Greatest Apple HomePod and HomePod mini ideas and tips

In the event you’ve invested in a HomePod or HomePod mini, you are most undoubtedly in the best place. There are many options constructed into these two sensible audio system, a few of which you will not learn about as they arrived with iOS 17 in September. Not solely do you now not should say “Hey” earlier than Siri, however there are some neat tips when you have an Apple TV, comparable to taking calls with HomePod.

We have detailed a bunch of HomePod and HomePod mini ideas and tips to get you began and present you what your Apple sensible speaker can do, together with how to make sure it’s up-to-date with the most recent model of software program, so that you get all the most recent options.

HomePod and HomePod mini setup ideas and tips

Ideas and tips for utilizing the HomePod and HomePod mini aren’t any good if you do not know easy methods to set it up proper so right here we’re operating by way of our prime ideas for HomePod setup.

arrange HomePod and HomePod mini

The HomePod arrange is much like organising a pair of AirPods or Apple TV. You want to be on the most recent model of iOS and have your iOS gadget close to the speaker if you do.

1. Activate the HomePod or HomePod mini and await the sunshine to glow on the highest.
2. Put your iPhone or iPad close to the HomePod or HomePod mini.
3. Faucet Set Up.
4. Set which room the HomePod goes to be.
5. Select whether or not to Allow Private Requests. That is whether or not you need to have the ability to dictate textual content messages, add reminders, or take notes by way of the sensible speaker.
6. Comply with switch your iCloud account, Wi-Fi and different HomeKit settings over to the speaker.
7. Say “Siri, what are you able to do?” adopted by “Siri, play some music.”

replace your HomePod

To replace your HomePod to the most recent model of iOS and make sure you profit from any new options that seem, observe the steps under:

1. Open the Home app in your iPhone or iPad.
2. Faucet the circle with three dots icon within the higher right-hand nook.
3. Faucet ‘Dwelling Settings.’
4. Scroll down and faucet Software program Replace.
5. Faucet the ‘Replace (All)’ button to start the replace or pull all the way down to see if there’s one.
6. Faucet ‘Agree’ on the Phrases and Circumstances web page.

In case your HomePod would not sound correct, choose it up

The HomePod (1st and 2nd technology) and HomePod mini characteristic an accelerometer that detects when the speaker has been moved, so it could possibly routinely whizz by way of the sound setup process once more. If for some purpose you are not pleased with the sound your speaker is creating, choose up the HomePod or HomePod mini, raise it within the air, and exchange it the place you need the speaker to go. This could routinely power the speaker to calibrate the sound once more – one thing that takes seconds, and the audio needs to be improved. The possibilities are nevertheless, it’s best to by no means have to fret about doing this.

create a HomePod or HomePod mini stereo pair

When you’ve got two HomePods or two HomePod minis, you’ll be able to create a stereo pair. We have got a full characteristic on this, under – however in a nutshell, observe the directions under:

1. Be certain your HomePods or HomePod minis are operating iOS 11.4 or later.
2. Open the Dwelling app in your iPhone or iPad.
3. Contact and maintain a HomePod within the listing.
4. Faucet on ‘Accent Settings’.
5. Scroll down and faucet ‘Create Stereo Pair’.
6. Observe the onscreen directions, comparable to deciding on which shall be left and proper.

Associated: How to create a HomePod or HomePod mini stereo pair

Use your HomePod or HomePod mini as a speaker for Apple TV 4K

When you’ve got an Apple TV 4K, you should utilize your HomePod and HomePod mini because the default speaker, which is nice if you do not have a soundbar and your TV sound is not good. We have got a separate characteristic on this too, under, however here is the fundamental directions:

Utilizing your Apple TV

1. Head to Settings in your Apple TV menu.
2. Choose Video and Audio.
3. Choose Default Audio Output.
4. Your HomePod mini or HomePod ought to seem on the listing, permitting you to pick it.

Associated: How to connect Apple HomePod mini speakers to Apple TV

Utilizing your iPhone or iPad

If you wish to join your HomePod to your Apple TV utilizing your iPhone or iPad, you will first must open the Dwelling app. You may then want to ensure your HomePod and your Apple TV are linked to the identical room.

1. Open the Dwelling app.
2. Be certain your HomePod or HomePod mini and your Apple TV are linked to the identical room.
3. Contact and maintain the Apple TV tile.
4. Faucet on Accent Settings.
5. Faucet on Default Audio Choice.
6. Choose your HomePod or HomePod mini.

