diff --git a/Docs/audio.md b/Docs/audio.md
index 385ae7af4..0f0b50b79 100644
--- a/Docs/audio.md
+++ b/Docs/audio.md
@@ -48,23 +48,38 @@ When set to `false`, the audio session remains active after the LiveKit call end
 
 ## Disabling Voice Processing
 
-Apple's voice processing is enabled by default, such as echo cancellation and auto-gain control.
+Platform voice processing is enabled by default, such as echo cancellation and auto-gain control.
+On Apple platforms this is Apple's Voice-Processing I/O.
 
-If your app doesn't require voice processing at all, you can disable it entirely:
+Use `AudioProcessingMode` to choose the processing backend before publishing or starting local recording:
+
+```swift
+try AudioManager.shared.setAudioProcessingMode(.automatic) // default
+try AudioManager.shared.setAudioProcessingMode(.platform)  // require platform processing
+try AudioManager.shared.setAudioProcessingMode(.software)  // use WebRTC APM
+try AudioManager.shared.setAudioProcessingMode(.disabled)  // no voice processing
+```
+
+Mode changes are only supported by audio device modules that implement this API, and only
+while audio is idle. To switch during a call, unpublish or stop local recording first, set
+the mode, then publish or start recording again.
+
+If your app doesn't require voice processing at all, you can also use the compatibility API:
 
 ```swift
 try AudioManager.shared.setVoiceProcessingEnabled(false)
 ```
 
-This restarts the internal `AVAudioEngine` to apply the change. It can cause a short audio glitch, so it is recommended to set it once before connecting to a Room. Disabling voice processing also disables muted speaker detection.
+This is equivalent to `try AudioManager.shared.setAudioProcessingMode(.disabled)`.
+Disabling platform voice processing also disables muted speaker detection.
 
-If your app requires toggling voice processing at run-time, it is recommended to use:
+If your app only needs to bypass Apple's platform processing at run-time, use:
 
 ```swift
 AudioManager.shared.isVoiceProcessingBypassed = true
 ```
 
-Set it back to `false` to re-enable processing. This uses `AVAudioEngine`'s [isVoiceProcessingBypassed](https://developer.apple.com/documentation/avfaudio/avaudioinputnode/isvoiceprocessingbypassed) and works seamlessly at run-time.
+Set it back to `false` to re-enable Apple's processing. This uses `AVAudioEngine`'s [isVoiceProcessingBypassed](https://developer.apple.com/documentation/avfaudio/avaudioinputnode/isvoiceprocessingbypassed) and works seamlessly at run-time, but it does not switch to WebRTC software processing.
 
