Apple’s iOS 26 Update Expands Audio Mix Feature Beyond the Photos App

Apple is getting ready to roll out iOS 26, and one of the most exciting updates is the expansion of its Audio Mix feature. This tool, which uses machine learning to improve audio in videos, was previously limited to the Photos app. With the new update, it will now be available in third-party apps as well.

New Audio Editing Options for iPhone 16 Users

The Audio Mix tool gives users four main ways to adjust sound in videos:

Standard: Keeps the original audio as it is.

In-Frame: Lowers the volume of sounds or voices that aren't visible in the video.

Studio: Cuts down background noise and echoes, making it sound more professional.

Cinematic: Makes voices clearer and places background sounds around them, like in movies.

With iOS 26, Apple is also adding new ways to control background noise. However, this feature only works on videos recorded with Spatial Audio, which is turned on by default on iPhone 16 models. Users can manage this setting through the Camera options in the Settings app.

Mac Users to Benefit with macOS Tahoe

Along with the iOS update, Apple is also adding Audio Mix support to third-party apps on macOS Tahoe. This means Mac users will get similar high-quality audio editing features that were once only available on iPhones. Another improvement is coming to apps like Voice Memos. These apps will now be able to save files in QuickTime Audio (QTA) format. This format supports multiple audio tracks, making it easier to create files with different audio layers, similar to Spatial Audio.

Better Tools for Developers and Users

By opening up the Audio Mix tool to developers, Apple is giving them the power to build more advanced editing features into their apps. This update marks a major step in giving users more control over how their videos and recordings sound, whether on iPhone or Mac.