A Comprehensive Guide to Using Your HomePod and HomePod Mini

The HomePod is a versatile device that can be used in a variety of ways to make your life easier and more enjoyable. Here's a detailed guide on how to make the most of your

HomePod & HomePod Mini:

Alarms and Timers

The

HomePod & HomePod Mini is an excellent tool for setting alarms and timers. You can use it to time your cooking, wake up in the morning, or schedule reminders. To set an alarm, long press the HomePod in the Home app, scroll down to Alarms, hit New, and add the label you want the HomePod to announce when the alarm goes off. Alarms can be set up one-time or recurring and can be used to remind you of things like homework, meetings, and appointments.

Reminders and Notes

The HomePod & HomePod Mini can also be used to set reminders and notes. It's great for general reminders like calling a friend on their birthday or paying a bill on time. You can also use it to create shared shopping lists. Adding items to the list is instant and can be done by speaking to the HomePod. You can also use lists to manage birthdays and Christmas. To create a shared list, go to the Reminders app, click Add List, name it, and click the person icon to add the user you want to share it with.

Handoff

Handoff is a feature that allows you to transfer audio from your phone to the HomePod or vice versa. It's a convenient feature that can be used to transfer phone calls or play music from apps like Spotify that Siri cannot play on the HomePod.

Intercom

Intercom is a feature that allows you to send messages to others in your house through the HomePod. You can send an intercom message from your HomePod, Mac, AirPods, Watch, or iPhone. By default, an intercom message will go to everyone, but you can also intercom a specific zone or room.

HomeKit Control

The HomePod works as a home hub, allowing you to securely control your devices when you're away from home with end-to-end encryption. It also has a thread border router to take advantage of thread-enabled accessories for added speed and reliability.

Voice Assistant

Siri on the HomePod can be used to get the news, check the weather, assist with schoolwork, make and receive phone calls, and send and read back your text messages.

Music Player

The HomePod is an excellent sounding speaker. You can ask Siri to play any song, playlist, artist, or album. You can also tell Siri if you like or dislike a song to help with future recommendations. You can control who has access to play music on your HomePod and even add a password for added security.

AirPlay

AirPlay is a feature that allows you to connect your HomePod to your Apple TV or use your HomePods as your Mac speakers. You can also send music from your other Apple devices, including Spotify content for those that aren't subscribed to Apple Music.

Automations

You can incorporate HomePods into scenes and create volume-only automations. For example, you can set up an automation that decreases the volume of your HomePods in the evening and another one that adjusts the volume back to a moderate level in the morning. You can also set up automations that play music when you arrive home or turn off your HomePods and other HomeKit devices when you leave.

Exploring HomePod & HomePod Mini Features

1. Touch Controls

The HomePod offers a variety of touch controls:

  • Single-tap to start or pause music.
  • Double-tap for the next track.
  • Triple-tap for the previous track.
  • Tap and hold for Siri.

2. Adding Items to Shopping List

You can ask the HomePod to add items to your shopping list. Just make sure you've created a shopping list in your Reminders app on your iPhone.

3. Locating iPhone or Apple Watch

Siri can help you locate your missing iPhone or Apple Watch by pinging them.

4. HomePod Intercom

You can use the Intercom feature to send messages from your iPhone to the HomePod.

5. Send to iPhone Feature

You can ask the HomePod to send pictures or receipts to your iPhone.

6. Multiple Timers with Siri

Siri allows you to create multiple timers, each with its own name.

7. Mute and Unmute HomePod

You can quickly mute the HomePod by placing your palm on top of it. To unmute, repeat the same action.

8. Making Quick FaceTime Calls

You can use your HomePod to make FaceTime calls.

9. HomePod Ambient Sounds

You can ask the HomePod to play soothing ambient sounds like white noise, ocean sound, night sound, or fireplace sound.

10. Portable HomePod 

If you have a power bank with USB-C, you can make your HomePod portable. Just remember that it still needs to be connected to your Wi-Fi network.

11. Set Low Volume at Night

You can program the HomePod to lower its volume during the night using the Home app's Automation feature.

12. Transfer Music to HomePod

You can transfer music from your Mac or iPhone to the HomePod.

