Enable this toggle on iOS 27 for better audio quality when recording videos

The iPhone 18 Pro models are the first Apple handsets to offer a variable aperture camera, a feature that most competitors can’t match. Apple also added several new camera software features in iOS 27 that are exclusive to the new iPhones, such as manual controls for shooting and several video features: intelligent subject focus tracking, 4K 60fps cinematic mode, 4K Dolby Vision time-lapse, and improved audio mixing. But you don’t have to buy one to shoot enhanced videos with your existing iPhone, especially when it comes to recording audio. iOS 27 includes an audio zoom toggle that you should enable in many scenarios. Apple released the Switch earlier this year with the iOS 26.4 update.

Audio zoom is even older, with Apple launching the feature in iOS 13, which debuted with the iPhone 11 series in 2019. Most iPhones released since then support audio zoom. However, it did not include a toggle for manual control. All supported models now allow users to turn it on or off, including iPhone 11 models, which can be updated to iOS 27. The ability to turn off audio zoom is important for certain video experiences. In some cases, iPhone owners may want to turn off audio zoom to record a richer audio landscape.

Unlike telephoto, which allows iPhone users to get closer to their subject by zooming in, Audio Zoom won’t let you place the handset’s microphones close to the subject. Instead, the software will adapt the sound field to the camera’s field of view. iOS will attempt to reduce the volume of surrounding sounds to improve the sound coming from the framed area. The audio zoom will adjust accordingly as you zoom in and out. The software captures more background noise when you zoom out and removes some of that noise when you zoom in.

This feature can be useful when shooting a distant subject. Maybe you want to zoom in on a speaker at a public event or a group of singers at a concert. Likewise, you may want to capture sounds associated with an athlete during a sporting event. Or maybe you’re filming a professional video, but the subject isn’t nearby. Audio zoom can improve audio quality in these scenarios. That said, professional productions will also be able to use dedicated microphones placed close to the subject, which will be even more effective at amplifying the sound.

In some cases, you may want to briefly disable audio zoom. For example, if you’re attending BTS’s Arirang concerts, you’ll want to turn off audio zoom to capture the full stadium experience. You can then activate it when you zoom in on group members. However, you won’t find the audio zoom toggle in the Camera app. In iOS 26.4 or later, including iOS 27, go to Settings > Camera > Record Sound to find it. You cannot use audio zoom when audio is set to Mono in the Record Sound menu.

Spatial Audio (Settings > Camera > Record Sound) is another audio-related iPhone setting that can improve videos. Available on iPhone 16 or later, Spatial Audio “captures more realistic and immersive audio recordings,” according to Apple. This richer sound capture allows users to modify the audio experience with Audio Mix (as shown above), a feature Apple improved in iOS 27 for new iPhones. When Spatial Audio is enabled, wind noise reduction is also enabled on iPhone 16 models and later. For videos that require the actual sound of the wind, you will need to turn this setting off.

Creators can also turn some AirPods into microphones. This can be useful when recording scenes for a movie or when using the iPhone to capture selfie-style videos for social media. Start a video session in the Camera app, then open Control Center and tap Camera Controls to change the sound input of the AirPods you want to use as a microphone. The subject must wear the connected headphones before setting up the video session.

Finally, the iPhone 18 Pro models introduce a new Smart Focus Tracking option that allows the user to keep the subject in focus regardless of changes in distance. This can be useful when recording video of an athlete moving around the field. This also works with the BTS example above, as it allows you to follow a specific group member while filming a video. This feature doesn’t improve audio on its own, but it works well with Audio Zoom. Intelligent Focus Tracking keeps the subject in focus as you track it with the handset, while Audio Zoom reduces ambient noise and prioritizes audio from the framed area.