6 Best Fixes for Dolby Atmos Not Working in Apple Music on Mac

The Apple Music app on your Mac allows you to stream songs in Dolby Atmos audio format. Many Mac models support Dolby Atmos audio playback, making streaming with Apple Music ideal for an enhanced listening experience.

Unable to stream Dolby Atmos audio on your Mac? Don’t worry, we’ve got you covered! Here are some simple fixes to get Dolby Atmos working again in Apple Music.

1. Switch to a 5GHz Wi-Fi Network

To stream audio in Dolby Atmos, the key prerequisite is good internet speeds. The first solution is to check the internet speeds on your Mac. Switch from a 2.4 GHz frequency band to a 5 GHz frequency band. Then check if Dolby Atmos is working in the Apple Music app. If not, refer to the next solution.

2. Check if the Music Track Is Available in Dolby Atmos

Not all Apple Music tracks are available in Dolby Atmos surround sound. Some artists have begun uploading their music in Dolby Atmos, also known as Spatial Audio. However, if Dolby Atmos is not working on your Mac, it might be because the song doesn’t support playback. Here’s how you can find out which tracks are available in Dolby Atmos:

1. Press Command + Spacebar to open Spotlight Search.

2. Type “Apple Music” and press Return.

Step 2: Click on Browse from the left menu.

Step 3: Scroll down on the right side and click on Now In Spatial Audio. Whenever you stream any track from this list, the Dolby Atmos logo will appear on the right side of the playback window on the top.

3. Check if Dolby Atmos Is Enabled on Your Mac

To stream Dolby Atmos audio on your Mac, check if this feature is enabled for Apple Music. By default, it is enabled on supported Mac models. Here’s how you can manually enable it:

Step 1: Press Command + Spacebar to open Spotlight Search, type “Apple Music,” and press Return.

To review the text provided in a more concise and impactful way, you could write:

“Step 2: Click on Music in the top-left corner next to the Apple logo.

Step 3: Select Settings.”

Step 4: In the Settings window, click Playback at the top.

Step 5: Look for Dolby Atmos in Playback and check if it’s enabled.

Step 6: Click the dropdown menu for Dolby Atmos.

Step 7: Select Automatic or Always On.

Step 8: Close the Settings window and check if the problem is solved.

4. Disable ‘Stereo Audio As Mono’

To support Dolby Atmos playback, your Mac model has stereo speakers. But you can also play audio in Mono. We recommend disabling Mono audio playback to fully enjoy Dolby Atmos on your Mac.

Step 1: Press Command + Spacebar to open Spotlight Search, type “System Settings,” and press Return.

Step 2: Click Accessibility in the left menu.

Step 3: Click on Audio under Hearing on the right side.

Step 4: If enabled, disable the toggle next to ‘Play Stereo Audio As Mono’.

{“INPUT”: “Step 5:”, “KEYWORDS”: “Close the Settings window, open, Apple Music, check, problem, solved.”}

5. Force Quit and Relaunch Apple Music

Force quitting apps is a good hack to resolve bugs and glitches on your Mac. If you can still enjoy Dolby Atmos playback, try force quitting and restarting the app.

Step 1: Click the Apple icon at the top-left corner. Step 2: Click Force Quit.

Step 3: Select Apple Music from the options.

Step 4: Click on Force Quit.

To resolve the issue, relaunch Apple Music on your Mac.

6. Update macOS To Update Apple Music

If none of the solutions have worked, install a new version of Apple Music on your Mac. To do this, check for a macOS update.

1. Open Spotlight Search by pressing Command + Spacebar.

2. Type “System Settings” and press Return.

Review: Step 2: Click on General from the left menu.

Suggested: Step 2: Click General in the left menu.

Step 3: Click Software Update.

4: Download and install the macOS update if available.

5: After installation, open Apple Music and check if the problem is solved.

Get Surround Sound on Mac

These solutions will restore your Dolby Atmos surround sound when using Apple Music on Mac. You can also refer to our post for solutions to fix Apple Music on Mac not syncing with iPhone.