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(Pocket-lint) - Got a HomePod or HomePod mini? Great! Aside from saying "Hey Siri, play maine immoderate music", determination is plentifulness much these astute speakers tin do.
Here we've elaborate a load of HomePod and HomePod mini tips and tricks to get you started and amusement you what your Apple astute talker tin bash including, however to guarantee it is up to day with the latest mentation of bundle truthful you get each the latest features.
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HomePod and HomePod mini setup tips and tricks
How to acceptable up HomePod and HomePod mini
The HomePod acceptable up is akin to mounting up a brace of AirPods oregon Apple TV. You request to beryllium connected the latest mentation of iOS and person your iOS instrumentality adjacent the talker erstwhile you do.
- Turn connected the HomePod oregon HomePod mini and hold for the airy to glow connected the top
- Put your iPhone oregon iPad adjacent the HomePod oregon HomePod mini
- Tap Set Up
- Set which country the HomePod is going to be
- Choose whether oregon not to Enable Personal Requests. This is whether oregon not you privation to beryllium capable to dictate substance messages, adhd reminders, oregon instrumentality notes via the astute speaker.
- Agree to transportation your iCloud account, Wi-Fi and different HomeKit settings implicit to the speaker.
- Say "Hey Siri, what tin you do?" followed by "Hey Siri, play immoderate music"
How to update your HomePod
To update your HomePod to the latest mentation of iOS and guarantee you payment from immoderate caller features that appear, travel the steps below:
- Open the Home app connected your iPhone oregon iPad
- Tap the House icon successful the precocious left-hand corner
- Tap 'Home Settings'
- Scroll down and pat Software Update
- Tap the 'Update (All)' fastener to statesman the update oregon propulsion down to spot if determination is one
- Tap 'Agree' connected the Terms and Conditions page.
Don't unplug the cablegram from the HomePod
It mightiness beryllium tempting if you are trying to get the cablegram down the backmost of a sideboard, oregon done a hole, but portion possible, it's not recommended to propulsion the plug retired of the backmost of the HomePod oregon HomePod mini. According to interior enactment documents, uncovered by MacRumours, whipping retired the cablegram to get the cablegram done a table spread oregon down the backmost of thing isn't recommended:
"The HomePod includes a built-in powerfulness cablegram that should not beryllium removed. In the uncommon lawsuit that the cablegram is detached oregon damaged, bash not effort to region oregon plug it backmost into HomePod. If the cablegram is removed oregon impaired, harm could person occurred to the cablegram oregon the interior components of HomePod."
Proceed with caution.
If your HomePod doesn't dependable right, prime it up
The HomePod and HomePod mini some diagnostic an accelerometer that detects erstwhile the talker has been moved truthful it tin automatically whizz done the dependable setup process again.
If for immoderate crushed you aren't blessed with the dependable your talker is creating, prime up the HomePod oregon HomePod mini, assistance it successful the air, and regenerate it wherever you privation the talker to go. This should automatically unit the talker to calibrate the dependable again - thing that takes seconds, and the audio should beryllium improved. The chances are though, that you should ne'er person to interest astir doing this.
How to make a HomePod oregon HomePod mini stereo pair
If you person 2 HomePods oregon 2 HomePod minis, you tin make a stereo pair. We've got a afloat diagnostic connected this, but successful a nutshell, travel the instructions below:
- Make definite your HomePods oregon HomePod minis are moving iOS 11.4 oregon later.
- Open the Home app connected your iPhone oregon iPad.
- Touch and clasp a HomePod successful the list.
- Scroll down and pat connected the Settings cog.
- Tap 'Create Stereo Pair'.
- Follow the onscreen instructions, specified arsenic selecting which volition beryllium near and right.
Use your HomePod oregon HomePod mini arsenic a talker for Apple TV 4K
If you person the Apple TV 4K, you tin usage your HomePod and HomePod mini arsenic the default speaker, which is large if you don't person a soundbar and your TV dependable isn't brilliant. We've got a separate diagnostic connected this, but present are the basal instructions:
Using your Apple TV
- Head to Settings connected your Apple TV menu
- Select Video and Audio
- Select Default Audio Output
- Your HomePod mini should look connected the list, allowing you to prime it.
Using your iPhone oregon iPad
If you privation to link your HomePod mini to your Apple TV utilizing your iPhone oregon iPad, you'll archetypal request to unfastened the Home app. You'll past request to marque definite your HomePod mini and your Apple TV are linked to the aforesaid room.
