Why Won't My Apple TV Connect to HomePod?

As an Apple device owner, I’ve been feeling frustrated lately because I can’t seem to get my Apple TV to connect to my HomePod. I’ve done some research and testing and I’m here to share how I solved this issue and the other solutions I’ve discovered. In this blog post, I’ll be taking an in-depth look at why your Apple TV won’t connect to HomePod and how to fix it.

If the Homepod is off, the TV settings are wrong, or the Wi-Fi connection fails, your Apple TV will not connect to HomePod. To solve this, reset your Apple TV. Then ensure HomePod is on and both the AppleTV 4k and HomePod mini use the same Wi-Fi network and room.

Quick Tips: Connecting Apple TV and HomePod
– Check if the HomePod is on, the Wi-Fi connection has failed, or the settings on your Apple TV are wrong if the connection fails.
– Use Airplay and ensure that both devices are on the same Wi-Fi network to connect Apple TV and HomePod.
– To set up the connection via the Apple TV’s settings, go to Audio Output, and select the HomePod.
– To connect the devices using an iPod touch or iPhone, open the Home app, select Apple TV settings, then choose Default Audio Output, and select the same room as the HomePod.
– To use a quick fix, play media on a compatible app, select the audio menu on the Apple TV remote, and choose the HomePod name.

Why Won’t My Apple TV Connect to HomePod?

There are three significant reasons why your Apple TV and HomePod don’t connect:

The HomePod is off, the Wi-Fi connection has failed, or the settings on your Apple TV are wrong.

HomePod is Off

The HomePod will not connect to your Apple TV if it is not hooked to a power source or is switched off.

It should be one of the first things to check before delving deeper into troubleshooting your HomePod connection failure.

Possible Solution

Inspect the power cable for damage. If there is no visible wear and tear, plug it into the power source. Then check to see if your HomePod is working.

There are three methods you can use to confirm if your smart speaker is on:

Say “Hello” to Siri, and if you get a response, then the HomePod is on.

Tap the HomePod at the top, and if it starts playing music, then it’s on.
Access the Home app on your iPhone, iPod touch, Mac, or iPod, then tap the HomePod tile. If music plays, HomePod is on.

After performing the above steps, your HomePod should be up and running. Switch on the Apple TV and attempt to establish a connection. It would work if this were the issue.

Failed Wi-Fi Connection

When your Apple TV and HomePod are on the same Wi-Fi network, they will automatically connect when turned on.

But, if you have recently re-configured your Wi-Fi settings, particularly the password, this might cause a lack of audio output from the TV.

The signal could also be interrupted if you’ve moved the smart speaker from a prior location.

The HomePod is a wireless Bluetooth device. It cannot be connected directly to a TV using rudimentary cables. It uses Wi-Fi for audio sources and Bluetooth to communicate with other smart devices.

So, to play audio from the television, you must link your HomePod to an Apple TV device via Airplay, which uses Wi-Fi.

Possible Solution

If you feel this is the case, take the following steps:

Refresh the Wi-Fi.

Restart both your Apple TV and your HomePod. Once it starts, log back in with the current, correct credentials.
Select “AirPlay & HomeKit” in Settings and reset it. It’s possible on any Apple device running iOS 15 and above.

Test the same way you did when checking if the HomePod is on. At this point, both the HomePod and TV should have a stable connection to Wi-Fi, facilitating effective communication between them.

Incorrect Setting on Apple TV

If you haven’t configured the TV to send audio signals to the HomePod correctly, you’ll experience this problem.

An easy way to determine if your set-up is unsuitable is by checking the TV’s settings menu. Just change the audio settings to work with the HomePod.

Wondering how to do this, continue reading for tips to enable you to establish a successful connection between your Apple TV and HomePod.

How to Connect Apple TV to HomePod

To play audio from a television, HomePod connects to an Apple TV device via AirPlay. You can set the connection via the Apple TV’s settings or through an app on your iOS or iPadOS device.

Because AirPlay relies on Wi-Fi, ensure your TV and HomePod are on the same Wi-Fi network. The simplest way to get set up is to use an iPod touch or iPhone as long as they run on iOS 14.2 or newer versions.

Confirm that your Apple TV and HomePod are in the same room in the Home app.

What You Need

To link HomePod to a TV, you will need the following:

An Apple HomePod.
Bluetooth-enabled Apple TV 4th Generation or Apple TV 4K

Use the same Apple ID on both devices.
Link both devices to the same Wi-Fi network.

How to set up via Apple TV settings

Find and open the Settings app on your Apple TV.

Choose Video and Audio.
Select Audio Output.
Pick a good name for your HomePod. You’ll notice a checkmark appearing next to it. The checkmark indicates that audio from Apple TV is reaching HomePod.

How to connect Apple TV to HomePod using an iPod touch or iPhone

Keep in mind that this option channels all TV noises, even navigation clicks.

Navigate to your iPadOS or iOS Home app. Ensure you have iOS 14.2 or later.
Select and hold the “Apple TV” icon.

Scroll down and click the “Settings” button.
Open Default Audio Output and choose the same room as the HomePod. It should connect at this point.

The quick fix

There is a shortcut that gets you the results you require without having to leave whatever you’re listening to or watching.

The downside is that this technique doesn’t work on all apps.

Begin playing media on an Apple TV-compatible app, like Netflix and Hulu.
Search for the “Info Subtitles Audio menu” on the Apple TV remote (If you don’t see it when you scroll down, the app isn’t compatible with this technique, so follow the other steps).

Select “Audio.”
Click the HomePod name in the Speaker menu. When a checkmark appears next, the audio begins to play via the HomePod.

You can set up a home theater audio on the HomePod and experience Dolby Atmos Dolby Digital 5.1 or Dolby Digital 7.1 surround sound.

Limitations of HomePod to the Apple TV

HomePod is not great for home theater sound because it is primarily for audio and does not enable surround sound capabilities.

However, with a few tricks, you can get excellent acoustics. Consider speaker placement that provides surround sound or using a multi-channel audio system capable of playing audio from multiple directions.