It is value mentioning that if you’re operating iOS 17 or later, it’s also possible to increase speech when utilizing HomePods as a speaker along with your Apple TV. Throughout the settings, there’s an Improve Dialogue possibility that may cut back bass and concentrate on speech.

HomePod music tips and ideas

There are a selection of how you’ll be able to management music playback on the HomePod. Both by way of voice instructions to Siri, by way of the contact panel on the highest of the speaker, or by way of the Apple Music app in your iPhone or iPad.

HomePod contact controls

You may faucet the highest of HomePod or HomePod mini to play, pause, skip a tune, or modify the amount. Contact and maintain the highest to speak to Siri.

• Faucet as soon as to Play/Pause
• Double-tap to skip to the following monitor
• Triple faucet to skip again to the earlier monitor
• Contact and maintain to entry Siri with out saying “Siri”
• Faucet or maintain the plus icon to show the amount up
• Faucet or maintain the minus icon to show the amount down

HomePod music voice controls

You may management the music playback of music performed by way of the HomePod (ie not by way of AirPlay) by merely saying “Siri.” Word that if you’re operating iOS 17 or later, you solely should say “Siri” relatively than “Hey Siri”. Listed below are some primary voice instructions:

• Siri, flip the amount up
• Siri, flip the amount to 85 per cent
• Siri, flip the amount down
• Siri, cease
• Siri, play
• Siri, subsequent tune
• Siri, skip ahead 30 seconds
• Siri, earlier monitor

Siri additionally helps various extra advanced music voice instructions like asking for particular genres, moods, or actions.

It’s also possible to go extra particular both with artists or playlists. For instance:

• Siri, play the most recent tune by Norah Jones
• Siri, play Ed Sheeran
• Siri, play this 12 months’s Grammy nominees
• Siri, play Adele’s first album
• Siri, play a playlist from Pitchfork
• Siri, play the tune by Jay-Z that includes Justin Timberlake

When you’re taking part in a monitor you’ll be able to then ask Siri extra questions on what’s taking part in.

• Siri, what tune is that this?
• Siri, when was this launched?
• Siri, what’s Taylor Swift’s latest album?
• Siri, who performs drums for Coldplay?

Apple / Pocket-lint 

Controlling HomePod music by way of your iPhone

You may see what’s taking part in in your HomePod at any time both by asking Siri to let you know or by accessing the HomePod by way of Management Centre or the Apple Music app in your iPhone or iPad. To take action you need to be on the identical Wi-Fi community.

By Management Centre

1. Open Management Centre.
2. Faucet on the small wi-fi wanting icon on the prime of the music panel.
3. Scroll down the display to see your HomePod’s title. In the event you’ve already performed music, it would have the final monitor you have performed with the accompanying album artwork.
4. Faucet on the tune title to disclose playback instructions.
5. Faucet once more to open up management within the Apple Music app.

By the Apple Music app

1. Open the Apple Music app.
2. Faucet on the present tune or earlier tune you have been taking part in.
3. Faucet on the AirPlay emblem on the backside centre of the display.
4. Scroll down the display to see your HomePod’s title. In the event you’ve already performed music, it would have the final monitor you have performed with the accompanying album artwork.
5. Faucet on the tune title to disclose playback instructions.
6. Faucet once more to return to the Apple Music app and select the tune you wish to play.

Scale back the bass in your HomePod or HomePod mini

In the event you discover the HomePod or HomePod mini too bassy, you’ll be able to apply a setting to scale back the low frequency output of the audio system.

1. Open the Dwelling app.
2. Faucet and maintain your HomePod within the Favorite Accent part.
3. Faucet on ‘Accent Settings’.
4. Toggle on Scale back Bass.

Enable Specific Content material on HomePod

You may set whether or not you wish to hearken to music with express content material or not on the HomePod and HomePod mini, which is helpful in case you’ve acquired youngsters or in case you simply aren’t a fan of dangerous language. To show this characteristic on or off you should go to the HomePod or HomePod mini’s settings web page within the Dwelling app in your iPhone or iPad.

1. Go to the Dwelling app.
2. Faucet on the circle with three dots icon within the prime proper nook.
3. Faucet on Dwelling Settings.
4. Faucet a person.
5. Toggle Enable Specific Content material.

