How to Reset Your HomePod or HomePod mini

If your HomePod or HomePod mini is acting up and standard fixes like a reboot or software update haven’t solved the issue, it’s time to consider a reset. This action restores the smart speaker to its factory settings, clearing out stubborn problems that could be software or firmware-related.

Additionally, a reset is crucial if you plan to sell or gift your HomePod. It ensures the device is clean of your data, readying it for its next owner.

This tutorial will show multiple ways to reset Apple’s HomePod or HomePod mini—through the Home app on a paired iPhone or iPad, by interacting directly with the speaker, or via Finder/iTunes on a Mac or PC.

Why You Should Factory Reset Your HomePod

A factory reset is a potent troubleshooting measure against recurring connectivity errors, technical difficulties, and performance snags on your HomePod or HomePod mini. Since problems mainly originate from conflicts within the system, network, and general configurations, reverting the settings to their defaults can create a positive impact.

But that’s not all. Although a HomepPod isn’t tied to your Apple ID through Activation Lock, it’s best to wipe the speaker of your information if you intend to pass it on to a new user—a reset is the perfect method to ensure nothing personal remains.

How to Reset Your HomePod With the Home App

The most straightforward approach to reset your HomePod or HomePod mini is through the Home app on your iPhone or iPad, assuming the devices have no trouble communicating. You can also use the Home app on a Mac to perform the reset if it uses the same Apple ID as your smart speaker. Just:

1. Open the Home app via the iPhone or iPad’s Home Screen, App Library, or Control Center. If you’re on a MacBook, iMac, or Mac mini, you can get to it via the Launchpad.

2. Locate and select your HomePod under the default Home tab.

3. Select the Settings icon on the lower right of the screen.

4. Scroll down and select Reset Homepod.

5. Select Remove Accessory on the confirmation prompt.

If your HomePod or HomePod mini is part of a stereo group, decouple the devices before resetting one or both speakers. To do that:

1. Select the paired HomePod speakers from the Home app’s Home tab.
2. Select the Gear icon on the lower right of the screen.
3. Select Ungroup Accessories.

How to Reset the HomePod Without the Home App

If the Home app on your iPhone, iPad, or Mac fails to detect your HomePod or HomePod mini, or if the option to initiate the reset won’t work, you can restore the speaker to its default settings through its touch interface. Here’s how:

1. Unplug your HomePod from its power source and wait 10 seconds.
2. Begin to resupply power and wait for 10 seconds more.
3. Place your finger on top of the HomePod—a white spinning light appears that eventually turns red.
4. Wait until Siri informs you the speaker is about to be reset.
5. Release your finger after you hear three beeps.

Note: Remove the HomePod or HomePod mini if it continues to appear within the iOS or macOS Home app. To do that, go to the HomePod’s Settings screen and select Reset HomePod.

Reset HomePod mini With Finder/iTunes on a Mac or PC

If you use a HomePod mini and the standard reset methods don’t work, you can restore the smart speaker to its default settings using the Finder or iTunes app on a Mac or PC. To do that:

1. Open a Finder window on your Mac. Launch iTunes if you’re on a Windows PC or a Mac running macOS Mojave or older.

Note: Don’t have iTunes on your PC? You can download the latest version of iTunes from the Microsoft Store or the Apple website.

2. Connect your HomePod mini to the desktop via a USB-C cable.
3. Select HomePod on the Finder sidebar or the top-left of the iTunes window.
4. Select Restore HomePod.
5. Select Restore to confirm your action.

Warning: Do not disconnect the HomePod mini from your Mac or PC until Finder/iTunes notifies you it has finished resetting the device to factory settings.

What You Should Do After Resetting Your HomePod

If you are restoring your HomePod or HomePod mini to troubleshoot it, you can reconnect the device via your iPhone or iPad immediately following the procedure. Make sure that the iOS device is connected to Wi-Fi and Bluetooth, and then:

1. Power on your HomePod and wait until it chimes.
2. Unlock your iPhone or iPad and hold it next to the HomePod—a pairing animation should appear on the screen.
3. Tap Set Up.
4. Use the camera to center the smart speaker within the frame of the setup card.
5. Follow the remaining instructions to complete the pairing process.

To set up two HomePod speakers as a stereo pair again:

1. Open the Home app and tap one of the connected HomePods.
2. Tap the Settings icon.
3. Tap Create Stereo Pair.

If you plan to part ways with your HomePod or HomePod mini, there’s nothing more left to do once a reset is complete. Just disconnect the speaker from power, bundle it with its USB cable, and hand it over.

You’ve Successfully Finished Resetting Your HomePod

To recap, the Home app on your iPhone, iPad, or Mac offers the easiest route to reset a HomePod or HomePod mini. However, if that doesn’t do the trick, you can directly interact with the smart speaker for a manual reset or, in the case of the HomePod mini, use the Finder or iTunes apps to roll it back to factory settings.

No matter how you reset your HomePod, the process should resolve persistent problems with the smart speaker or prepare it for a fresh start.