In 2020, Apple released HomePod Mini, a smaller and more affordable version of their HomePod smart speaker. At the same time, Apple announced Intercom, which allows you to use your HomePods like an intercom system. In this article, I'll show to how to set up Intercom on your HomePods!
What Is Intercom?
Intercom is Apple's new wireless messaging system HomePod owners can utilize to communicate between multiple devices. Like the name suggests, Intercom's primary function is to allow people in the same household to exchange messages room-to-room via their HomePods.
You need at least two HomePods to use Intercom. Only have one? Consider investing in a HomePod Mini to round out your sonic environment.
How To Set Up Intercom
Setting up Intercom is somewhat of a process, but the results will be worth it. Once you have each of your HomePods set up individually, follow these instructions to get Intercom working today!
Do you prefer to watch than read? Check out our “How To Use Intercom on HomePod” video tutorial on YouTube!
Open The Home App
The Home app that comes preinstalled on iPhones acts as the HomePod control center. If you've configured an individual HomePod before, you're probably already familiar with the Home interface. Even if you're new to it, by following these tips you should be able to get Intercom up and running in just a few minutes!
Make Sure Your HomePods Are Up To Date
Every HomePod in your ecosystem has to be running the most recent software version before you can use Intercom. Since your HomePod doesn't have a screen like your iPhone or iPad, you'll use the Home app to check for new software updates.
Open the Home app and tap the House icon in the upper left-hand corner of the screen. Then, tap Home Settings. Scroll down to the heading labelled Speakers & TV, then tap Software Update.
If nothing shows up in this tab, all of your HomePods are running their latest software update. Just tap Done to go back to the main page of the Home app.
Enable Intercom On All Of Your HomePods
The Intercom setting on HomePods is not fully automated. Like settings on a cell phone or a computer, sometimes you need to enable this feature manually.
To check if Intercom is enabled on your HomePods, open the Home app and press and hold any of your HomePods listed. Scroll down and tap Intercom.
Here you'll see a list of every HomePod in your ecosystem. Make sure each switch is on. If any switch is off, tap on it to turn it on. You'll know the switches are on when they are green.
Configure HomePod Locations
One of the major differences between Intercom and other messaging systems like iMessage is the fact that it sends messages to locations, not people. For this reason, it's important to have each of your HomePods correspond to a specific room or area in your home so you can send the right notifications to the right place.
Like many other HomePod settings, you'll want to establish these details in the Home app on your iPhone. In the Home app, press and hold any of your HomePods until its control menu appears. From there, scroll down and tap Room. The Room page will display a carousel of locations to connect to your HomePod. If you'd prefer to add your own, you can do that as well.
Once you have your HomePods set up for specific rooms, you can make sure that you completed this step properly by tapping the Room tab at the bottom of the Home app display. There, you can swipe left and right to see which Apple accessories you have connected to each room.
How To Invite Other People To Use Your Intercom
If you would like other people in your home to be able to use your Intercom system, open the Home app again. Tap the little House icon, then tap Home Settings -> Invite People.
From there, add whomever you would like to join your Intercom system. When you send the invitation, they will receive a push notification. To join, they'll need to tap Accept and follow the registration prompts.
How Does Intercom Work?
Once you have all of your HomePods set up and everyone in your network is registered with Intercom, you're ready to start using it! To send a message with Intercom, just say “Hey Siri, Intercom” and then speak your message. Once you finish talking, all of the other HomePods you own will play your message to the rest of the people in the house.
If someone would like to respond to your message, they just need to say “Hey Siri, reply” and dictate their response. The HomePod that sent the initial message will then play their response.
If you have more than two HomePods throughout your house or apartment, it's also possible to send an Intercom message to just one other room. To use that function, say “Hey Siri, Intercom” followed by the room you would like to message, then your message. This prevents your entire Intercom system from projecting your message throughout the rest of your building.
Intercom: Loud and Proud
HomePod Intercom somehow feels innovative and nostalgic all at once. If you have multiple HomePod speakers, this feature is a great way to make communication more efficient than ever. Leave a comment down below if you have any other questions about HomePod!
