In this tutorial, we will tell you all about changing the default music service on your HomePod from Apple Music to something else such as YouTube Music, Pandora, Deezer, Tidal, etc.
Out of the box, Apple Music is the sole music provider on your HomePod. Sure, you can AirPlay songs and video tracks from any app on your iPhone, iPad, or Mac to your HomePod, but when you ask Siri on your HomePod to play a track or artist, it always does so using Apple Music.
But what if you like something else? For instance, I prefer YouTube Music over Apple Music! Thankfully, you have options for your listening pleasure on HomePod that go beyond Apple Music.
New changes to the default music service on HomePod
Before HomePod Software 17.4, you could go to your iPhone Home app > menu button > Home Settings > your name, and select a default music service, provided you had added that service to your Home app (steps below).
However, that option no longer exists. Now, Siri on HomePod automatically learns your default music app like it does on iPhone. You have no manual controls in the Home app to set a default music service for HomePod.
Still, you should consider adding third-party services such as YouTube Music to the Home app so Siri on HomePod can play songs via that service without relying on your iPhone.
Music apps that work on HomePod
The developer is responsible for adding HomePod support to their music app. As of now, Pandora, Deezer, Tidal, and YouTube Music are the popular apps that have HomePod integration. Sadly, Spotify and Amazon Music are not there yet (but we have an easy workaround for that mentioned below).
Additionally, I’d recommend checking out other apps specific to your country, and you may find HomePod support in their in-app settings. For instance, two popular apps in my country, namely JioSaavn and Gaana, can be set as HomePod’s default music service.
Note: You may need to buy a premium subscription for some apps to allow HomePod integration to enjoy proper ad-free music.
Add third-party music services to your Home app
The process for this differs from app to app.
YT Music
- Open the YouTube Music app and tap your profile picture from the top.
- Tap Settings.
- Tap Connected apps > Connect with HomePod.
- You may see a sign-in popup. Tap Continue and choose a Google account.
- Next, on the Allow YouTube Music on HomePod to access your Google Account page, check the box for “View and manage your YouTube Music data” and tap Continue.
- Tap Use in Home.
Pandora
- Open Pandora and tap the Profile tab at the bottom.
- Tap the gear icon on the top right to open your Settings.
- Select Connect with HomePod.
- Tap Use in Home on the next screen.
- Then, hit Done to finish up.
Other apps
Go to the in-app settings, and you may see a Connect with HomePod option. Tap it and follow it up with Use in Home > Done.
Ask HomePod to play what you want to listen
You’re now ready to enjoy music on your HomePod. Just say something like, “Hey Siri, play Imagine Dragons,” and your HomePod will start playing songs using the default music service. Siri will reply with something like “Imagine Dragons now playing on YouTube Music.”
You can also ask it to play the playlists that you have on that music platform. For instance, I can say, “Hey Siri, play my Old English playlist,” and HomePod replies with, “Now playing Old English playlist on YouTube Music,” or “Here’s Old English on YouTube Music.”
If Siri has not yet learned your default music preferences, add the app name to your voice command. For instance, you should say, “Hey Siri, play Imagine Dragons on YouTube Music.” After a short while, Siri should learn your music service preferences, and then you will not have to add the app name to your music requests. It will automatically play songs on YouTube Music instead of Apple Music.
How to know which music app is playing on HomePod
There are several ways to know which song is playing on HomePod. The easiest is to go inside the iPhone Home app and tap the HomePod tile to see the now-playing album art and access other media controls. Unfortunately, this screen does not show which app the song is playing from.
But, as mentioned earlier, HomePod speaks the name of the app where it plays the track. So, that’s your clue.
Secondly, when a song is playing on Apple Music, you will see the star (favorite) button in the Home app. But this may not be there when playing from other apps like YouTube Music.
Finally, when the song is playing in Apple Music on your HomePod, and you open the Music app on your iPhone, it will show the now-playing screen with the usual media controls and album art. But when another app like YouTube Music is playing on HomePod, it just says the name of that app.
Choose another music app on HomePod
Even after you set a default service, you can still ask your HomePod to play something on a non-default app like Apple Music. Just say Hey Siri, play this followed by the app name. As an example, you can say, “Hey Siri, play Every Breath You Take by The Police on Apple Music.”
However, if you give enough requests for a particular app (Apple Music, in this case), Siri will start treating it as the default.
How to ask HomePod to play a song or artist on Spotify
Unlike YouTube Music and other apps mentioned above, Spotify has not yet added HomePod support. Still, you can ask your smart speaker to play songs on Spotify. But the playback will happen through the Spotify app on your iPhone. If the app is not installed, Siri will recommend you download it on your iPhone.
Note that if you ask Siri on HomePod to play Spotify for the first time, it may request permission to access Spotify data on your iPhone.
Then it may say something like, “OK, to use Spotify, I will need to AirPlay from your iPhone. Here’s Coldplay.” After this, your requested music will start playing on HomePod via Spotify. You will see the now-playing tile on your iPhone.
Is HomePod saying it cannot recognize your voice?
When you ask Siri on HomePod to play something on Spotify, does it reply with “Sorry. I’m still not sure who this is. I can only play from Spotify if I recognize your voice. You can set that up in the Home app”?
Follow these steps to fix this by allowing personal requests on your HomePod:
- Open the Home app on your iPhone.
- Tap the three dots icon from the top left and go to Home Settings.
- Tap your name or the user name.
- Turn on Recognize My Voice and tap Continue > Use Personal Requests.
- Now, ask Siri on HomePod to play something, and it will do that. If not, restart your HomePod and your iPhone.
On a related note: How to select WhatsApp, Telegram, or other app when sending a message with Siri on iPhone