How to Stream Music to Apple's HomePod

Listen to Spotify, Pandora, Amazon Prime Music, YouTube Music, and more

By
Sam Costello
Sam Costello
Sam Costello
Writer
  • Ithaca College
Sam Costello has been writing about tech since 2000. His writing has appeared in publications such as CNN.com, PC World, InfoWord, and many others.
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Updated on November 23, 2021

What to Know

  • Connect your HomePod and iOS device to the same Wi-Fi network and turn on Bluetooth.
  • Open the iOS device's Control Center, tap AirPlay, and select HomePod. Open a music streaming app.
  • Go to the Apple menu, select System Preferences > Sound > Output, select your HomePod, and check Show volume in the menu bar.

The Apple HomePod is optimized for playing Apple Music and Apple Podcasts content. The device can also stream music from any service running on your Apple devices, including Spotify, Pandora, Amazon Prime Music, YouTube Music, and other services. Here's how to stream music to an Apple HomePod on a device running iOS 13, iOS 12, iOS 11, or a recent version of macOS.

Stream Spotify, Pandora, and More With AirPlay

While the HomePod doesn't have built-in connections for Spotify, Pandora, and other third-party music-streaming services, if your favorite streaming app is on an iOS device with an AirPlay option, then you can stream to HomePod over AirPlay. AirPlay is a free technology built into iOS devices (as well as Apple TVs and Macs) that lets you stream audio and video between compatible devices.

homepod and airplay
Apple Inc.

Here's how to stream Spotify and other third-party music apps from your iOS device to your HomePod.

You won't be able to use Siri with your HomePod to control Spotify, Pandora, and other third-party music apps. Instead, use onscreen playback controls in your iOS device's Control Center or in the app to control your streaming music.

  1. Make sure your HomePod and iOS device are on the same Wi-Fi network and have Bluetooth turned on.

  2. Open your iOS device's Control Center. (Depending on your iOS device and model, swipe up from the bottom or swipe down from the top right corner.)

  3. In the top-right corner of the Music control, tap the AirPlay icon (the circles with the triangle in the bottom)

  4. You'll see a list of AirPlay devices. In the Speakers & TVs section, tap the name of the HomePod to which you want to stream, and then close out Control Center.

  5. Open Spotify, Pandora, or another app from which you want to stream music.

  6. Begin playing your music, and it will stream to your selected HomePod.

Stream Spotify, Pandora, and More From a Mac

Streaming Spotify, Pandora, and other music services from a Mac to the HomePod also uses AirPlay, but the steps you follow are slightly different. Here's what to do:

  1. From the Apple menu, open System Preferences.

    From the Apple menu, open System Preferences.

  2. Select Sound.

    Select Sound from System preferences

  3. Select Output.

    Select Output.

  4. Select the HomePod to which you want to stream. All audio coming from your Mac will now play to that HomePod.

    Select the Homepod device

  5. Check the box next to Show volume in the menu bar. This lets you select the HomePod from the menu bar audio control so you don't always need to use System Preferences.

    Check the box next to Show volume in the menu bar.

  6. Play the music through an app or your Mac's browser, and it will stream through the HomePod.

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