Music won't play on multiple HomePods iOS 15.0

Starting the ticket is pretty easy.

1. Go here: https://feedbackassistant.apple.com.
2. Sign in with your Apple ID
3. Open a new case. I chose AirPlay as my category, Incorrect/Unexpected Behavior as the problem type.
4. Describe the issue with as much detail as you can. Specific products, OS versions, and the scenario that triggered the error.
5. Creating a sysdiagnose takes a little work. You can refer to this page to find your scenario and install the correct profile: https://developer.apple.com/bug-reporting/profiles-and-logs/. I used these instructions for getting sysdiagnose logs on a HomePod from an iOS device. The AirDrop part was finnicky, I had to wait a bit and tried a few times before it correctly prompted me. https://download.developer.apple.com/iOS/tvOS_Logs/HomePod_Logging_Instructions.pdf
6. Upload those files to the open issue. They are 100-300mb.

Good luck!

Reboot the wifi

Make sure the iOS device you used to set up HomePods has also been updated to iOS 15, are all on the same wifi network and signed in with the same Apple ID,

Try restarting the HomePods:

Open the Home App - Long press on the HomePod icon to bring up settings, scroll down to the gear icon, tap that, scroll to the bottom to Reset HomePod - then select Restart HomePod 

I believe there seems to be a bug in this update. I could flawlessly airplay to multiple homepods over a week ago and lately is flakey af.

I have now reset both homepods (homepod and a homepod mini, not trying to stereo pair just airplay to them as a pair/together which was never an issue before) and still a problem. They are on 15.0 and my phone is on iPhone 13 pro max on 15.0.1. Had the same issue over a week ago with my iPhone X on 15.0.

I will play a song in music then airplay and select both pods, they take a second and join as two speakers then sometimes separate. Other times they look as to be playing as a two speaker set and both lit up but music will only play from one. Seems depending on which was selected first will be the one that plays fine and the other struggles.

Same when controlling from the home app or music app.

Again no issues before, all on same network, have reset both home pods. Will do a router power cycle to be sure but will update only if that changes things.

please fix :c

I have precisely the same issue. 5 OG HomePods, 2 HomePod mini. The OG HomePods cannot play multiple with anything except the minis. I have an active issue open with Apple and have provided sysdiagnose info to them, but it might help if others open a similar issue.

I can also add that I've cycled my router, limited the HomePods to both 2.4ghz and 5ghz — same results. I've attempted playing from multiple iPhone 13s and from my Macbook. Same thing. All HomePods have strong connections (laptop show 1300Mbps placed beside the HomePods).

There also seems to be a follow on effect, where after the HomePod has become "bugged" by trying to set it as the multiple, it will not work on its own for awhile afterwards.

Just as reported above, everything looks fine from the playing device, but the speaker does nothing. Oddly enough, they DO have their volume lights on, just no sound output.

Unfortunately I don't, but I'll point out that the same thing happen using macOS as the source.

Oh, another interesting detail, same problem when I made my Samsung TV a "multiple". No sound from it, while the first HomePod played fine. When I ended the AirPlay session and started with the Samsung TV it worked.

So perhaps the issue is in AirPlay 2?

I have 3 HomePods and 2 Minis with the same problems. I will start streaming with 3 HomePods. The App shows 3 playing HomePods, but only one plays real. After a little time the group are only single speakers.

Must we wait since an update?

Prior to the update I did some experimenting. I toggled pretty much every setting on my router (there are a lot of them) to see if something was causing problems. No particular setting seemed to have an effect, but when I switched the channels for all my radios (1x2.4ghz, 2x5Ghz) and restarted it worked again for about 12 hours, then I started having the same issue. I then set some different channels and it was working well for 48 hours before the 15.1 update. Now, post update, everything is still working.

If folks still have issues I’d suggest trying different Wi-Fi channels. It seems like 15 caused the HomePods to be more sensitive to network interference somehow. Quite odd!

Wanted to let folks know that the issues have reappeared for me. I think the combination of WiFi channel changes and the reboots with 15.1 may have made things better for a bit, but a few days ago speakers stopped connecting again.

To frame this — speakers with very high SNRs of 39db and connection rates of ~850Mbps are having issues. No speaker is more than 25 feet from an access point, and speakers with a clear line of sight are having issues. I never had issues before maybe 3 or 4 months ago, now it's frequent. I am in Brooklyn, NY, so there's bound to be network interference, but this level of sensitivity seems odd.

Confirming the same. It has been much better but issue is still there. The other day two original HomePods would just not play together in a stereo pair or otherwise. The mini and original seem better but at times only one will work. Over days. After the other update 15.1.1 they are working again but this seems only due to a restart/reset.

I am in suburbs in Australia, little interference. The access point is in adjacent room. And pods on a desk together.

again some months ago no issue was flawless. Frustrating.

I am also experiencing the same issue. When streaming from iPhone on iOS 15.1 to HomePods all on 15.1.1 only the first chosen HomePod will play, then any additional HomePods added will either stay selected while not playing (first HomePod always plays) or they will instantly disconnect. This issue first started for me on iOS 15 then was resolved in 15.0.1 then returned in 15.1. I’ve tried all fixed including removing and adding all HomePods, restarting iPhones, router…etc.

I did have twice the popping noise, immediately after the speakers pauses.

I have an open case with Apple as well, they did replace one of the 3 HomePods.

They gave me a link to follow up if happens again… Will see what happens.

On 15.1.1 and I've also experienced the popping noise and speakers suddenly cutting out. After rebooting the speaker it typically works again (unlike before, where nothing seemed to get a speaker to reconnect).

FWIW, when debugging I found that AirPlay to a Samsung TV was also exhibiting similar symptoms, and it streams 4K video without issue and lives next to the WiFi 6 router.