- Open the Home app
- Make definite your HomePod oregon HomePod mini and your Apple TV are linked to the aforesaid room
- Touch and clasp the Apple TV tile
- Scroll down to the settings cog successful the bottommost close corner
- Tap connected Default Audio Option
- Select the country with your HomePod oregon HomePod mini successful it.
HomePod euphony tricks and tips
There are a fig of ways you tin power euphony playback connected the HomePod. Either via dependable commands to Siri, done the interaction sheet connected the apical of the speaker, oregon via the Apple Music app connected your iPhone oregon iPad.
HomePod interaction controls
You tin pat the apical of HomePod oregon HomePod mini to play, pause, skip a song, oregon set the volume. Touch and clasp the apical to speech to Siri.
- Tap erstwhile to Play/Pause
- Double-tap to skip to the adjacent track
- Triple pat to skip backmost to the erstwhile track
- Touch and clasp to entree Siri without saying "Hey Siri"
- Tap oregon clasp the positive icon to crook the measurement up
- Tap oregon clasp the minus icon to crook the measurement down
HomePod euphony dependable controls
You tin power the euphony playback of euphony played via the HomePod (ie not via AirPlay) by simply saying "Hey Siri". Here are immoderate basal dependable commands:
- Hey Siri, crook the measurement up
- Hey Siri, crook the measurement to 85 per cent
- Hey Siri, crook the measurement down
- Hey Siri, stop
- Hey Siri, play
- Hey Siri, adjacent song
- Hey Siri, skip guardant 30 seconds
- Hey Siri, erstwhile track
Siri astir supports a fig of much analyzable euphony dependable commands similar asking for circumstantial genres, moods, oregon activities.
Activities include:
- Bedtime
- Break Up
- Cardio
- Cooking
- Dancing
- Dinner Party
- Meditating
- Party Music
- Studying
- Waking Up
Moods include:
- Affectionate
- Blue
- Chill
- Lively
- Safe for Kids
- Soothing
- Unwind
- Upbeat
- Warm
- Whimsical
Genres include:
- Alternative
- Brazilian
- Chicago Blues
- Country Rock
- Electric Blues
- French Pop
- Grunge
- Indie
- Dance
- Pop
- Rock
- Smooth
- Jazz
You tin besides spell much circumstantial either with artists oregon playlists. For example:
- Hey Siri, play the latest opus by Norah Jones
- Hey Siri, play Ed Sheeran
- Hey Siri, play this year's Grammy nominees
- Hey Siri, play Adele's archetypal album
- Hey Siri, play a playlist from Pitchfork
- Hey Siri, play the opus by Jay-Z featuring Justin Timberlake
Once you're playing a way you tin past inquire Siri much questions astir what's playing.
- Hey Siri, what opus is this?
- Hey Siri, erstwhile was this released?
- Hey Siri, what's Taylor Swift's newest album?
- Hey Siri, who plays drums for Coldplay?
Controlling HomePod euphony via your iPhone
You tin spot what's playing connected your HomePod astatine immoderate clip either by asking Siri to archer you oregon by accessing the HomePod via Control Center oregon the Apple Music app connected your iPhone oregon iPad. To bash truthful you person to beryllium connected the aforesaid Wi-Fi network.
Through Control Center
- Open Control Center
- Tap connected the tiny wireless looking icon astatine the apical of the euphony panel
- Scroll down the surface to spot your HomePod's name. If you've already played music, it volition person the past way you've played with the accompanying medium art.
- Tap connected the opus rubric to uncover playback commands
- Tap again to unfastened up power successful the Apple Music app
Through the Apple Music app
- Open the Apple Music app
- Tap connected the existent opus oregon erstwhile opus you were playing
- Tap connected the AirPlay logo astatine the bottommost centre of the screen
- Scroll down the surface to spot your HomePod's name. If you've already played music, it volition person the past way you've played with the accompanying medium art.
- Tap connected the opus rubric to uncover playback commands
- Tap again to instrumentality to the Apple Music app and take the opus you privation to play.
Reduce the bass connected your HomePod oregon HomePod mini
If you find the HomePod oregon HomePod mini excessively bassy, you tin use a mounting to trim the debased frequence output of the speakers.
- Open the Home app
- Tap and clasp your HomePod successful the Favourite Accessory section
- Toggle connected Reduce Bass
Allow Explicit Content connected HomePod
You tin acceptable whether you privation to perceive to euphony with explicit contented oregon not connected the HomePod and HomePod mini. Handy if you've got kids. To crook this diagnostic connected oregon disconnected you request to spell to the HomePod oregon HomePod mini's settings leafage successful the Home app connected your iPhone oregon iPad.
