The HomePod is useful for so much more than just playing music. Here are the eight best Apple HomePod tips that will change how you use your speaker.
Apple’s second-generation HomePod launched in February 2023, sporting new functionality and the same impressive audio performance as its predecessor. The HomePod is still very much designed to be paired with other products in the Apple ecosystem, and it packs a number of new features that take full advantage of any other smart home products you might have. If you own a HomePod and don’t make the most of them, you’re almost certainly missing out.
The most common reason to use a HomePod is to play music, a task that Apple’s flagship smart speaker excels at. However, that’s far from the only thing it can do. You’d hope so, really, given that its $299 list price makes it one of the most expensive speakers of its kind. Make full use of its capabilities, and it also doubles up as a hands-free messaging system, an alternative to a TV sound bar, and even a thermometer. These eight top tips should help you get the best out of your HomePod, and they might even change how you use it day-to-day.Create a stereo pair
If you have multiple HomePods and want to create a more immersive listening experience, then you can pair them together using the stereo pair function through your iPhone or iPad. To do this, both HomePods will need to be the same model, so trying to pair a HomePod and a HomePod mini together won’t work. To pair them, go to the Home app and select one of the HomePods. Tap the gear icon and select « Create Stereo Pair, » then follow the instructions on-screen.
If you need to swap left and right stereo channels, you can select the paired speakers in the Home app, then tap the gear icon, then select « Audio Settings. » Once you’re done, you’ll be able to enjoy stereo sound for either music or Apple TV. You can always unpair the speakers again by selecting them in the Home app, tapping the gear icon, and selecting « Ungroup Accessories. » If you’re having trouble pairing two speakers together, check that they’re assigned to the same room — you won’t be able to form a stereo pair if they’re not.Control multiple speakers at once
If you have multiple HomePods set up in different rooms of your house, you can control them all from any one device. For example, you can play music in two rooms at once by telling Siri, « Play this in the living room and kitchen. » To add a room when songs are already playing, you can say « Hey Siri, add the kitchen, » or to move audio from one room to another, use the command « Hey Siri, move this to the living room. » If you want every HomePod in your house to play the same audio, then say, « Hey Siri, play everywhere. » These commands work for both HomePod speakers and for the HomePod mini, so no matter which speaker you have in any given room, you’ll be able to take your music or podcasts with you wherever you are.
It’s worth noting that, to have the most sleek music listening experience, you’ll need to be subscribed to Apple Music or one of the few other compatible third-party platforms. Popular platforms including Spotify and Amazon Music are not supported for now, and although you can use them with a HomePod, our SlashGear review of the second-generation HomePod found them to be underwhelming and clunkier to use compared to Apple’s own streaming service.
