Back in 2021, Disney (rather quietly) announced that it would be supported DTS IMAX Enhanced audio on its streaming service. Home cinema fans clapped their hands, and everyone waited for the feature to arrive.
And then things went quiet.
Disney+ has IMAX Enhanced video on its platform, but it was hard to figure out whether it or DTS had added the audio part.
We began to hear that it was supported but that you’d need an IMAX Enhanced certified soundbar to hear it. But then we would connect a soundbar and still be confused as to why DTS audio wasn’t working. Were we missing something?
Turns out we were.
So you can play DTS IMAX Enhanced audio on Disney+, but at this moment in time you need a few specific bits of kit to make it happen. Here’s how to play DTS IMAX Enhanced audio on Disney+.
What you’ll need:
- Either a Google or Android TV model
- Disney+
- An IMAX Enhanced certified soundbar
The short version:
- Make sure your Disney+ app is updated to the latest version
- Plug your IMAX Enhanced certified soundbar to your TV
- Open the Disney+ app
- Find and play IMAX Enhanced content
- Go to Audio Options in the bottom right of the screen
- Toggle IMAX Enhanced DTS:X audio on or off
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Step
1You need a Google TV or an Android TV
For now, this is the most important step in getting IMAX Enhanced working on Disney+. On May 15th, 2024, Xperi, the owners of the DTS and IMAX Enhanced brand, added DTS support to Android based platforms.
The reasoning it gave Trusted Reviews at IFA 2024 as to why it didn’t do it for all the platforms in one swoop was due to logistical and administrative issues. The expectation is that it will come to other platforms in the future.
As of right now, an Android-based TV from Philips, Sony, and TCL will help you in your quest for DTS sound on Disney+. And that TV also needs to support DTS audio too.
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Step
2Make sure the Disney+ app is the latest version
The Disney+ app should automatically update itself, but if you have an older TV, head into the app and give it an update just to be sure.
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Step
3Make sure your soundbar is certified for IMAX Enhanced audio
It’ll surprise few that Dolby draws major support with TVs and sound systems, but it’s fairly surprising that DTS doesn’t given its home cinema pedigree.
Not all soundbars support DTS audio, and fewer come with IMAX Enhanced certification. If having a Google TV/Android TV is the most important step, the second most important is having a soundbar or sound system that has IMAX Enhanced certification, such as the Sony Bravia Theatre Bar 8.
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4Open the Disney+ app and look for IMAX Enhanced content
The Disney+ app does not make it easy to find IMAX Enhanced content.
You can search for it, but you’re likely to bring up results for Max Payne (we’d advise you don’t watch that film).
Instead, the easiest way is to head to the Marvel tab and scroll down until you find the IMAX Enhanced row. That has a list of all the content available in IMAX full-screen ratio. Not every Marvel film has an IMAX version, though, but the most films since Captain America: Civil War do.
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5Click on the Audio Options icon
You’ve started playing the film, but at this moment in time you’re getting Dolby Atmos/Dolby Audio through your sound system. To change this, head to the Audio Options icon in the bottom right corner. This icon currently only appears on Google TV/Android TV models with an IMAX Enhanced certified soundbar connected. As far as we know, it has yet to appear on Samsung, LG or any other TVs that we’ve tested.
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Step
6Toggle IMAX Enhanced/DTS audio on or off
You’ll be presented with the choice of toggling IMAX Enhanced audio on or off. If it’s not aleady on, switch it to on and along with IMAX Enhanced video you’re watching, you’ll have audio part too.
FAQs
As far as we know, IMAX Enhanced/DTS audio is not supported on either Samsung or LG TVs. LG removed DTS support for its 2025 TVs, but LG TV models from 2023-24 should still have DTS support if you can find them.
