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How to Connect Apple HomePod to a TV

Play TV audio through a HomePod speaker with Apple TV

By Sam Costello Sam Costello Writer Ithaca College Sam Costello has been writing about tech since 2000. His writing has appeared in publications such as CNN.com, PC World, InfoWord, and many others. lifewire's editorial guidelines Updated on December 14, 2020 Tweet Share Email Tweet Share Email TV & Displays Samsung Projectors Antennas HDMI & Connections Remote Controls

What to Know

Method 1: Open the Apple TV Settings. Select Video and Audio. Choose Audio Output. Select the name of your HomePod.Method 2: Open the content with audio on Apple TV. Swipe down from the top of the screen and select Audio > name of HomePod. This article explains how to connect an Apple HomePod to an Apple TV using two methods that both require an Apple TV 4 or newer. It includes a few limitations of the process and a list of requirements.

Play Apple TV Audio Through the HomePod

The Apple HomePod is a voice-controlled smart speaker that's designed to deliver clear, room-filling sound with ease, just like its competitors Google Home and Amazon Echo. As a standalone speaker, HomePod can be an audio source for a digital television. The HomePod cannot be connected directly to a TV. As a wireless Bluetooth device, HomePod must connect to an Apple TV device via AirPlay to play audio from a television. After you set up your HomePod, you can make it the audio output source for the Apple TV in a couple of ways. This allows audio from Apple TV content to play on your HomePod instead of your television. The first method involves the Apple TV Settings. On the Apple TV, open Settings. Select Video and Audio. Select Audio Output. Select the name of your HomePod. A check mark appears next to it, indicating that audio from the Apple TV is being sent to the HomePod.

Shortcut for Playing Apple TV Through HomePod

There's another, easier way to send audio to the HomePod, although not every Apple TV app supports this shortcut. Start playing content on a compatible app in the Apple TV. Swipe down on the Apple TV remote to reveal the Info Subtitles Audio menu. (If you don't see this menu when you swipe down, the app is not compatible with this method, and you should use the other instructions.) Select Audio. In the Speaker menu, select the name of your HomePod so that the check mark appears next to it. The audio starts playing through the HomePod.

What You Need to Connect HomePod and a TV

In order to connect HomePod to a TV, you need the following: An Apple HomePod. A 4th Generation Apple TV or Apple TV 4K with Bluetooth enabled. Both devices connected to the same Wi-Fi network. Both devices using the same Apple ID.

The Limitations of HomePod and Apple TV

While connecting a HomePod to a TV is fairly easy, it is not ideal for home theater sound. That's because HomePod is designed primarily for audio and does not support surround sound features. For the best audio experience with TV and movies, you want a speaker arrangement that offers surround sound or multi-channel audio that can play audio from multiple directions. This delivers a more immersive audio experience, with sound moving in all directions like in a movie theater. This can usually be accomplished with a speaker on each side of the TV, or with a soundbar that has independent left and right speakers. HomePod does not support multichannel audio, but with AirPlay 2 it does support stereo sound. That means it can deliver two channels of audio (left and right). This is great for music but is still not ideal for a home theater system, which should have at the least a 5.1 channel system. Apple, Inc. Was this page helpful? Thanks for letting us know! Get the Latest Tech News Delivered Every Day Subscribe Tell us why! Other Not enough details Hard to understand Submit More from Lifewire How to Use Apple AirPlay With HomePod How to Connect AirPods to PS5 The Complete Guide to Home Audio Systems for Beginners How to Add Bluetooth Adapter to Your TV How to Connect Your TV to an External Audio System How to Connect AirPods to Zoom How to Stream Music to Apple's HomePod 8 Ways to Fix It When an iPhone Speaker Is Not Working How to Make Phone Calls With Your HomePod How to Amplify Dialogue on TV How to Connect an iPad to a TV How to Connect a TV to a Speaker System How to Connect a Phone to a TV Wirelessly How to Set Up a Home Theater System Everything You Need to Know About Apple HomePod How to Turn on AirPlay on a Mac Newsletter Sign Up Newsletter Sign Up Newsletter Sign Up Newsletter Sign Up Newsletter Sign Up By clicking “Accept All Cookies”, you agree to the storing of cookies on your device to enhance site navigation, analyze site usage, and assist in our marketing efforts. Cookies Settings Accept All Cookies