13. Transfer Calls to HomePod

You can transfer your incoming calls from your iPhone to the HomePod by bringing your phone closer to it.

14. HomePod Light Sensor

The HomePod can adjust its brightness based on the ambient light in the room.

15. Disable Haptic Vibration

If you find the proximity sensor on the HomePod annoying, you can disable the Transfer to HomePod toggle in your iPhone's Settings.

31 useful commands you can use with your HomePod

Command #1: You: "Hey Siri, find my phone." Siri: "Looking for John's iPhone 12 Pro. It's nearby. Pinging John's iPhone 12 Pro now."

Command #2: You: "Siri, what's the weather like?" Siri: "It's currently sunny and 25 degrees. Temperatures are heading down from 25 degrees to 15 tonight."

Command #3: You: "Hey Siri, set volume to 70." Siri: "Okay, I've changed it."

Command #4: You: "Hey Siri, set an alarm for 7:30am tomorrow." Siri: "I set your alarm for 7:30 tomorrow."

Command #5: You: "Hey Siri, set a timer for 10 minutes." Siri: "10 minutes, starting now."

Command #6: You: "Hey Siri, turn off living room light." And the living room light is turned off.

Command #7: You: "Hey Siri, turn on the living room light." And the living room light is turned on.

Command #8: You: "Hey Siri, turn the living room light blue." Siri: "Okay, turning things blue."

Command #9: You: "Hey Siri, turn the living room light white." Siri: "Voila, white."

Command #10: You: "Hey Siri, play songs by Ed Sheeran." Siri: "Now playing Ed Sheeran."

Command #11: You: "Hey Siri, play the live version of this song." Siri: "Now playing, Shape of You by Ed Sheeran."

Command #12: You: "Hey Siri, play songs by Adele." Siri: "Adele now playing."

Command #13: You: "Hey Siri, who sings this song?" Siri: "This is Adele. This track is called Hello."

Command #14: You: "Hey Siri, what album is this from?" Siri: "Currently playing the album, 25 by Adele."

Command #15: You: "Hey Siri, play Rolling in the Deep by Adele." Siri: "Now playing, Rolling in the Deep."

Command #16: You: "Hey Siri, never play this song again." Siri: "Got it, I’ll remember that you don't like this song."

Command #17: You: "Hey Siri, add this song to my Favorite Songs playlist." Siri: "I've added it to your Favorite Songs playlist."

Command #18: You: "Hey Siri, pause music." And it will pause it.

Command #19: You: "Hey Siri, play some relaxing music." Siri: "Relaxing music now playing."

Command #20: You: "Hey Siri, play the top 20 songs from 2010." Siri: "Okay, here's 2010's top 20 hits."

Command #21: You: "Hey Siri, play The Daily podcast." Siri: "Here's the podcast, The Daily."

Command #22: You: "Hey Siri, what's in the news." Siri: "Here's the latest news from BBC."

Command #23: You: "Hey Siri, send a message to my husband saying, 'I'll be home soon.'" Siri: "Okay, John's message says I'll be home soon. Ready to send it?" You: "Yes, send it." Siri: "Okay, it's sent."

Command #24: You: "Hey Siri, read my last message." Siri: "Okay, you have recent messages from Sarah. She said, 'Dinner is ready.' Would you like to reply?"

Command #25: You: "Hey Siri, what time is it in London?" Siri: "In London, England, it's 8pm."

Command #26: You: "Hey Siri, answer the phone." And then tap the HomePod to hang up.

Command #27: You: "Hey Siri, what day is New Year's Day on this year?" Siri: "New Year's Day is on Sunday, the 1st of January 2023."

Command #28: You: "Hey Siri, how did the Manchester United football team do last weekend?" Siri: "Manchester United won their match against Chelsea last Saturday."

Command #29: You: "Hey Siri, add 'clean the kitchen' to my to-do list." Siri: "Okay, John, I added 'clean the kitchen' to your to-do list."

Command #30: You: "Hey Siri, add 'buy groceries' to my to-do note." Siri: "Okay, John, I added 'buy groceries' to your note to-do."

Command #31: You: "Hey Siri, skip ahead 10 minutes." And it works with the Apple TV.

