You have received your Apple HomePod or HomePod Mini banging out the tunes, with their spectacular 360-degree audio, and you have got Siri turning in your smart lights and whacking up your heating.
However that is simply scratching the floor of what Apple’s smart audio system can do.
Listed here are 30 of the most popular Siri ideas, methods and options – and remember to take a look at our round-up of the important HomePod instructions.
1. Stream Spotify in your HomePod (different streaming providers can be found)
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Within the US, Pandora has been dwell for HomePod customers for a while – that means that you could set it because the default playback service and use Siri to navigate its digital catalog.
Nevertheless, Spotify nonetheless is not one of many music streaming companions out there through HomePod – although it was confirmed approach again in 2020 in a briefing with The Ambient that Apple “would like to work with Spotify.”
There’s a workaround for utilizing Spotify and different streaming providers not totally on board, although.
Merely open the app in your iPhone and select the track you need. Click on the Units Obtainable button on the backside, choose Extra Units after which select your HomePod speaker. With AirPlay 2, you may even have the HomePod play with different AirPlay 2-supporting audio system, just like the Sonos One or the Libratone Zipp 2.
2. Play radio stations that are not Beats 1
The above methodology additionally works with any radio station that has a web-based app, whether or not it is by way of BBC Sounds, TuneIn, or utilizing a radio station’s devoted iOS app.
Simply search for the AirPlay brand within the app you are utilizing and select your HomePod from the record of obtainable units.
3. Create stereo HomePod sound
Music fanatics might inform you to disregard claims of 360-degree sound and the like – for the purist’s music expertise, you want a stereo setup, with a left and proper pair delivering the sounds artists supposed.
The excellent news is that is potential together with your HomePod – together with multi-room audio, as effectively.
In the event you’re organising a brand new HomePod, and also you select so as to add it to a room the place a HomePod already lives, you then’ll see a pop-up asking you if you wish to create a stereo pair. You possibly can solely pair the identical fashions of HomePod although, so no Mini and unique mixing.
As for multi-room audio, you may go forward and pair your HomePod to your Sonos audio system due to AirPlay 2.
4. Ship and browse messages by way of HomePod
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Greasy fingers? Simply cannot be bothered to search out your cellphone? You possibly can ship a message by way of the HomePod. Simply say, “Hey Siri, ship a message to [X]” then say what you need the non-public assistant to say. It will ask you should you’re able to ship it earlier than it does so.
You possibly can even have Siri on HomePod learn your newest textual content messages to you, however you will must have ‘Private Requests’ switched on. Head into the Home app and go into the settings for the home through which the HomePod lives. Faucet on the icon together with your identify on it underneath Folks then choose Private Requests on the backside. You’ll ask Siri issues like, “Learn the newest message from [X]”.
Word that under it there is a second possibility for including authentication. You possibly can change this on to cease different individuals from sending messages and inflicting different havoc together with your account.
5. Make calls on HomePod with Siri
A more moderen characteristic of the HomePod helps you to ask Siri to make and take calls on the speaker. So to begin with, make sure that your HomePod is updated. First, you will must allow Private Requests. Go to your HomePod settings and scroll down, you will discover Private Requests underneath Siri. Swap it on.
Then, simply say, “Hey Siri, name [Name]”. It’s also possible to say, “Hey Siri, reply my cellphone” to choose up and “Hey Siri, grasp up” while you’re executed. Speaking in your iPhone and struggling to listen to the opposite particular person? You possibly can switch a name to the HomePod. Faucet the audio icon on the iPhone and choose the HomePod out of your record of units.
6. Use Siri as a HomePod translator
Questioning the best way to say one thing in one other language? Surprise no extra – Siri can translate English into French, German, Italian, Spanish, and Mandarin.
Merely ask, “Hey Siri, how do you say [word] in [language]?” to increase your vocabulary.
7. Change Siri’s voice in your HomePod
Siri’s British accent could be very robotic, and, after some time, it could possibly additionally get very irritating. Rather more pure are the American ones on supply – each female and male – and the Australian one undoubtedly has probably the most character.
Head into your iPhone or iPad’s Home app, lengthy press, or 3D Contact the HomePod’s tile and also you get the choices to modify up a few of Apple’s private assistant’s settings – language, default voice and the like. It’s also possible to select to mute the Apple digital assistant, in order for you.
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8. Develop your music trivia information
Siri’s musicologist expertise aren’t restricted to skipping tracks, rewinding and fast-forwarding. Apple’s digital assistant is sort of the music buff – it is received all of the information (effectively, it is received a direct hyperlink to Wikipedia, a minimum of).
Whereas listening to a track, you may ask issues like, “Hey Siri, who performs the drums on this band?”… “What yr was this album launched?”… “Inform me one thing about this artist” and so forth. On daily basis is a college day with Siri.