- Go to the Home app
- Tap connected the Home icon successful the apical near corner
- Tap connected Home Settings
- Tap a user
- Toggle Allow Explicit Content
Use Listening History connected HomePod and HomePod mini
Apple allows euphony played connected the HomePod and HomePod mini to power your "Listen Now" recommendations and look connected your profile. If you're disquieted that different members of your household mightiness disrupt your recommendations (read kids listening to Disney oregon miss bands excessively much) you tin crook this diagnostic off. To bash this travel the instructions below:
- Go to the Home app
- Tap connected the Home icon successful the apical near corner
- Tap connected Home Settings
- Tap a user
- Toggle Update Listening History
AirPlay from your iPhone to HomePod
If you privation to play euphony straight from your instrumentality oregon from different work similar Spotify oregon BBC vigor you tin AirPlay contented consecutive from your iPhone oregon iPad to the HomePod oregon HomePod mini.
To bash truthful simply spell the app you privation to play, find the AirPlay logo and past prime your HomePod oregon HomePod mini from the database of disposable devices.
HomePod messaging tips tricks
Beyond euphony controls the HomePod besides has the quality to nonstop messages, acceptable reminders, make lists, and adhd to notes utilizing your voice.
Enabling Personal Requests
To alteration oregon disable idiosyncratic requests - i.e, nonstop messages, adhd to your reminders, oregon make notes erstwhile your iPhone is adjacent - you person to spell to the Home app.
- Open the Home app
- Tap and clasp your HomePod oregon HomePod mini from the Favourite Accessories section
- Tap the settings cog successful the bottommost close corner
- Tap connected Personal Requests
- Toggle Personal Requests connected for each HomePod you privation them connected for
Creating a connection with HomePod and HomePod mini
To make a caller message, you simply person to accidental "Hey Siri, text…" oregon "Hey Siri, WhatsApp…" Siri supports substance messaging done a fig of apps, including iMessage, SMS, WhatsApp and WeChat.
You tin besides archer Siri that a definite interaction is your member oregon partner, for example, and Siri volition retrieve that for the aboriginal truthful you'll beryllium capable to accidental "Send a connection to my husband" oregon "Send a connection to my wife" and it volition nonstop a connection to whoever you person told Siri is your hubby oregon your wife.
Adding to your Reminders oregon Lists
For Reminders and Lists, you tin inquire to adhd items oregon implicit them by telling Siri. You simply accidental things like: "Hey Siri, people locomotion the neighbour’s canine arsenic complete" oregon "Hey Siri, adhd broccoli to the market list."
HomePod and HomePod mini enactment Apple's ain Reminders app arsenic good arsenic others, similar Evernote and Things 3.
Adding oregon creating Notes
You tin either make oregon adhd notes via the HomePod by saying things like: "Hey Siri, make a enactment Books to Read" oregon "Hey Siri, adhd Columns of Fire to my Books to Read note".
HomePod and HomePod mini Intercom tips and tricks
HomePod and HomePod mini tin beryllium utilized arsenic an intercom if you person aggregate HomePod speakers successful your location oregon aggregate Apple devices. You tin nonstop antithetic intercom messages to circumstantial rooms and zones oregon nonstop the aforesaid message, similar "Hey Siri, intercom 'Time for dinner!'" to archer everyone to get to the table.
An intercom connection volition get connected immoderate HomePod speakers you archer it to, arsenic good arsenic iOS, iPadOS oregon Apple Watch oregon CarPlay devices
Send an intercom message
To nonstop an intercom connection connected your HomePod oregon HomePod mini, simply effort immoderate of the examples beneath oregon marque up your own.
- "Hey Siri, intercom 'Who ate the past biscuit?'"
- "Hey Siri, denote 'I'm home!'"
- "Hey Siri, inquire everyone wherever are my glasses?"
- "Hey Siri, fto everyone cognize I recovered my glasses"
- "Hey Siri, archer everyone I'm taking the canine for a walk"
- "Hey Siri, intercom 'On my mode home, privation maine to prime thing up?'"
To nonstop a connection to a HomePod successful a circumstantial country oregon zone, accidental thing similar "Hey Siri, archer the bureau the movie is starting" oregon "Hey Siri, denote upstairs I'm going to the shops".
Replying to an intercom message
You tin reply to an intercom connection by simply saying "Hey Siri reply I'll beryllium close there" oregon "Hey Siri, denote I americium conscionable finishing my homework".
Turn on, disconnected oregon bounds intercom messages
By default, each members of your location volition get intercom connection delivered to their devices erstwhile they are astatine home, though they request to person determination services on.
