Finest Apple HomePod and HomePod mini ideas and tips

If you happen to’ve invested in a HomePod or HomePod mini, you are most positively in the proper place. There are many options constructed into these two good 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 if in case you have an Apple TV, equivalent 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 good 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 methods to set it up proper so right here we’re working by way of our high ideas for HomePod setup.

Tips on how to 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 machine 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 good speaker.
6. Conform to 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.”

Tips on how to 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, comply with 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 ‘Residence 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 Situations web page.

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

The HomePod (1st and 2nd era) and HomePod mini characteristic an accelerometer that detects when the speaker has been moved, so it may well 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 ought to be improved. The probabilities are nevertheless, it’s best to by no means have to fret about doing this.

Tips on how to create a HomePod or HomePod mini stereo pair

In case you have two HomePods or two HomePod minis, you may create a stereo pair. We have got a full characteristic on this, under – however in a nutshell, comply with the directions under:

1. Make certain your HomePods or HomePod minis are working iOS 11.4 or later.
2. Open the Residence app in your iPhone or iPad.
3. Contact and maintain a HomePod within the checklist.
4. Faucet on ‘Accent Settings’.
5. Scroll down and faucet ‘Create Stereo Pair’.
6. Comply with the onscreen directions, equivalent to deciding on which can 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

In case you have an Apple TV 4K, you need to use 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 sensible. 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 checklist, permitting you to pick out 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 may first must open the Residence app. You will then want to verify your HomePod and your Apple TV are linked to the identical room.

1. Open the Residence app.
2. Make 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 Possibility.
6. Choose your HomePod or HomePod mini.

It is value mentioning that if you’re working iOS 17 or later, you too can increase speech when utilizing HomePods as a speaker together with your Apple TV. Inside 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 variety of the way you may 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’ll be able to faucet the highest of HomePod or HomePod mini to play, pause, skip a music, or alter the quantity. Contact and maintain the highest to speak to Siri.

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

HomePod music voice controls

You’ll be able to 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 working iOS 17 or later, you solely should say “Siri” relatively than “Hey Siri”. Listed here are some primary voice instructions:

• Siri, flip the quantity up
• Siri, flip the quantity to 85 per cent
• Siri, flip the quantity down
• Siri, cease
• Siri, play
• Siri, subsequent music
• Siri, skip ahead 30 seconds
• Siri, earlier observe

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

You may as well go extra particular both with artists or playlists. For instance:

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

When you’re enjoying a observe you may then ask Siri extra questions on what’s enjoying.

• Siri, what music 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’ll be able to see what’s enjoying in your HomePod at any time both by asking Siri to inform you or by accessing the HomePod by way of Management Centre or the Apple Music app in your iPhone or iPad. To take action it’s important to be on the identical Wi-Fi community.

By Management Centre

1. Open Management Centre.
2. Faucet on the small wi-fi trying icon on the high of the music panel.
3. Scroll down the display screen to see your HomePod’s identify. If you happen to’ve already performed music, it should have the final observe you have performed with the accompanying album artwork.
4. Faucet on the music 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 music or earlier music you had been enjoying.
3. Faucet on the AirPlay brand on the backside centre of the display screen.
4. Scroll down the display screen to see your HomePod’s identify. If you happen to’ve already performed music, it should have the final observe you have performed with the accompanying album artwork.
5. Faucet on the music title to disclose playback instructions.
6. Faucet once more to return to the Apple Music app and select the music you wish to play.

Scale back the bass in your HomePod or HomePod mini

If you happen to discover the HomePod or HomePod mini too bassy, you may apply a setting to scale back the low frequency output of the audio system.

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

Enable Express Content material on HomePod

You’ll be able to set whether or not you wish to hearken to music with express content material or not on the HomePod and HomePod mini, which is useful for those who’ve bought youngsters or for those who simply aren’t a fan of unhealthy language. To show this characteristic on or off you should go to the HomePod or HomePod mini’s settings web page within the Residence app in your iPhone or iPad.