9. Automate your smart home with Siri
Siri can management your HomeKit-enabled equipment out of your HomePod, that is a given. However a way more pure, and funky, approach of getting Siri working more durable in your smart home is to create scenes that it could possibly management.
For instance, arrange a bedtime routine through which Siri turns off all of the lights, prompts the alarm and locks the entrance door – the place a easy, “Hey Siri, it is bedtime,” get the scene began. Any scenes created within the Home app could be activated utilizing Siri in your HomePod.
10. Management HomePod music with an iPhone
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One of many massive promoting factors of HomePod is clearly voice management for music playback, however there are occasions when utilizing your cellphone makes extra sense. Apple has you lined on this entrance.
From inside the iOS Music app, select the track you need, click on the AirPlay brand and select your HomePod. Or, from the lock display screen, you will see the Music widget – once more, simply faucet that AirPlay icon and do the identical as above.
Lastly, from the Management Middle, both long-press or 3D Contact the music tile and you will get a display screen with all of your present music playbacks in your Apple units. Once more, simply hit the AirPlay button to switch a track over to your HomePod, or select the HomePod part if one thing is already streaming in your smart speaker.
Bear in mind, with AirPlay 2 you may pair two HomePods collectively simply from the AirPlay menu and even pair the HomePod with one other AirPlay 2-supporting speaker.
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11. Utilizing HomePod as a TV speaker
TV audio system are crap – that is a reality. And whereas a HomePod is not essentially designed to be a TV speaker, it does a reasonably good job of room-filling sound on your motion pictures and TV exhibits.
Till now this has solely been out there with the Apple TV, however with AirPlay 2 touchdown on TVs from the likes of Samsung, LG, Vizio, and Sony – the HomePod could be paired with third-party units.
When watching one thing out of your Apple TV, you may maintain down the play/pause button on the Apple TV distant and select the HomePod possibility. If you would like it to be the default speaker completely, go to your Apple TV settings, choose the Video and Audio part, select Audio Output and choose your HomePod.
It will get even higher when utilizing the Apple TV 4K although – As a part of Apple’s new ‘Home Theater with Apple 4K’ the first-gen HomePod can be utilized to kind an immersive encompass sound expertise, with digital 2.1, 5.1, 7.1, and Dolby Atmos all on supply.
The caveat right here is you solely get that encompass sound motion while you’re watching stuff through your Apple TV 4K; you may’t simply plug your HomePod straight into your TV and get Atmos motion on the whole lot.
Nevertheless, with Apple TV now supporting just about all the most important streaming providers – Netflix, Prime, HBO, Disney+, Hulu, and extra – it’s a reasonably compelling argument to make that single HDMI enter change on your AV setup.
12. Get the headlines out of your HomePod
Merely say, “Hey Siri, what’s within the information?” and your smart speaker will learn you the information bulletin – and there is a vary of sources on supply as effectively.
The excellent news is that these information readings are region-specific too – for instance, BBC or Sky Information within the UK.
13. Get assist together with your spelling from Siri
Undecided the best way to spell a phrase? Haven’t any worry, Siri’s received your again. Simply ask, “Hey Siri, how do you spell [word]?” and your smart speaker will inform you what’s what.
14. Beef up the safety of your HomePod
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Quite a bit has been fabricated from the shortage of help for a number of customers on HomePod, and whereas there is no hidden iPhone settings menu for altering that, there’s a multi-user menu of observe, though it is centered round AirPlay playback.
Utilizing the iOS Home app, you may restrict your speaker’s streaming to simply individuals in your Apple Home or individuals in your community. It’s also possible to add a password, should you like, or throw warning to the wind and go away it open in order that anybody shut sufficient with an iPhone might stream their music.
15. Block express content material in your HomePod
To get to the meatier HomePod settings, you will wish to head into your iPhone’s Home app. Inside the HomePod’s menus, you will see choices to set alarms, change up a few of the default settings and block express content material.
The restrictions out there are depending on which nation’s retailer you utilize. Within the States, you’ll block any music with a Parental Advisory Label from the Recording Trade Affiliation of America. Mainly, music with naughty phrases.
16. Manufacturing unit reset your Apple HomePod
In case your HomePod is performing up, is unresponsive, otherwise you wish to promote it or give it away, you then’ll wish to exhausting reset it.
You have received two strategies for resetting your HomePod. Firstly, on the Home app, press and maintain the HomePod tile, faucet ‘Particulars’, scroll to the underside and choose ‘Take away Accent’.
From the HomePod itself, you may reset it by unplugging it, ready 5 seconds, then plugging it again in. After one other 5 seconds, maintain your finger on the highest of the HomePod till the white spinning mild turns pink. Hold holding your finger down and you may hear Siri say that your HomePod is about to reset. You may hear three beeps, then you may elevate your finger, because it’s all executed.
17. Add a track to an Apple Music playlist
While you’re listening to Apple Music or Beats Radio you may merely say, “Hey Siri, add this track to [name of playlist]” and it will be added on to the tip of that playlist.