These are some of the most frequently used HomePod commands with Siri. You can use it as a speaker or even connect it to your Apple TV and use it for audio and commands.

HomePod Voice Controls for Music

You can control music playback on the HomePod in several ways, including Siri voice commands, the touch panel on top of the speaker, or the Apple Music app on your iPhone or iPad. Here are some standard voice commands:

  • "Hey Siri, turn up the volume."
  • "Hey Siri, lower the volume."
  • "Hey Siri, increase the volume to 80%."
  • "Hey Siri, play."
  • "Hey Siri, stop."
  • "Hey Siri, play the next song."
  • "Hey Siri, play the previous track."
  • "Hey Siri, skip forward 20 seconds."

Siri also supports more intricate music voice commands, such as asking for specific genres, moods, or activities. Some examples include:

Activities:

  1. Waking up
  2. Cardio
  3. Dancing
  4. Cooking
  5. Meditating
  6. Bedtime
  7. Party Tunes
  8. Party Dinner
  9. Studying
  10. Break up

Moods:

  1. Blue
  2. Lively
  3. Affectionate
  4. Safe for Kids
  5. Whimsical
  6. Chill
  7. Soothing
  8. Upbeat
  9. Unwind
  10. Warm

Genres:

  1. Country Rock
  2. Alternative
  3. Chicago Blues
  4. Brazilian
  5. Grunge
  6. Electric Blues
  7. Dance
  8. Indie
  9. Jazz
  10. French Pop
  11. Rock
  12. Pop
  13. Smooth

Using Your iPhone to Control the Music on HomePod

You can check what's playing on your HomePod by asking Siri, going to Control Center, or using the Apple Music app on your iPhone or iPad. You must be connected to the same Wi-Fi network to do this.

Using the Control Center:

  1. Start the Control Center.
  2. Click the tiny wireless-looking icon at the top of the music screen.
  3. Scroll down the screen to view the name of your HomePod. If you've already started playing music, it will display the album art and the most recent song you listened to.
  4. Tap the song title to view playback controls.
  5. Tap once more to bring up the Apple Music app's controls.

Using the Apple Music Application:

  1. Launch the Apple Music app.
  2. Tap the music that is playing now or the song that was just played.
  3. Click on the AirPlay icon located in the lower-right corner of the screen.
  4. Scroll down the screen to see the name of your HomePod. If you've already started playing music, it will display the album art and the most recent song you listened to.
  5. Tap the song's title to display playback controls.
  6. Re-enter the Apple Music app by tapping once more, then select the music you wish to play.

Adjusting the Bass on your HomePod

If you find the speakers to be overly bassy, you can adjust the HomePod's low-frequency output.

  1. Launch the Home app.
  2. Hold down the HomePod under the Favorite Accessory section.
  3. Switch on Reduce Bass.

Activating Explicit Content on the HomePod

You can choose whether you want to play music with explicit content or not on the HomePod. This is useful if you have children.

  1. Launch the Home app.
  2. Tap the Home button located in the upper-left corner.
  3. Click Home Settings.
  4. Click a user.
  5. Switch on Explicit Content.

Using HomePod's Listening History Feature

Apple allows the HomePod to play music, which may then impact your "Listen Now" recommendations and show up on your profile. If you're worried that other members of your family may tamper with your recommendations, you can turn off this feature.

  1. Launch the Home app.
  2. Click the Home icon located in the upper-left corner.
  3. Click Home Settings.
  4. Click a user.
  5. Switch on Update Listening History.

iPhone to HomePod Wireless Streaming

You can AirPlay content directly from your iPhone/iPad to the HomePod if you want to play music right from your device or from another service like Spotify. Simply open the app you wish to use, look for the AirPlay symbol, and then choose your HomePod from the list of supported devices.

HomePod Messaging Hints and Tips

Aside from controlling music, the HomePod can also be used to send messages, create reminders, create a list, and update notes through your voice.

Enabling Individual Requests:

  1. Launch the Home app.
  2. Touch and hold your HomePod from the Favorite Accessories area.
  3. Click the Settings icon in the lower right corner.
  4. Click on Personal Requests.
  5. Enable Personal Requests for each HomePod you want to use.

