You're standing on a busy street corner, wind is howling, and your mom is calling. You answer, but all she hears is the screeching of a bus and the gale-force wind. You’re screaming into the mic. She’s yelling "What?" back at you. It’s a mess.
Most people think "noise cancellation" is just that thing your AirPods do to keep the world quiet. But your iPhone actually has several different layers of noise-blocking tech built right into the software. Some of it is hidden. Some of it only shows up when you’re actually talking to someone. Honestly, Apple doesn't make it super obvious where all these switches are, especially since they keep moving them around in newer iOS updates.
Basically, if you want to know how to do noise cancellation on iPhone, you have to look at three different things: blocking noise for you (AirPods), blocking noise for the other person (Voice Isolation), and that weird "Phone Noise Cancellation" setting that seems to disappear on newer models.
The "Invisible" Setting: Voice Isolation
This is the one you actually want if people keep complaining they can’t hear you. Apple introduced a feature called Voice Isolation that uses machine learning to literally scrub out everything that isn't your voice. It’s kinda magical. It can block out a vacuum cleaner running right next to you.
The weird part? You can’t find this in the regular Settings app. It only appears when you are actively on a call.
- Start a phone call or a FaceTime.
- Swipe down from the top-right corner of your screen to open the Control Center.
- Look for a button at the top that says Mic Mode.
- Tap it and select Voice Isolation.
Once you turn this on, your iPhone remembers it for the next call. It’s a game-changer for anyone who takes work calls in coffee shops or while walking the dog in the wind. In iOS 18 and the newer 2026 updates, there's even an "Automatic" mode that tries to guess when you need it, but honestly, just locking it to Voice Isolation is usually better if you're in a loud spot.
Why did "Phone Noise Cancellation" vanish?
If you’ve been digging through your settings because you remember a toggle called "Phone Noise Cancellation," you aren't crazy. It used to be under Accessibility > Audio/Visual.
Here is the deal: Apple removed this specific toggle for the iPhone 13 and every model after it. If you have an iPhone 12 or older, you can still find it. For everyone else, Apple claims the hardware and the way the receivers are built now makes that specific toggle unnecessary. They’ve basically baked it into the hardware level, or they expect you to use the Voice Isolation trick I mentioned above.
If you are on an older device like an iPhone 11 or 12:
- Open Settings.
- Tap Accessibility.
- Go to Audio/Visual.
- Toggle on Phone Noise Cancellation.
It’s meant to reduce ambient noise when you’re holding the phone right against your ear. If you use speakerphone mostly, this setting doesn't really do anything for you anyway.
Controlling Your AirPods from the iPhone
Now, if we’re talking about Active Noise Cancellation (ANC)—the kind that makes the world go quiet so you can hear your music—that’s a different beast. You need hardware that supports it, like AirPods Pro, AirPods Max, or the ANC version of AirPods 4.
You've probably used the stems to click between modes, but doing it on the iPhone screen gives you more control.
Connect your buds and swipe into the Control Center. Long-press the volume slider. It’ll expand, and you’ll see icons for Noise Cancellation, Off, and Transparency.
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There is also a "hidden" setting for people who find the pressure of ANC uncomfortable in both ears. If you go to Settings > Accessibility > AirPods, you can find a toggle for Noise Cancellation with One AirPod. This lets you keep one ear open to the world while the other stays in its quiet bubble. It’s great for office workers who need to hear if someone says their name but still want to focus.
Background Sounds: The Reverse Noise Cancellation
Sometimes the best way to cancel out noise isn't to block it, but to mask it. Apple added a feature called Background Sounds that is basically a built-in white noise machine.
If you're trying to work in a distracting environment, you can layer "Rain" or "Balanced Noise" over your music.
- Go to Settings > Accessibility > Audio/Visual > Background Sounds.
- Turn it on and pick a sound like "Ocean" or "Dark Noise."
I usually suggest adding the Hearing icon to your Control Center (the little ear icon) so you can turn these sounds on and off with two taps instead of digging through the menu every single time.
Quick Recap for Fixing Call Quality
If you're in a rush and just need to sound better right now, do this:
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- Make the call.
- Open Control Center (swipe down from the top right).
- Tap Mic Mode.
- Hit Voice Isolation.
That is the single most effective way to deal with noise on an iPhone today. It works for cellular calls, WhatsApp, and even Instagram calls.
For your next step, open your Control Center right now—even if you aren't on a call—and check your Hearing settings to see if you have Background Sounds ready to go for the next time you need to focus in a noisy room. You can also head into Settings > Control Center and add the "Hearing" widget if it isn't already there.