 ## Other audio ducking
 
diff --git a/Sources/LiveKit/Audio/Manager/AudioManager+AudioProcessingMode.swift b/Sources/LiveKit/Audio/Manager/AudioManager+AudioProcessingMode.swift
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..77ab58c74
--- /dev/null
+++ b/Sources/LiveKit/Audio/Manager/AudioManager+AudioProcessingMode.swift
@@ -0,0 +1,70 @@
+/*
+ * Copyright 2026 LiveKit
+ *
+ * Licensed under the Apache License, Version 2.0 (the "License");
+ * you may not use this file except in compliance with the License.
+ * You may obtain a copy of the License at
+ *
+ *     http://www.apache.org/licenses/LICENSE-2.0
+ *
+ * Unless required by applicable law or agreed to in writing, software
+ * distributed under the License is distributed on an "AS IS" BASIS,
+ * WITHOUT WARRANTIES OR CONDITIONS OF ANY KIND, either express or implied.
+ * See the License for the specific language governing permissions and
+ * limitations under the License.
+ */
+
+internal import LiveKitWebRTC
+
+public enum AudioProcessingMode: Sendable {
+    /// Prefer platform voice processing when available, otherwise use WebRTC software processing.
+    case automatic
+    /// Require platform voice processing.
+    case platform
+    /// Use WebRTC software processing and disable platform voice processing.
+    case software
+    /// Disable both platform voice processing and WebRTC software processing.
+    case disabled
+    case unknown
+}
+
+public extension AudioManager {
+    var audioProcessingMode: AudioProcessingMode {
+        RTC.audioDeviceModule.audioProcessingMode.toLKType()
+    }
+
+    func setAudioProcessingMode(_ mode: AudioProcessingMode) throws {
+        guard mode != .unknown else {
+            throw LiveKitError(.invalidState, message: "Unsupported audio processing mode specified")
+        }
+
+        let result = RTC.audioDeviceModule.setAudioProcessingMode(mode.toRTCType())
+        try checkAdmResult(code: result)
+    }
+}
+
+// MARK: - Internal
+
+extension LKRTCAudioProcessingMode {
+    func toLKType() -> AudioProcessingMode {
+        switch self {
+        case .automatic: return .automatic
+        case .platform: return .platform
+        case .software: return .software
+        case .disabled: return .disabled
+        @unknown default: return .unknown
+        }
+    }
+}
+
+extension AudioProcessingMode {
+    func toRTCType() -> LKRTCAudioProcessingMode {
+        switch self {
+        case .automatic: .automatic
+        case .platform: .platform
+        case .software: .software
+        case .disabled: .disabled
+        case .unknown: .automatic
+        }
+    }
+}
diff --git a/Sources/LiveKit/Audio/Manager/AudioManager.swift b/Sources/LiveKit/Audio/Manager/AudioManager.swift
index 672a64c51..a70bd2a05 100644
--- a/Sources/LiveKit/Audio/Manager/AudioManager.swift
+++ b/Sources/LiveKit/Audio/Manager/AudioManager.swift
@@ -320,12 +320,13 @@ public class AudioManager: Loggable {
         set { RTC.audioDeviceModule.duckingLevel = newValue.toRTCType() }
     }
 
-    /// The main flag that determines whether to enable Voice-Processing I/O of the internal AVAudioEngine. Toggling this requires restarting the AudioEngine.
-    /// Setting this to `false` prevents any voice-processing-related initialization, and muted talker detection will not work.
-    /// Typically, it is recommended to keep this set to `true` and toggle ``isVoiceProcessingBypassed`` when possible.
+    /// Whether the current audio processing mode uses Voice-Processing I/O of the internal AVAudioEngine.
+    /// Use ``setAudioProcessingMode(_:)`` for explicit platform/software/disabled selection.
     /// Defaults to `true`.
     public var isVoiceProcessingEnabled: Bool { RTC.audioDeviceModule.isVoiceProcessingEnabled }
 
+    /// Compatibility API for enabling automatic processing or disabling processing entirely.
+    /// Prefer ``setAudioProcessingMode(_:)`` for new code.
     public func setVoiceProcessingEnabled(_ enabled: Bool) throws {
         let result = RTC.audioDeviceModule.setVoiceProcessingEnabled(enabled)
         try checkAdmResult(code: result)
@@ -544,6 +545,7 @@ let kAudioEngineErrorFailedToConfigureAudioSession = -4100
 let kAudioEngineErrorAudioSessionCategoryRecordingRequired = -4102
 
 let kAudioEngineErrorInsufficientDevicePermission = -4101
+let kAudioEngineInvalidStateError = -5000
 
 extension AudioManager {
     func checkAdmResult(code: Int) throws {
@@ -553,6 +555,8 @@ extension AudioManager {
             throw LiveKitError(.deviceAccessDenied, message: "Device permissions are not granted")
         } else if code == kAudioEngineErrorAudioSessionCategoryRecordingRequired {
             throw LiveKitError(.audioSession, message: "Recording category required for audio session")
+        } else if code == kAudioEngineInvalidStateError {
+            throw LiveKitError(.invalidState, message: "Audio engine returned invalid state")
         } else if code != 0 {
             throw LiveKitError(.audioEngine, message: "Audio engine returned error code: \(code)")
         }
diff --git a/Sources/LiveKit/Types/Options/AudioCaptureOptions.swift b/Sources/LiveKit/Types/Options/AudioCaptureOptions.swift
index 99c8ecc21..38516e1d7 100644
--- a/Sources/LiveKit/Types/Options/AudioCaptureOptions.swift
+++ b/Sources/LiveKit/Types/Options/AudioCaptureOptions.swift
@@ -20,20 +20,23 @@ internal import LiveKitWebRTC
 