HomePod Message Creation: Simply say "Hey Siri, WhatsApp..." or "Hey Siri, text..." to start a new message. Siri can send and receive text messages through a variety of apps, including SMS, iMessage, WeChat, and WhatsApp.

Adding More Information to Your Reminders or Lists: You can ask Siri to add items to your lists and reminders or to complete them. Saying something like, "Hey Siri, mark walk my friend's dog as complete," or "Hey Siri, add asparagus to the grocery list," is all that is required.

Creating or Adding Notes: You can create or add notes through the HomePod by saying something like, "Hey Siri, create a note Places to Visit" or "Hey Siri, add Barcelona to my Places to Visit note."

HomePod Intercom Hacks and Tips

If you have additional HomePod speakers or other Apple products in your home, you may utilize the HomePod as an intercom. To get everyone to the table for dinner, you can intercom "Hey Siri, intercom "Dinner time!"" or you can send multiple intercom messages to different rooms and zones.

Send a Message Over the Intercom: Simply use one of the examples below or come up with your own to send or transmit an intercom message on your HomePod.

  • "Hey Siri, intercom: "Who ate my apple pie?"
  • "Hello Siri, say, "I'm home!""
  • "Hey Siri, ask everyone where my glasses are."
  • "Hey Siri, inform everyone I've located my glasses."
  • "Hey Siri, let everyone know I'm walking the dog,"
  • "Hey Siri, intercom: On my way home, do you want me to get anything?"

Responding to an Intercom Message: To respond to an intercom message, simply say "Hey Siri, reply I'm almost there" or "Hey Siri, announce I'm just completing my schoolwork."

Limit or Disable Intercom Messages:

  1. Launch the Home app on your iPhone or tablet.
  2. Press the Home app in the upper-left corner.
  3. Click Home Settings.
  4. Click Intercom.
  5. Select your preferred option.

Making a Speakerphone Out of the HomePod

On your HomePod, you can quickly transfer calls that you have started or received to your iPhone. Simply choose HomePod from the audio options in the Phone app when you're on the phone or preparing to take a call, just as you would with a Bluetooth headset or speaker.

Specific Controls for the HomePod in the Home App

Once configured, you can use the Home app on your Apple iPhone or iPad to view the HomePod settings. Find the HomePod in the list of your favorite accessories and press and hold the icon for a few seconds to see the settings.

Alarm Clock Setting on the HomePod:

  1. Open the Home application.
  2. Choose the HomePod speaker under Favorite Accessories.
  3. Long click the HomePod icon.
  4. Click New Alarm.
  5. Pick a time, decide if you want it to repeat, and assign a label.

Timer Setting on the HomePod:

  1. Open the Home application.
  2. Choose the HomePod speaker under Favorite Accessories.
  3. Select the HomePod icon by long-clicking it.
  4. Click New Timer.
  5. Set the timer, then label it.

Controlling HomeKit Devices with the HomePod

To operate HomeKit devices in your house, you can use the HomePod in the same manner as you would your phone's Siri by saying things like "Hey Siri, turn on the lights" or "Hey Siri, what's the temperature in the living room?" The HomePod will function in the same way as any other command or device that was previously configured on your phone.

Siri's Settings on the HomePod

Although you have limited flexibility, you can adjust Siri to some degree via the Home app installed on your iPhone/iPad.

Deactivating "Hey Siri":

  1. Launch the Home app.
  2. Choose the HomePod speaker under Favorite Accessories.
  3. Click long the HomePod icon.
  4. Click the Settings icon located in the lower right corner.
  5. Scroll to Siri.
  6. Switch off Listen for "Hey Siri."

Lighting Up and Playing a Sound When Using Siri:

  1. Launch the Home application.
  2. Choose the HomePod speaker under Favorite Accessories.
  3. Long click the HomePod icon.
  4. Tap the Settings icon in the lower right corner.
  5. Scroll to Siri.
  6. Turn on/off Light When Using Siri or Sound When Using Siri.

Adjusting Siri's Voice on the HomePod:

  1. Launch the Home application.
  2. Choose the HomePod speaker under Favorite Accessories.
  3. Long click the HomePod icon.
  4. Click the Settings icon in the lower right corner.
  5. Scroll to Siri.
  6. Click to change Siri's voice.
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