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Apple TV’s new ‘Enhance Dialogue’ feature expands to original HomePod and HomePod mini with tvOS 17.1

tvOS 17 was released last month with a handful of new features and changes, including FaceTime support, a redesigned Control Center, and VPN support. Enhance Dialogue is a new feature that’s flown somewhat under the radar in tvOS 17, and it now appears to be expanding to older HomePod models with the tvOS 17.1 beta.

Apple explains that Enhance Dialogue makes it easier to hear the dialogue in TV shows and movies by separating the dialogue from the background noise and bringing it forward to the center channel. This means that “users can more clearly hear what is being said over the effects, action, and music in a movie or TV show,” Apple says.

In the initial release of tvOS 17, the Enhance Dialogue feature was available only with a second-generation HomePod paired with an Apple TV 4K. In tvOS 17.1 and HomePod Software 17.1, however, Apple appears to have expanded the Enhance Dialogue feature to HomePod mini and first-generation HomePod users.

This change was first spotted by our friend Sigmund Judge on Mastodon. This means that people using a HomePod from 2018 or a HomePod mini can now take advantage of Enhance Dialogue on Apple TV 4K. The feature is accessible in the native tvOS 17 video player, under the “Audio Enhancements” menu.

I’ve found this to be a really nice addition with tvOS 17, so I’m glad to see it expand to HomePod mini and HomePod (2018) as well. I just hope this change isn’t a bug that Apple reverses with the next tvOS 17.1 beta.

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Avatar for Chance Miller Chance Miller

Chance is an editor for the entire 9to5 network and covers the latest Apple news for 9to5Mac.

Tips, questions, typos to chance@9to5mac.com