Use Listening Historical past on HomePod and HomePod mini

Apple permits music performed on the HomePod and HomePod mini to affect your “Pay attention Now” suggestions and seem in your profile. In the event you’re nervous that different members of your loved ones may disrupt your suggestions (learn youngsters listening to Frozen an excessive amount of) you’ll be able to flip this characteristic off. To do that observe the directions under:

1. Go to the Dwelling app.
2. Faucet on the circle with three dots icon within the prime proper nook.
3. Faucet on Dwelling Settings.
4. Faucet a person.
5. Faucet on Replace Listening Historical past and toggle off the HomePod audio system you do not wish to affect your Pay attention Now suggestions.

AirPlay out of your iPhone to HomePod

If you wish to play music straight out of your gadget or from one other service like Spotify, you’ll be able to AirPlay content material straight out of your iPhone or iPad to the HomePod or HomePod mini.

To take action merely go the app you wish to play, discover the AirPlay emblem after which choose your HomePod or HomePod mini from the listing of obtainable gadgets.

HomePod messaging ideas tips

Past music controls, the HomePod additionally has the power to ship messages, set reminders, create lists, and add notes utilizing your voice.

Enabling Private Requests

To allow or disable private requests – i.e, ship messages, add to your reminders, or create notes when your iPhone is close by – you need to go to the Dwelling app.

1. Open the Dwelling app.
2. Faucet and maintain your HomePod or HomePod mini from the Favorite Equipment part.
3. Faucet on ‘Accent Settings.’
4. Faucet on Private Requests.
5. Toggle Private Requests on for every HomePod you need them on for.

Making a message with HomePod and HomePod mini

To create a brand new message, you merely should say “Siri, textual content…” or “Siri, WhatsApp…” Siri helps textual content messaging by way of various apps, together with iMessage, SMS, WhatsApp and WeChat.

It’s also possible to inform Siri {that a} sure contact is your brother or associate, for instance, and Siri will do not forget that for the long run, so you can say “Ship a message to my husband” or “Ship a message to my spouse” and it’ll ship a message to whoever you will have instructed Siri is your husband or your spouse.

Including to your Reminders or Lists

For Reminders and Lists, you’ll be able to ask so as to add objects or full them by telling Siri. You merely say issues like, “Siri, mark stroll the neighbour’s canine as full” or “Siri, add broccoli to the grocery listing.”

HomePod and HomePod mini help Apple’s personal Reminders app in addition to others, like Evernote and Issues 3.

Including or creating Notes

You may both create or add notes by way of the HomePod by saying issues like, “Siri, create a word Books to Learn” or “Siri, add Columns of Fireplace to my Books to Learn word.”

HomePod and HomePod mini can be utilized as an intercom when you have a number of HomePod audio system in your house or a number of Apple gadgets. You may ship completely different intercom messages to particular rooms and zones or ship the identical message, like “Siri, intercom ‘Time for supper!'” to inform everybody to get to the desk. An intercom message will arrive at any HomePod audio system you inform it to, in addition to iOS, iPadOS or Apple Watch or CarPlay devices.

Ship an intercom message

To ship an intercom message in your HomePod or HomePod mini, merely attempt any of the examples under or make up your personal.

• “Siri, intercom ‘Who ate the final biscuit?'”
• “Siri, announce ‘I am dwelling!'”
• “Siri, ask everybody the place are my glasses?”
• “Siri, let everybody know I discovered my glasses”
• “Siri, inform everybody I am taking the canine for a stroll”
• “Siri, intercom ‘On my approach dwelling, need me to select something up?'”

To ship a message to a HomePod in a selected room or zone, say one thing like “Siri, inform the workplace the movie is beginning,” or “Siri, announce upstairs I will the outlets.”

Replying to an intercom message

You may reply to an intercom message by merely saying “Siri reply I will be proper there,” or “Siri, announce I’m simply ending my homework.”

Activate, off or restrict intercom messages

By default, all members of your house will get intercom message delivered to their gadgets when they’re at dwelling, although they should have location companies on.

If you wish to flip intercom notifications off in your gadget, or restrict them, observe the steps under:

1. Open the Dwelling app in your gadget.
2. Faucet on the circle with the three dots icon within the prime proper nook.
3. Faucet on Dwelling Settings.
4. Faucet on Intercom.
5. Select your desire.