If you privation to crook intercom notifications disconnected connected your device, oregon bounds them, travel the steps below:
- Open the Home app connected your device
- Tap connected the Home icon successful the apical near corner
- Tap connected Home Settings
- Tap connected Intercom
- Choose your preference
Using HomePod oregon HomePod mini arsenic a speakerphone
You tin hand-off calls you've started oregon received connected your HomePod oregon HomePod mini from your iPhone easily. When you're successful a telephone oregon astir to judge a telephone simply prime HomePod oregon HomePod mini from the audio choices successful Phone app successful the aforesaid mode you would a Bluetooth headset oregon speaker.
Apple
HomePod and HomePod mini circumstantial controls successful Home App
Once acceptable up you tin entree the HomePod and HomePod mini settings via the Home app connected your Apple iPhone oregon iPad. To cheque the settings, find the HomePod successful your Favourite Accessories and agelong property connected the icon.
Setting an alarm connected HomePod oregon HomePod mini
You tin acceptable aggregate dependable alarms connected the HomePod and HomePod mini. To bash truthful travel these instructions
- Go to the Home app
- Select HomePod oregon HomePod mini talker successful Favourite Accessories
- Long property connected HomePod oregon HomePod mini icon
- Tap New Alarm
- Set time, whether you privation it to repeat, and springiness it a label
- You tin besides take whether you privation it to play a code oregon play media
Setting a timer connected HomePod oregon HomePod mini
Like alarms, you tin acceptable aggregate timers connected the HomePod and HomePod mini. Follow the steps below:
- Go to the Home app
- Select HomePod oregon HomePod mini talker successful Favourite Accessories
- Long property connected HomePod oregon HomePod mini icon
- Tap New Timer
- Set timer and springiness it a label
Using HomePod to power HomeKit devices
You tin usage the HomePod successful the aforesaid mode you would Siri connected your telephone to power Homekit devices successful your location either by issuing commands to bash thing similar "Hey Siri, crook connected the lights" to "Hey Siri, what's the somesthesia successful the surviving room?" Any bid oregon instrumentality that was antecedently acceptable up with your telephone volition enactment successful the aforesaid mode connected the HomePod.
Fine-tuning Siri connected the HomePod
You tin fine-tune Siri to immoderate grade successful the Home app connected your iPhone oregon iPad though the power you person is limited.
Turning disconnected Hey Siri
There's isn't a carnal fastener connected the HomePod to crook disconnected Siri similar the Echo, Sonos One, and Google Home oregon Nest devices, but you tin inactive crook disconnected the relation if you are disquieted astir Siri listening successful connected your conversation. To crook Siri disconnected connected the HomePod and HomePod mini, you person to bash it via the Home app connected your iPhone.
- Go to the Home app
- Select HomePod talker successful Favourite Accessories
- Long property connected HomePod icon
- Tap the settings icon successful the bottommost close corner
- Scroll down to Siri
- Toggle disconnected Listen for "Hey Siri"
Pocket-lint
Playing a dependable and lighting up erstwhile utilizing Siri
By default, the HomePod and HomePod mini lights up a tiny portion of the touchscreen connected the apical of the talker erstwhile you accidental "Hey Siri".
You tin crook this off, arsenic good arsenic person an audible beep erstwhile you accidental the bid truthful you cognize erstwhile to commencement speaking. To alteration oregon disable these features:
- Go to the Home app
- Select HomePod talker successful Favourite Accessories
- Long property connected HomePod icon
- Tap the settings icon successful the bottommost right
- Scroll down to Siri
- Toggle Light When Using Siri oregon Sound When Using Siri
Changing Siri's dependable connected the HomePod
Siri volition default to the dependable of your territory; however, you tin alteration it if you fancy a change. Siri is disposable successful some antheral and pistillate voices successful American, British, Australian, Indian, Irish and South African. To alteration Siri's voice, bash the following:
- Go to the Home app
- Select HomePod talker successful Favourite Accessories
- Long property connected HomePod icon
- Tap the settings cog successful the bottommost close corner
- Scroll down to Siri
- Tap to alteration Siri's Voice
Web Search Handoff to iPhone
Siri connected HomePod works seamlessly with your different Apple devices arsenic you mightiness imagine. You tin inquire Siri connected HomePod oregon HomePod mini to hunt the web and the results tin beryllium sent to your iPhone.
To bash this simply accidental "Hey Siri, hunt the web for Yosemite question guides" and portion you've asked the HomePod oregon HomePod mini, the hunt volition beryllium performed connected your iPhone.
Writing by Stuart Miles and Britta O'Boyle. Originally published connected 5 February 2018.
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