Most of the interaction with a second-generation HomePod or HomePod mini is with voice commands via Siri. But there are a number of different status lights on top of both smart speakers that can change colors and inform you of what’s happening.
We’ll help you better understand the status lights on Apple’s smart speaker.
What Do the Status Lights Mean on the HomePod and HomePod mini?
Both the HomePod and HomePod mini have a touch-sensitive light panel on top. You can accomplish a few tasks to control the smart speaker there. For example, you can change the volume and play/pause audio without needing to interact with Siri.
The light panel will also change colors depending on what is happening with the smart speaker. Here are all the different colors and what they mean.
White Spinning Light
On both the HomePod and HomePod mini, this indicates that the smart speaker is turning on or the software is being updated.
Static White Light
When seeing a white pulsing light on the HomePod mini, that indicates that the smart speaker is playing audio. The same light on the HomePod shows that the smart speaker is ready to be set up or an alarm or timer is going off.
Multicolored Spinning Light
It’s Siri time. When you see a multicolored spinning light on either HomePod model, that means that the virtual assistant is listening to your request.
Green Pulsing Light
After transferring a phone call from your iPhone to the HomePod or HomePod mini, you’ll see a green pushing light.
Orange Flashing Light
Only on the HomePod mini, an orange flashing light shows that the smart speaker is connected to a computer or is plugged into a power adapter that didn’t come with the unit and isn’t rated 20W.
White Flashing Lights
Anytime you see white flashing volume lights oil the HomePod or HomePod mini, you’ll need to unplug the smart speaker and wait 15 seconds. Plug it back into a power source. If you continue the same blinking lights, try factory resetting the smart speaker and then set it up as new. If the issue persists, it’s time to call Apple support.
Red Spinning Light
On both the HomePod and HomePod mini, the red spinning light indicates that the speaker is being reset.
Better Understanding Your HomePod and HomePod mini
The status lights on the HomePod and HomePod mini are a bit difficult to decipher at first. But now you should better know what to expect.