Can’t Set Up HomePod? How-to Fix

Apple has been putting in quite of bit of work in order to keep our devices as protected as possible. This is evidenced by features such as iCloud+ with Private Relay, along with Advanced Data Protection. The latter was introduced with the release of iOS 16.3, and offers end-to-end encryption for a wide variety of Apple services. But what helps this stand out from other methods of encryption is that Apple states “Advanced Data Protection keeps most iCloud data protected even in the case of a data breach in the cloud.”

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• What’s New in iOS 16.3
• End-to-End iCloud Encryption Is Finally Here
• iCloud.com: How to Use the Updated Interface
• What Are the Green and Orange Dots on iPhone 14?

Can’t Set Up HomePod? How-to Fix

Unfortunately, there are just some instances when Apple introduces a new feature, only to have users discover random problems. Such is the case with the release of iOS 16.3, as there are reports claiming that users can’t set up HomePod after the update. Surprisingly, Apple seems to have noticed this problem and there’s an official support document that takes you through some of the steps to take in order to get things back in working order.

Turn Off Advanced Data Protection

The most obvious option for those who can’t set up HomePod is to try and turn off Advanced Data Protection. We’ve already touched on how you can set up this feature once it’s available, and turning it back off is just as easy.

1. Open the Settings app on your iPhone.
2. Tap [Your Name] at the top of the page.
3. Tap iCloud.
4. Scroll down and tap Advanced Data Protection.
5. Tap Turn off Advanced Data Protection.

After turning off Advanced Data Protection, we highly recommend that you go through the rest of the options here if you can’t set up HomePod. Once the set up has been completed, then you can go back and turn Apple’s latest security feature on again.

Restore and Update HomePod With Your Mac or PC

As you might suspect, the steps below only apply to the HomePod Mini, as it uses an integrated USB-C cable for power. Those who own and use the original HomePod will need to try following the alternative methods listed here. With that in mind, here’s how you can restore and update HomePod with your Mac or Windows PC.

1. Unplug your HomePod from the power adapter.
2. Plug the USB-C cable into your Mac or PC.
3. If using Mac, open the Finder app. If using Windows, open iTunes.
4. Locate and select your HomePod when it appears.
5. Click the Restore HomePod button.
6. Wait until your HomePod is finished being restored.
7. Unplug your HomePod from your Mac or Windows PC.
8. Plug your HomePod into the power adapter.
9. Set up your HomePod as if it were new.

Just in case you need a bit of a reminder, you can either use the Home app on your iPhone to set up your HomePod. Or, you can just bring your iPhone close to the HomePod, then follow the on-screen prompts to finish the process.

Reset Your HomePod

Even with Advanced Data Protection turned off, you might still find that you can’t set up HomePod. Thankfully, Apple has implemented a couple of different ways to reset your HomePod. The first of which can be done right from the Home app on your iPhone, iPad, or Mac, and here are the steps you need to take:

1. Open the Home app on your iPhone or iPad.
2. Locate the HomePod that you need to reset.
3. Long-press on the HomePod button.
4. From the drop-down menu that appears, tap Accessory Details.
5. Swipe to the bottom of the window that appears.
6. Tap the Settings icon in the bottom right corner.
7. Swipe to the bottom of the page.
8. Tap Reset HomePod…
9. Tap the Reset button to confirm.

There’s another method to reset your HomePod in the event that you can’t access it from the Home app. This one relies on the touch-sensitive surface on the top of the HomePod, along with some help from Siri.

1. Unplug the HomePod from its power adapter.
2. Wait 10 seconds.
3. Plug the HomePod back in.
4. After it’s plugged in for 10 seconds, touch and hold your finger on the top of the HomePod.
5. Continue holding your finger in place while the white spinning light turns to red.
6. Keep holding your finger in place atop the HomePod as Siri tells you that your HomePod is about to reset.
7. After you hear three beeps, you can lift your finger.

Once you’ve lifted your finger from the HomePod, we recommend that you wait a few more minutes before going through the setup process. Once your HomePod is finished being reset, the light on top of the HomePod will change from red.

Update Your HomePod

The final method that you have if you can’t set up HomePod is to simply try and install any available updates on your HomePod. The most recent version is 16.3, and here are the steps you’ll need to take in order to update your HomePod.

1. Open the Home app on your iPhone or iPad.
2. Tap the three horizontal dots within the circle in the top right corner.
3. From the drop-down menu, tap Home Settings.
4. Scroll down and tap Software Update.
5. If an update is available, tap the Download and Install button.
6. Wait for the update to finish being downloaded and installed.
7. Make sure to keep your iPhone near the HomePod for the duration of the update process.

We ran into the same problem as others have mentioned, and had to go through every option provided, with the exception of connecting it to our Mac or Windows PC. Hopefully, Apple will release a fix that removes the need to worry about whether you can’t set up HomePod. Until then, at least there are some workarounds that you can perform to get your HomePod back in working order.

Andrew Myrick

Andrew Myrick is a freelance writer based on the East Coast of the US. He enjoys everything to do with technology, including tablets, smartphones, and everything in between. Perhaps his favorite past-time is having a never-ending supply of different keyboards and gaming handhelds that end up collecting more dust than the consoles that are being emulated.