What to Know
- You can let others control your HomePod audio through settings in your Home app.
- Go to Home Settings, tap Speakers & TV, and choose who you want to let control your HomePod audio.
- You can choose whether or not to require a password with the toggle.
Have you ever been in a group setting and want to let someone else take the DJ reins? You can easily let other people control your HomePod audio through settings in your Home app. Here’s how to choose who can take over the playlist on your HomePod.
How to Let Others Control Your HomePod Audio
Bluetooth frees us from the days of having to wrangle cables between devices to switch who controls the music. Now, you can easily let anyone within range of your HomePod assume the role of DJ. However, if you aren’t comfortable with giving your guests and housemates free rein of the speaker, there are options for limiting who takes control, too. Let’s learn how to give exactly the right amount of control over your HomePod to the people in the vicinity.
An important note is that it appears some control of your HomePod is given to people on your network automatically, so even if you aren’t interested in sharing control, it’s important to follow these steps to review who has access to your HomePod. For more ways to keep your devices safe, check out our free Tip of the Day newsletter.
To customize who can control your HomePod audio:
- Open your Home app on your iPhone.
- Tap the More icon in the top right of the screen.
- Tap Home Settings.
- Tap Speakers & TV.
- Select whether you want Everyone, Anyone On the Same Network, or Only People Sharing This Home to control your HomePod.
- If you want to require a password, toggle on Require Password.
Now, you can share the controls! Below are the steps anyone with access can use to play a song from an iPhone on the HomePod:
- Open up your song of choice in your app of choice. For this example, we’re using Apple Music.
- Tap the AirPlay icon toward the bottom of the Now Playing screen.
- Select the HomePod from the list of options.
And there you go!
FAQ
- Why is my HomePod allowing someone else to control the audio? Your settings might default to letting anyone who is on your Wi-Fi network control your HomePod audio.
- How do I know which HomePod model I have? To find out which HomePod model you have, open your Home app, select your HomePod and see what’s displayed under Model.
- Do you need an iPhone to connect to a HomePod? Yes, you need an iPhone to connect to a HomePod. Android phones won’t connect, but you can use your HomePod independently to talk to Siri as long as you have an internet connection.