Utilizing HomePod or HomePod mini as a speakerphone

You may hand off calls you have began or acquired in your HomePod or HomePod mini out of your iPhone simply. Whenever you’re in a name or about to just accept a name, merely choose HomePod or HomePod mini from the audio selections in Cellphone app in the identical approach you’ll a Bluetooth headset or speaker.

Mute calls on HomePod

With iOS 17, it’s also possible to mute calls on HomePod by tapping the highest. The inexperienced standing gentle in the course of the display will shrink, increasing if you faucet it once more to unmute the decision. When you will have completed the decision, double faucet the highest of your HomePod and you’ll finish the decision.

HomePod and HomePod mini particular controls in Dwelling App

As soon as your HomePod or HomePod mini is ready up, you’ll be able to entry its settings by way of the Dwelling app in your iPhone or iPad. To test the settings, discover the HomePod in your Favorite Equipment and lengthy press on the icon. You may must faucet on Accent Settings after which scroll all the way down to see varied choices.

set an alarm on HomePod or HomePod mini

You may set a number of sound alarms on the HomePod and HomePod mini. To take action observe these directions:

1. Go to the Dwelling app.
2. Choose HomePod or HomePod mini speaker in Favorite Equipment.
3. Swipe up on HomePod or HomePod mini Now Taking part in display.
4. Faucet New Alarm.
5. Set time, whether or not you need it to repeat, and provides it a label.
6. It’s also possible to select whether or not you need it to play a tone or play media.

Setting a timer on HomePod or HomePod mini

Like alarms, you’ll be able to set a number of timers on the HomePod and HomePod mini. Observe the steps under:

1. Go to the Dwelling app.
2. Choose HomePod or HomePod mini speaker in Favorite Equipment.
3. Swipe up on HomePod or HomePod mini Now Taking part in display.
4. Faucet New Timer.
5. Set timer and provides it a label.

Utilizing HomePod to regulate HomeKit gadgets

You should use the HomePod in the identical approach you’ll Siri in your cellphone to control Homekit devices in your house both by issuing instructions to do one thing like “Siri, activate the lights,” to “Siri, what is the temperature in the lounge?” Any command or gadget that was beforehand arrange along with your cellphone will work in the identical approach on the HomePod.

Tremendous-tuning Siri on the HomePod

You may fine-tune Siri to some extent within the Dwelling app in your iPhone or iPad though the management you will have is proscribed.

Turning off Hey Siri

There is not a bodily button on the HomePod to show off Siri just like the Echo, Sonos Era 100, and Google Home or Nest devices, however you’ll be able to nonetheless flip off the perform if you’re nervous about Siri listening in in your dialog. To show Siri off on the HomePod and HomePod mini, you need to do it by way of the Dwelling app in your iPhone.

1. Go to the Dwelling app.
2. Lengthy press your HomePod speaker in Favorite Equipment.
3. Faucet ‘Accent Settings.’
4. Scroll all the way down to Siri.
5. Toggle off Pay attention for “Hey Siri.”

Taking part in a sound and lighting up when utilizing Siri

By default, the HomePod and HomePod mini lights up the touchscreen on the highest of the speaker if you say “Siri.”

You may flip this off, in addition to have an audible beep if you say the command, so you realize when to begin talking. To allow or disable these options:

1. Go to the Dwelling app.
2. Lengthy press HomePod speaker.
3. Faucet the ‘Accent Settings.’
4. Scroll all the way down to Siri.
5. Toggle off Gentle When Utilizing Siri or Sound When Utilizing Siri.

Altering Siri’s voice on the HomePod

Siri will default to the voice of your territory; nevertheless, you’ll be able to change it in case you fancy a change. Siri is on the market in each female and male voices in American, British, Australian, Indian, Irish and South African. To alter Siri’s voice, do the next:

1. Go to the Dwelling app.
2. Lengthy press HomePod speaker icon.
3. Faucet the ‘Accent Settings.’
4. Scroll all the way down to Siri.
5. Faucet to vary Siri’s Voice.

Internet Search Handoff to iPhone

Siri on HomePod works seamlessly along with your different Apple gadgets as you may think. You may ask Siri on HomePod or HomePod mini to go looking the online and the outcomes might be despatched to your iPhone. To do that merely say “Siri, search the online for Yosemite journey guides,” and when you’ve requested the HomePod or HomePod mini, the search shall be carried out in your iPhone.

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