Lost volume control with stereo Homepods

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Level 4

1,363 points

Lost volume control with stereo Homepods

Since updating to tvOS 16.6 I have found the volume control on one of my stereo (original) Homepods no longer works via the Siri Remote. The left-hand Homepod volume can be changed with the top touch pad but using the Siri Remote has no effect. The Mute button also has no effect. Bizarrely the right-hand Homepod volume control & mute still works.

I have tried:

a) restarting the Homepods & restarting the Apple TV 4K

b) Ungrouping the Homepods and pairing them again

c) Ungrouping the Homepods, replacing the left-hand Homepod with a spare Original Homepod and pairing it with the right-hand Homepod (which suggests that resetting the Homepods will not fix the problem)

d) Restarting the Siri Remote ( If the volume buttons on your Apple TV remote stop working - Apple Support )

I have run out of ideas. I am hoping that a future tvOS will fix this issue.

Apple TV 4K (2nd generation)

Posted on Aug 20, 2023 2:07 PM

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Answer 1

Michael Paine Author

Level 4

1,363 points

Sep 3, 2023 2:14 PM in response to Michael Paine

I decided to reset the Apple TV. For now that has fixed the problem of volume control of stereo Homepods.

During the reset I came across an issue where the Apple TV did not recognise the Siri Remote - I couldn't go past the first step of selecting a language.

Eventually I remembered the Apple TV came with an earlier remote model. Luckily I found it in a cupboard, charged it up and managed to get it to talk to the ATV. After the ATV was set up I connected the Siri Remote with this advice from Apple:

Reconnect the Siri Remote to Apple TV – Apple Support (AU)

Perhaps I could have used this method at the start of the setup process?

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Answer 2

Mar 1, 2024 11:16 AM in response to Michael Paine

Same issue I think, no matter how t combine my three HomePods minis ( 2 in living room, one in bedroom) I can only control volume on one with remote the other is unresponsive.. no fixes from what I’ve read and common issue… still going on into iOS 17.3..I wasted 99$ on a third HomePod mini for use as a PAIR!!

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Answer 3

SRC666

Level 1

4 points

Sep 3, 2023 9:39 PM in response to Michael Paine

Did the reset and i had the same problem until i chose the homepod mini pair as the temporary audio output versus default. Now both homepods can be controlled using the apple tv remote and the mute button works too

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Answer 4

Michael Paine Author

Level 4

1,363 points

Sep 4, 2023 2:52 PM in response to SRC666

Useful to know - thank you.

Another possible factor for me is that, after resetting the Apple TV, I found I had to disconnect the ethernet cable in order to connect the ATV to the stereo homepods. In other words, the Apple TV needed to be using wifi. I haven't tried connecting ethernet again in case that breaks the volume control.

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Answer 5

Michael Paine Author

Level 4

1,363 points

Sep 6, 2023 2:43 PM in response to Michael Paine

As posted in another discussion...

The problem reoccurred for me this morning and I think I have found a temporary fix for my system.

Change the Apple TV default audio output to the TV (i.e. not stereo homepods)

Turn the power off for the homepods

Restart the Apple TV

Power up the homepods

Change the Apple TV audio output to the stereo homepods

Start playing some audio and press the mute button on the Siri Remote see check that both homepods are muted

If this doesn't work try resetting the Apple TV.

Also try renaming the stereo homepods in the iOS Home app while they are not the default output

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Answer 6

Michael Paine Author

Level 4

1,363 points

Sep 19, 2023 12:38 AM in response to Michael Paine

TvOS 17 and HomepodOS 17 seem to be working OK with stereo Homepods. Time will tell if the issue has been fixed.

I did change the default audio output to the TV before upgrading tvOS. Then changed it back to the stereo Homepods which could be controlled with the Siri Remote as intended.

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Answer 7

WheelieNick

Level 8

37,559 points

Aug 20, 2023 2:27 PM in response to Michael Paine

I suggest that you give this as feedback to apple so they can have a look at it, you can do that via this form

Product Feedback - Apple

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Answer 8

Michael Paine Author

Level 4

1,363 points

Aug 20, 2023 3:43 PM in response to WheelieNick

Thank you. Giving feedback was one of my first steps. Trouble is there is no feedback from Apple to possible bug reports so I raised the issue in these discussions.

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Answer 9

Michael Paine Author

Level 4

1,363 points

Aug 27, 2023 2:40 AM in response to Michael Paine

Touch wood - the problem has gone away. Apple TV is still on tvOS 16.6 but maybe there was a version update (20M73)?

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Answer 10

Michael Paine Author

Level 4

1,363 points

Aug 27, 2023 2:39 PM in response to Michael Paine

My mistake - the volume control problem is still there!

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Answer 11

hoommus

Level 1

4 points

Aug 29, 2023 8:44 AM in response to Michael Paine

I think it happened on another stereo pair of HomePod minis I have in my other room so it’s not related to tvOS. Hopefully when iOS 17 is out it magically goes away.

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Lost volume control with stereo Homepods

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