How to set up your Apple HomePod
After unboxing and plugging in Apple's fancy HomePod smart speaker, just how do you set it up? Easy peasy.
After a slight delay, Apple's HomePod is here. The Siri-touting speaker began arriving at customers' homes and on store shelves on Friday.
Once you get home, you need to set up the speaker before it's time to jam out with one of the best-sounding speakers out there. The process takes just a couple of minutes, just make sure you have an iOS device handy — you can't set it up without one. Also, make sure it's up to date; 11.2.5 is required to interact with the HomePod.
After clearing shelf space and plugging in the HomePod, it will take a few seconds for it to boot up. Eventually, the top display will show a white pulsing light. Once you see that light, unlock your iPhone or iPad and place it next to the HomePod.
A second or two later you'll be prompted to set up the HomePod on your device. From here, follow the rest of the prompts. First up is assigning your HomePod to a room.
Then you'll be asked if you want to use Personal Requests — a feature that uses your iCloud account to send and read iMessages, create reminders and notes whenever your iPhone is on the same Wi-Fi network as your HomePod. Keep in mind, with this enabled anyone within shouting distance of the HomePod can send messages as you, or have your messages read aloud. You can always go back and turn this feature on or off after setup if you change your mind.
Finally, you are asked if you want to use your iCloud account to sync settings like Wi-Fi networks to the HomePod.
Setting up my HomePod this afternoon took under 5 minutes from unboxing to listening to some music. Not too bad, Apple.
