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“Hey Siri, play white noise” not working properly

Hi everyone!


I use Homepod’s White Noise ambient sound every night to get a good night sleep in my city apartment. Usually, I ask Siri to play white noise and she will put on Apple’s continuous ambient sound, but lately, she will use media from Apple Music (*not* my library, i don’t have any white noise media in my library) instead of playing an Apple ambient sound. Now, every night I have to say “Hey Siri, play an ambient sound” over and over until she randomly selects White Noise. When I ask Siri to “play white noise ambient sound” she will still randomly select an ambient sound. So, i’m stuck with either a random ambient noise or some random lullaby/30 minute song from Apple Music. Has anyone else experienced this?

HomePod, 14

Posted on May 11, 2021 3:46 AM

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Posted on May 19, 2021 5:53 PM

Thank you for the response. My HomePod is up to date. I’ve tried forming the request in many different ways. The only way I can get Siri to play any Apple continuous sound is by asking her to “play an ambient sound”, very specifically. Anything else and she will play something random for Apple music. She used to handle this request just fine, but something has gone wrong in the past month.

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Question marked as Top-ranking reply

May 19, 2021 5:53 PM in response to bbesspete

Thank you for the response. My HomePod is up to date. I’ve tried forming the request in many different ways. The only way I can get Siri to play any Apple continuous sound is by asking her to “play an ambient sound”, very specifically. Anything else and she will play something random for Apple music. She used to handle this request just fine, but something has gone wrong in the past month.

May 12, 2021 7:03 AM in response to evanmcarlson

Hello, evanmcarlson.


Thanks for posting in Apple Support Communities. We understand that you're having trouble getting Siri to play the correct ambient sounds on your HomePod.


Does the behavior change if you use different phrasing? For example, "Play ambient white noise" instead of "Play white noise ambient sound."


You can also try checking for any HomePod updates: Update HomePod - Apple Support


Cheers!

May 21, 2021 8:25 PM in response to evanmcarlson

I am having the same issue. Since the last software update my HomePod will no longer play Ambient White Noise no matter what phrasing I use. No matter what variation of "play ambient white noise" I now use Siri plays a stream, a fireplace, a vacuum or some weird piano lullaby. Once in awhile Siri will say "Now playing white noise" but then turns off. I think there is something wrong with the last iTunes/Homepod update that broke this command/feature. I had to download an app for white noise and stream it to my HomePod which is very annoying and not the same as the Apple Ambient White Noise and kind of defats the HomePod in the bedroom.

“Hey Siri, play white noise” not working properly

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