Airplay not working with HomePod Mini

I had the same issue, and it seems the setup was never quite finished. I tried connecting two speakers into stereo mode. It took a long time to get them to work. I too have a mesh network, like some of you. I had to reset the speakers six or seven times until I got it right. Eventually I got it to work though.

This is what failed: setting up both speakers in stereo config using default naming in one go. The failed setup resulted in many different strange phenomena, such as just one speaker sounding, handover working with just one speaker and even sound progress bar moving on the device connected to the speakers but no sound at all playing.

What eventually worked for me was setting them up, one by one. Not adding the stereo option to begin with, but making them separate speakers. I also renamed them as separate names (homepod mini 1 and HomePod mini 2), and chose a new ew name for the room to add them to. After that was done, I joined them in stereo mode and renamed the connected pair to a third name (stereopod). The first time, joining them got stuck and never completed. I disjoined them using the setting in the home app, didn’t reset anything at that time but just tried to stereo-couple them again, and the second time it worked. They were joined in stereo mode. Handover worked to both of them. Sending audio from a Mac worked - as did all else.

Really frustrating, but I think the setup process is vulnerable to some kind of network hiccup. It waits to complete some kind of setup, handshake process, and if that is somehow disturbed, the process takes a long time or sim0ly won’t finish.

From theories in this forum, I had a look at my mesh network logs and my routers logs to make sure nothing was blocked there, which was a real possibility since I run an IPS/IDS. Nothing though. So I think it is all in the speakers and Apples chosen method of setting them up or sign off to Apples‘s servers or something. Most likely a buggy, unstable or (at least) not idiot proof enough implementation. Yet.

Hope this helps someone else.

I also experiencing the same issue with my HomePod many. At first when I receive the HomePod I start having more issues than AirPlay. I’ve called Apple and spent a few days trying to resolve the issue the outcome is that Apple sent me a brand new device. Unfortunately the second HomePod mini has the same issue with airplay, cannot send airplay from my devices to HomePod mini. Apple advisor told me that they are experiencing technical issues with airplay on the specifically homepod mini and they are working to resolve this issue on a next firmware update. It’s been two weeks and I have not seen any firmware updates, as of right now I’m still having this issue where AirPlay is not working on HomePod mini.

None of my issues sorted with the connection issues despite doing everything the apple tech guy told me to do: reset pods, reboot router, remove devices. Last resort they asked how I set up my phone as just upgraded from 11max to 12 max. I said transferred from old phone. Asked me to wipe phone and set up but not from a back up? I did this and they worked fine. But I had lost everything and all passwords which I could not afford to do. So wiped phone and rebooted and restored from iCloud back up and problems returned. So back to square one with an awful lot of trouble. Clearly there is an ongoing issue here.

If you got a new phone after you set up your HomePod minis, it would be best to Reset the HomePods back to factory settings; Ungroup them first, then reset. Then Set up again with your new phone.

I also contacted Apple technical support and reset it my HomePod mini about five times at least and no good results came from it. Apple already sent me a brand new device and I’m still having the same issue. Apple senior advisor told me that they are working on this issue, hopefully will be fixed in the next upcoming firmware update.

I opened my second HomePod mini and that one set up and connected just fine. I’m able to see it in the Home app and am able to connect to it. The other one still won’t connect via AirPlay. I’m able to use Siri but still won’t connect to any of our iPhones or iPads. All are updated with the latest software. I’ll be calling Apple Support soon.

Yes i have the same issues its driving me mad! You can ask the pods/Siri to play music but try connecting them over airplay from your ipad 12pro it never connects. I have reset them numerous times deleted them from home app and reinstalled still the same issues. What the **** is going on

I got the same issue, keep getting “can’t connect to AirPlay” even though my airplay TV works fine. Once it works it works but it seems after some time of not being used the homepod just goes into sleep mode with connecting to it doesn’t wake it up.

I just purchased two mini’s and got the first one set up and am running into the same issue. The mini is connected to the network but when I try the Airplay functionality it says it’s unable to connect from my iPhone 12. I’ve also tried the handoff feature which doesn’t work from the mini to my phone or vice versa.

I am having this issue too ..... Mini works fine except the handoff feature does not work. Airplay, Siri, Wifi Connection, sound quality have all been as expected - but not the "hand-off". I have an iPhone 12 Pro updated to 14.2.1 and have updated the Mini to 14.2. I was on the phone with Apple Support several days ago making sure all of the settings were correct and he cold not resolve the issue. Apple Support has sent the diagnostics to Apple Engineering for evaluation. I am currently waiting for their analysis/evaluation. I am likely not to use the "handoff feature" much - but it is annoying nevertheless that I (and so far Apple) can not get it to work.

hey thanks. I had the same issue.. my MacBook and iPhone both couldn't interact with the HomePod mini. I followed the above steps and still didn't work. I have 2 routers in my house, so I switched my iPhone to the other router and thereafter came back to my original router.. and suddenly it worked. Did the same on my MacBook and its working

I gave this method a try, but unfortunately the only result was me having to sign back in to all the little iCloud services, Apple Music, re-download GBs of music and add all my Apple Pay cards back to my phone AND watch. Numerous hard resets using the touch method and my MBP to no avail. All up-to-date with 14.2.1.

I will note that I am able to airplay to my HomePod Biggie, add HomePod Mini as a little tagalong, control both with airplay, with combined and separate volume control. THEN I can even uncheck HP biggie and play to only HomePod mini and tada! It works. I’m then able to use handoff. But this only last for a few minutes before I’m back to airplay and handoff not working.

The big feature loss, for me at least, is being able to control the HomePod with my phone as a remote. Specifically I want to control the volume without having to shout at it and interrupt playback of live radio, discretely DJ, etc. This is also not possible with the symptoms described.

I thought it might be related to my wifi 6 mesh network, but if it works even intermittently with 5GHz, then I suspect it’s something else. All other internet features work fine. Siri, HomeKit, Apple Music, etc.

Still stuck.

Well, I did have similar issues with the HomePod connecting to the airplay intermittently and not able to use the phone as a remote to control the music and the handoff feature wasn't working. 2 things that I realized; my house has a mesh network hence the iPhone would keep moving between the routers (SSIDs). I turned off the auto join feature of the network to which my HomePod mini is not attached, thereby ensuring that my iPhone sticks to the network to which the HomePod mini is also attached. One of the other things that I realised that the router to which my HomePod was attached, had issues with my other apple devices too like the appletv, few apps not opening on the iPhone, though browsing on the internet through the MacBook was never an issue. So I just replaced this particular router with a new single channel router and that was the key, now all the devices connected this new router works perfect including the new HomePod mini does everything that it is supposed to do including the handoff from the iPhone.

Interesting! Thanks!

I think this may have something to do with my woes, but I have so many other devices connected to this network that can talk to each other. If the solution really is “just reconfigure advanced settings of your router and/or replace equipment” for a device that has no visual interface (besides some LEDs) it REALLY takes away the magic. I feel like SO many people have mesh setups and will have a terrible experience like we have or just never get to use the features.

Both my router and the satellite use the same SSID, so would that cause an issue, especially if my phone and HomePod are both connected to the satellite? Like, it’s clearly connected to the internet. It’s also WIFI 6 dual band, and I know HomePod softball only has N, but I’ve read it’s compatible with the 5GHz band (obviously as this is the band it connected to).

Man it shouldn’t be this hard to set this thing up. Lol. I’m one return, 4 phone support staff, and 5 hours invested into getting this little guy to let me adjust the volume of of the radio.