 @objcMembers
 public final class AudioCaptureOptions: NSObject, CaptureOptions, Sendable {
-    // Defaults are `true` on all platforms. In practice these options only affect
-    // software (WebRTC) APM on iOS Simulator. On iOS device or macOS, Apple's VPIO
-    // handles AEC/AGC/NS and software APM is always off regardless of these flags.
+    // Defaults are `true` on all platforms. These options affect WebRTC's
+    // software APM. In the default audio processing mode, platform processing
+    // handles AEC/AGC/NS on iOS device and macOS, so software APM is off. Use
+    // `AudioManager.shared.setAudioProcessingMode(.software)` to explicitly
+    // select WebRTC software processing on supported WebRTC builds.
     //
     // Platform behavior:
-    // - iOS device or macOS: VPIO is active. Software APM is always off. These
-    //   flags are effectively ignored for runtime processing, but still reported
-    //   to the server as audio track features for telemetry.
+    // - iOS device or macOS with `.automatic`: platform processing is active.
+    //   Software APM is off. These flags are still reported to the server as
+    //   audio track features for telemetry.
+    // - iOS device or macOS with `.software`: Software APM is active and these
+    //   flags are respected.
     // - iOS Simulator: VPIO is not reliably available. Software APM is used and
     //   these flags are respected.
     //
-    // To control VPIO on device, see ``AudioManager/isVoiceProcessingEnabled``,
-    // ``AudioManager/isVoiceProcessingBypassed``, and
-    // ``AudioManager/isVoiceProcessingAGCEnabled``.
+    // To control the processing backend, see
+    // ``AudioManager/setAudioProcessingMode(_:)``.
     public static let defaultEchoCancellation = true
     public static let defaultAutoGainControl = true
     public static let defaultNoiseSuppression = true
@@ -47,20 +50,17 @@ public final class AudioCaptureOptions: NSObject, CaptureOptions, Sendable {
     )
 
     /// Whether to enable software (WebRTC's) echo cancellation.
-    /// Only takes effect on iOS Simulator. On iOS device or macOS, Apple's VPIO
-    /// handles AEC and this flag is ignored for runtime processing.
-    /// See ``AudioManager/isVoiceProcessingBypassed`` for device-side VPIO controls.
+    /// Takes effect when WebRTC software processing is active.
+    /// See ``AudioManager/setAudioProcessingMode(_:)`` for backend selection.
     public let echoCancellation: Bool
 
     /// Whether to enable software (WebRTC's) gain control.
-    /// Only takes effect on iOS Simulator. On iOS device or macOS, Apple's VPIO
-    /// handles AGC and this flag is ignored for runtime processing.
-    /// See ``AudioManager/isVoiceProcessingAGCEnabled`` for device-side VPIO controls.
+    /// Takes effect when WebRTC software processing is active.
+    /// See ``AudioManager/setAudioProcessingMode(_:)`` for backend selection.
     public let autoGainControl: Bool
 
     /// Whether to enable software (WebRTC's) noise suppression.
-    /// Only takes effect on iOS Simulator. On iOS device or macOS, Apple's VPIO
-    /// handles NS and this flag is ignored for runtime processing.
+    /// Takes effect when WebRTC software processing is active.
     public let noiseSuppression: Bool
 
     public let highpassFilter: Bool
diff --git a/Tests/LiveKitAudioTests/AudioProcessingTests.swift b/Tests/LiveKitAudioTests/AudioProcessingTests.swift
index 4552ba193..c6f781e9f 100644
--- a/Tests/LiveKitAudioTests/AudioProcessingTests.swift
+++ b/Tests/LiveKitAudioTests/AudioProcessingTests.swift
@@ -65,8 +65,8 @@ import LiveKitTestSupport
     }
 
     @Test func optionsAppliedToAudioProcessingModule() async throws {
-        // Disable Apple VPIO.
-        AudioManager.shared.isVoiceProcessingBypassed = true
+        try AudioManager.shared.setAudioProcessingMode(.software)
+        defer { try? AudioManager.shared.setAudioProcessingMode(.automatic) }
 
         try await TestEnvironment.withRoom(RoomTestingOptions(canPublish: true)) { room in
             let allOnOptions = AudioCaptureOptions(