolby Atmos in your settings by following the steps below:

Open the Home screen of the Amazon Music app
Click on the Settings icon (top right)
Set Dolby Atmos to On
We also recommend setting Loudness Normalisation to On

Does TIDAL include music in Dolby Atmos?

Absolutely! In fact, TIDAL has more than 50+ Dolby Atmos playlists to choose from so there is something for you no matter what kind of music you are into.

How to listen to Dolby Atmos Music on TIDAL

There are a few ways to ensure you can get the immersive Dolby Atmos experience on TIDAL. Start by subscribing to TIDAL HiFi on a compatible device.

If mobile is your thing, ensure you pick a smartphone or tablet enabled with Dolby Atmos. You’ll also need the TIDAL (HiFi Plus) App. To view all available Dolby Atmos Music tracks on TIDAL, go to the “Explore” tab and click the “Dolby Atmos” menu option.

For TV, use a compatible Android TV, or Apple TV 4K, Fire TV, or Android TV streaming media player with a Dolby Atmos-enabled soundbar or speakers. To cast your music with TIDAL, connect, use a mobile device enabled with a Dolby Atmos that supports TIDAL Connect.

Once you’re set up, all you have to do next is to go to the Home screen and listen to music listed under “Available in Dolby Atmos.” TIDAL will automatically default to this experience if a Dolby Atmos mix is available. Tracks will be identified by a Dolby badge as well as through a Dolby Atmos identifier that will display once a song is selected.

For the best listening experience, please ensure that “Loudness Normalisation” is turned on in the TIDAL app.

Still thinking about the Dolby Atmos experience?

If you’re still wondering if Dolby Atmos is worth it, check out our handy explainer here. Already convinced? We’re here to help you achieve the perfect set up for your pad. Head over to our interactive home setup guide to get started.