How to Fix HomePod Not Playing Music or iTunes Playlist

There is a reason why everyone is buying the Apple’s HomePod. It’s so they can combine accessibility and a powerful speaker together. With the HomePod, you can simply give a command such as, “Hey Siri, play [insert your favorite song]” or “Hey Siri, play my iTunes playlist”.

Once Siri picked up your command, the song you selected will start playing on your HomePod. It’s all sound amazing until the HomePod stopped working. In this case, won’t play any music.

Some people have already experienced this issue and it’s getting annoying when Siri on your HomePod return your request with a silent.

If Siri won’t play music on your HomePod

There are a few things you can do when music isn’t being played on your HomePod. It doesn’t matter if it’s a song or the entire iTunes playlist.

Remove HomePod from your iCloud

You should try removing the HomePod device out of your iCloud account and sign it back in using the Home app on the iPhone. Once that’s done, try playing some music on your HomePod.

Disable Hey Siri

Don’t worry, you will be able to turn her back on really soon. To turn off Hey Siri using your voice, just say, “Hey Siri, turn disable Hey Siri.”

Or you can go into the Home app and visit the Details screen of the HomePod, and switch the toggle for Listen for Hey Siri to off.

After a few minutes, you can switch it back on.

HomePod won’t play a particular album

Sometimes, HomePod would respond with silence after you request a specific album or playlist to be played on it. We have not found anything that will fix this problem yet, but you can try rebooting your HomePod and iPhone or iPad.

Secondly, check to see if your album and the tracks in it are uploaded onto iCloud Music Library.

In addition, you can reach out to Apple directly for live support.

Bonus:

If the HomePod is still not working or playing music, most people found it helpful to reset the device.

To reset your HomePod:

  1. Delete the HomePod from the Home app on your iPhone
  2. Disconnect your HomePod from the power outlet. Give it a few minutes and plug it back in
  3. Press the top button until you see the reset message

Once your HomePod has been reset, follow the on-screen instructions to set the HomePod up again. Hopefully, this time the problem has gone away.

Leave a Comment

  1. Apple support have been trying to fix this with me for 3 weeks now. They have hit a wall. It seems that a ‘feature’ (interesting that – a limitation is now a feature) of HomePod and iTunes Match is that you have to let Apple replace all your files – even those of much better quality – with their cloud version for HomePod to be able to play your library on request. It pains me to say this as a lifelong Apple fan but it’s absolutely crap and a total breach of the marketing and promoted product specification.

    Reply
  2. Apple just can’t acknowledge or fix this issue of their Homepods that stop playing an iTunes match playlist after several minutes.
    I own four of these Homepod units and I am considering going back to Sonos. A shame…

    Tim, are you listening?

    Reply
  3. Jan 29 2020

    Hi Our HomePod is working a treat as long as we Ask Siri to play what comes from Apple Music which we subscribe to.

    MY BEEF is that I cannot make Siri play any of my Old iTunes Playlist!!!
    I know MUSIC still has all of my playlists and music there in the Library but Siri just says ” I cannot find what I am asking for in Apple Music or My Library”

    What if I did not have Apple Music Subscription —- Can I assume I would NOT BE ABLE TO PLAY ANYTHING or and I missing something.

    Any Help would be So Appreciated
    Cheers Susan in WA

    Reply
  4. We have two Homepods and continue to have the music start and then stop. Frequently it will start again after a minute pause, but it only remains playing for a very short period of time. We are streaming this music from iTunes on a mac. We also stream to a Sony receiver that is airplay equipped as well as stereos connected to Airport Express units. The must never stops and starts on these devices, only on the Homepods. We can’t seem to find a solution. But the one thing we have found is that if we stream the music from an iPhone or iPad, the music does not hesitate on the Homepods. It seems this problem has persisted for a long time and I can’t believe that Apple has not come up with a solution.

    Reply
  5. HomePod cannot play Apple Music
    By saying ‘hey Siri, Play Christmas Music’
    Response,
    now playing, sorry there was a problem with Apple Music
    Also
    After update to Version 14.4
    Hey Siri, set volume to 35
    Response
    Sorry, there was a problem adjusting the volume

    Updated to Version 14.4
    It has not been resolved

    We found the new
    Default Audio setting
    In the AppleTv 4K causes
    It to BREAK the HomePod
    and causes the above issues

    Also
    The new
    Default Audio Setting
    In the AppleTv 4K causes
    the AirPods to not Auto Connect
    Like they use to

    Reply
  6. It is September 2021 and the issue is still not resolved. And the only response from online Apple support is to reboot the thing. And despite my having been quite specific about my no longer having or wanting to return to Apple Music online subscription, their answer completely ignored that fact. They told me to do the same reboot nonsense as if I am an Apple Music subscriber.

    The reason I left Apple Music after three years is that it destroyed my existing library, which is massive and contains many sound files, field recordings, and what-not of my own making. Eventually, it simply stripped the tag information of almost three thousand files. That was when I had enough and closed the account. Support could not help, no matter how many calls I put in to them. So, why pay for such terrible service and an almost cavaleir attitude for their customers problems and needs?

    If someone had said that it is “required” to be an Apple Music subscriber in order for the HomePod to work, I would never have purchased the thing. That is horrible business practice.

    For over twenty-five years, I’ve been a loyal Apple person – even through the lean years. But since Steve is gone, and Tim is now at the helm, I have found Apple’s business practices in the past decade terrible. This is not the first time I’ve been burned by remaining in the Apple ecosystem since Steve Jobs passed away, but with all the hardware I have I’m stuck.

    I will say this. After this latest garbage game by Apple, I will no longer buy their products. I cannot see the benefit of purchasing a piece of hardware built to last for a decade, when the OS will eventually be dropped long before the hardware fails. The young people of today need to wise up and stop behaving and thinking that Apple is some benevolent techno wizard with their best interests at heart. Yes, I sounded like that in my twenties, but not anymore. Tim Cook’s business practices are now no better than Micro Soft. But, he’s banking on the long standing branding of Apple to get away with it.

    Reply
  7. Completely agree with Anthony.

    I have recently purchased four HomePod minis and positioned them throughout my home, I have an Apple Music subscription and an iTunes Match subscription, still can’t get the HomePods to play any of my playlists unless I play them from my iPhone!!

    Have tried all the troubleshooting tasks, updated to latest firmware and software versions etc etc but makes no difference.

    Feels like Apple have once again overcooked their promotion of a product that “just DOES NOT work”!!

    Scamdal!! Yes I said ‘SCAM’dal.

    Reply

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Cydia Geeks