How to set up your Apple HomePod

When it comes to immersive audio that makes everything you listen to sound extraordinary, it’s difficult to find smart speakers that beat the Apple® HomePod® or its smaller sibling, the HomePod mini. Thanks to their voice recognition technology, you can control HomePod or Siri®-enabled accessories with voice commands. HomePod is definitely impressive, but setting it up can be tricky for new users.

At Asurion, modern tech is our thing. Not only do we protect and repair your smart home devices, but we guide you in how to get the most out of them. Here’s how to set up Apple HomePod for the best experience. 

Preparing your device for HomePod setup

To set up HomePod, you need an iPad®, or iPhone®, with the latest version of iOS® or iPadOS®. Go to Settings on your device, turn on Bluetooth®, and connect to the Wi-Fi network you want to use with HomePod. 

Installing the latest iOS or iPadOS update

On your iPhone or iPad, go to Settings > General > Software Update. You’ll see your current iOS version and whether an update is available. 

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Pairing your iPhone or iPad with HomePod

Once your device is ready, here’s how to set up Apple HomePod mini and HomePod: 

1. Connect your HomePod to the power supply. When you see a continuous white light pulsing on top of the speaker and hear a startup sound, your HomePod is ready for setup. 
2. Unlock your iPad or iPhone and hold it close to your HomePod until a setup screen appears. 
3. Tap the Set Up button on your device and follow the onscreen instructions to pair HomePod with your iPhone or iPad.

Checking Wi-Fi compatibility 

If Siri on your HomePod says it’s having trouble connecting to the internet, a Wi-Fi network mismatch might be the reason. Here’s how to check and solve the issue: 

1. Open the Home app on your iPad or iPhone. If your HomePod isn’t on the same Wi-Fi network as your device, you’ll see a HomePod Network Mismatch alert. 
2. Tap View Details under the alert. 
3. Tap Move HomePod to [Wi-Fi network your phone is connected to].

If your Apple smart speaker has Wi-Fi issues even after following these steps, you may need to reset it. Learn how to reset your Apple HomePod. 

Adjusting HomePod settings

Use your phone to change HomePod settings. You can change settings for each HomePod or make adjustments that apply to all Apple smart speakers in your home.

Disabling explicit content

You can turn off explicit content for specific HomePod users in your home. When that person makes a request, the smart speaker won’t play inappropriate content, such as offensive language. 

1. Open the Home app.
2. Tap the More button—the three dots symbol—then Home Settings.
3. Tap a user and switch off Allow Explicit Content. 

Enabling sound-check options

The sound-check feature makes sure songs and podcasts with varying loudness sound more balanced when played on the speaker: 

1. Open the Home app on your iPad or iPhone. 
2. Tap the More button, then tap Home Settings.
3. Scroll down and switch on Sound Check.

Playing audio from your iPhone or iPad

You can play songs on your smart speakers via third-party music services like Spotify™. 

Simply give a voice command, and the speaker will automatically play the music from your iPhone or iPad, provided you’ve set up voice recognition and you’re connected to the internet. For example, you can say, “Hey Siri, play [name of a song] on [Platform name, such as “Spotify”].”

Setting up parental controls

To control what your children listen to, you can disable Siri requests on HomePod in their room. To deactivate this option:

1. Open the Home app on your iPhone or iPad. 
2. Tap your kids’ HomePod tile or Siri-enabled accessory and go to Settings. 
3. Select Turn Off to disable Siri requests on that particular speaker.

Configuring HomePod as a home hub

With voice recognition on, HomePod lets you control smart accessories and elements in your home without lifting a finger. For example, Siri on Apple smart speakers can automatically close garage doors or dim lights at your spoken command. 

To make HomePod a hub for your smart home, open the Home app on your iPhone or iPad. Tap one of the speakers if you have more than one, then go to Settings and turn on the Listen for “Siri” or “Hey Siri” feature. 

Exploring HomePod features for smart home integration

You can use Siri on HomePod to switch your Apple TV® on or off, start playing your favorite show, and control playback while you watch. You can also control smart home accessories like lights, thermostats, and window shades with your voice.