Exploring the New HDMI Passthrough with Dolby Atmos Feature in macOS Sequoia

The upcoming macOS Sequoia update is bringing a small but significant change for media enthusiasts – the HDMI Passthrough option for Dolby Atmos audio in media apps. This new feature allows users to play Dolby Atmos audio on supported devices through the HDMI port by transmitting lossless audio to be decoded by an external sound system. This not only enhances sound quality but also enables external speakers to receive Dolby Atmos audio.

The beta version of macOS Sequoia includes this new HDMI Passthrough option in the Apple Music and Apple TV apps, found in the Playback settings. While some Apple TV users have been hoping for a similar feature in tvOS, there is no indication of HDMI Passthrough coming to tvOS 18 at this time.

In addition to this exciting new feature, macOS Sequoia also offers users new ways to take advantage of Continuity features between Mac and iPhone, a standalone Passwords app for easy password management, and upcoming AI-based features with Apple Intelligence. The public release of macOS Sequoia is expected this fall, with a developer preview currently available and a public beta set to be released next month.