18. Activate a HomePod Siri tone
In case you have your HomePod on a shelf above your eye degree, the probabilities are you will battle to note that Siri has heard you. If that is the case, the Siri tone could also be helpful.
To show it on, head into the HomePod’s settings menu inside the Home app in your iPhone and test the Sound When Utilizing Siri possibility.
19. Stream sound from Mac to HomePod
The Spotify app itself does not record AirPlay audio system within the units record, and the Mac AirPlay possibility within the menu bar solely lists Apple TVs. However you may play any sound out of your Mac – Spotify and extra – over AirPlay to your HomePod. Dive into your System Preferences. From there, select Sound and choose your HomePod because the gadget for sound output.
20. Use your HomePod as your HomeKit hub
A simple tip right here – one which requires no effort in your half. HomePod works as a hub for HomeKit, letting you management your smart HomeKit home equipment together with your voice through Siri.
And the excellent news is that it’ll robotically add itself as a Hub inside the Home app. Clearly, with the HomePod almost certainly to remain in a single place, it makes extra sense to have it as your HomeKit hub than an iPad (though an Apple TV remains to be preferable, as there are a couple of additional options).
The HomePod Mini is definitely the most effective Home Hub you should use because it additionally boasts Thread connectivity.
(Picture credit score: The Ambient)
21. Allow VoiceOver
Apple’s greatest accessibility characteristic can also be on the HomePod, that means Siri can announce which controls you are touching.
To allow it, head into the HomePod settings, scroll right down to Accessibility, and choose VoiceOver. This is a information that dives deeper into the characteristic and what it could possibly do.
22. Get Siri to be your sous chef
In the event you’re like us, Siri is massively useful within the kitchen. There’s nothing like making an attempt to manually set a timer with flour in your fingers to show you the worth of a voice assistant.
To offer you an additional leg-up when doing the psychological math, strive asking Siri in your HomePod, “Hey Siri, what number of ounces are in a cup?” Or, should you’re feeling like a special sort of night, perhaps strive, “Hey Siri, what’s in a White Russian?”
23. Share your HomeKit entry for HomePod
Having a HomePod is effectively and good, however you may wish to be sure that different individuals in your home can make the most of it, too.
In the event you’re utilizing your HomePod as a smart home hub, you can too add different customers in your ‘Home’ app, permitting them to regulate the smart speaker and all its paired units similar to you may. You may virtually really feel the accountability slipping off your shoulders.
24. Household grocery record
If you would like anybody in your home to have the ability to contribute to your grocery record, it simply takes a easy tweak. Head to your iPhone’s Settings app, then click on Reminders after which iCloud. Select Household and everybody can have entry to the grocery record.
25. Inform Siri what you want
Whereas Siri is taking part in music for you, do not be afraid to say “Hey Siri, I like this” or “Hey Siri, I hate this.” Siri will take your style under consideration and regulate what music it performs for you primarily based in your likes and dislikes.
26. Arrange a number of customers
The HomePod and HomePod Mini can now acknowledge particular person voices from as much as six customers, so that you all the time get your personal info – like calendars and playlists – when interacting with it.
You must truly get a immediate to set this up robotically, offered you’ve got met sure standards that Apple has set out right here (updating your iPhone to the newest iOS, having Bluetooth and “Hey Siri” turned on, and so forth).
To customise how your HomePod interacts with you personally, head to the Home app in your cellphone, and faucet the Home icon, Home Settings, then your home setup and your consumer profile underneath Folks.
27. Rename your HomePod / HomePod Mini
There are all types of the way you may customise your HomePod or HomePod Mini, and also you won’t have come throughout all of them but.
One thing fast and simple you are able to do is to rename your HomePod smart speaker – simply lengthy press on the gadget within the Home app, then faucet on Settings, then faucet on the present title.
28. Get bodily together with your HomePod
The HomePod smart audio system could be operated by way of bodily contact in addition to by way of voice instructions and your different Apple units.
In addition to the amount controls, you may faucet the highest of the speaker to play or pause your music (or Siri), double-tap to skip a observe, triple-tap to skip again a observe, and contact and maintain to activate Siri.
29. Discover songs by their lyrics
Siri in your HomePod is smart sufficient to have the ability to establish songs primarily based on their lyrics (so long as you have not misheard them and might get them proper, after all).
Say “Hey Siri, what’s that track that goes…” adopted by a line or two to get a match – you may then ask to listen to the track right away as effectively, should you like.
30. Use your HomePods in a number of rooms
In the event you’ve received multiple HomePods, you may assign them to completely different rooms and use your cellphone or a Siri command to maneuver audio from one room to a different – very helpful should you’re transferring from the kitchen to the lounge and wish your music to comply with you.
Go to Management Middle in your cellphone and lengthy press on the music taking part in tile, and also you’re in a position to configure the a number of room setup additional.