1. Go to the Residence app.
2. Faucet on the circle with three dots icon within the high proper nook.
3. Faucet on Residence Settings.
4. Faucet a person.
5. Toggle Enable Express 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. If you happen to’re apprehensive that different members of your loved ones would possibly disrupt your suggestions (learn youngsters listening to Frozen an excessive amount of) you may flip this characteristic off. To do that comply with the directions under:

1. Go to the Residence app.
2. Faucet on the circle with three dots icon within the high proper nook.
3. Faucet on Residence 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 immediately out of your machine or from one other service like Spotify, you may 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 brand after which choose your HomePod or HomePod mini from the checklist of obtainable units.

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 – it’s important to go to the Residence app.

1. Open the Residence 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 numerous apps, together with iMessage, SMS, WhatsApp and WeChat.

You may as well inform Siri {that a} sure contact is your brother or companion, for instance, and Siri will keep in mind that for the longer term, 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’ve informed Siri is your husband or your spouse.

Including to your Reminders or Lists

For Reminders and Lists, you may ask so as to add gadgets 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 checklist.”

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

Including or creating Notes

You’ll be able to both create or add notes by way of the HomePod by saying issues like, “Siri, create a be aware Books to Learn” or “Siri, add Columns of Hearth to my Books to Learn be aware.”

HomePod and HomePod mini can be utilized as an intercom if in case you have a number of HomePod audio system in your house or a number of Apple units. You’ll be able to ship totally 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 strive any of the examples under or make up your individual.

• “Siri, intercom ‘Who ate the final biscuit?'”
• “Siri, announce ‘I am residence!'”
• “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 means residence, need me to choose something up?'”

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

Replying to an intercom message

You’ll be able to 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 private home will get intercom message delivered to their units when they’re at residence, although they should have location companies on.

If you wish to flip intercom notifications off in your machine, or restrict them, comply with the steps under:

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

Utilizing HomePod or HomePod mini as a speakerphone

You’ll be able to hand off calls you have began or acquired in your HomePod or HomePod mini out of your iPhone simply. While you’re in a name or about to just accept a name, merely choose HomePod or HomePod mini from the audio decisions in Cellphone app in the identical means you’d a Bluetooth headset or speaker.

Mute calls on HomePod

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

HomePod and HomePod mini particular controls in Residence App

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

Tips on how to set an alarm on HomePod or HomePod mini

You’ll be able to set a number of sound alarms on the HomePod and HomePod mini. To take action comply with these directions:

1. Go to the Residence app.
2. Choose HomePod or HomePod mini speaker in Favorite Equipment.
3. Swipe up on HomePod or HomePod mini Now Taking part in display screen.
4. Faucet New Alarm.
5. Set time, whether or not you need it to repeat, and provides it a label.
6. You may as well 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 may set a number of timers on the HomePod and HomePod mini. Comply with the steps under:

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

Utilizing HomePod to manage HomeKit units

You should use the HomePod in the identical means you’d Siri in your telephone 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 machine that was beforehand arrange together with your telephone will work in the identical means on the HomePod.

Advantageous-tuning Siri on the HomePod

You’ll be able to fine-tune Siri to some extent within the Residence app in your iPhone or iPad though the management you’ve 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 may nonetheless flip off the operate if you’re apprehensive about Siri listening in in your dialog. To show Siri off on the HomePod and HomePod mini, it’s important to do it by way of the Residence app in your iPhone.

1. Go to the Residence 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’ll be able to flip this off, in addition to have an audible beep if you say the command, so you recognize when to begin talking. To allow or disable these options:

1. Go to the Residence 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 may change it for those who fancy a change. Siri is on the market in each female and male voices in American, British, Australian, Indian, Irish and South African. To vary Siri’s voice, do the next:

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

Internet Search Handoff to iPhone

Siri on HomePod works seamlessly together with your different Apple units as you may think. You’ll be able to 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 whilst you’ve requested the HomePod or HomePod mini, the search can be carried out in your iPhone.

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