We often complain while talking on the phone that there’s too much background noise or the voice on the other end is not clear enough. It can be tackled if you are using an iPhone but that “extra” feature is well hidden inside one of the menus.
The hack — pointed out by @can on Twitter — is pretty useful if you make calls, say, via WhatsApp. Called Voice Isolation, the feature works if your device is running iOS 15 or macOS Monterey. To put it into use, first make a call on WhatsApp. Once the call connects, swipe down from the upper-right corner to dive into Control Centre. Here you will find a button called Mic Mode, which by default is set to Standard. There are two more options in the menu — Wide Spectrum and Voice Isolation.
Voice Isolation basically cuts out background noise to a great degree and the quality of voice improves drastically. Wide Spectrum does the opposite, that is, you hear more background noises. So if you are making a call where you want the person to hear what’s unfolding in the background, this is the option. For example, grandparents want to hear a stream of blabbering from their grandkids. Or a visit to the concert.
When we tried to use the option over a “normal” voice call, the feature didn’t work but otherwise, it swings into action seamlessly. The audio may appear slightly processed but the quality of voice improves.
Apple has continuously been improving noise-cancellation feature on its devices but to have this option easily accessible will be a nice gesture.
