Apple's HomePod and HomePod mini smart speakers produce room-filling sound in incredibly small packages. One speaker can only go so far though, so if you're serious about sound you'll want to combine two of them into a stereo pair. We'll show you how.

What You'll Need

Image Credit: Apple

While making a stereo pair is relatively easy, there are a few requirements you need to meet before you can pair your HomePods. First and foremost, Stereo Pairing requires two identical HomePod hardware models. Due to the hardware requirement, you cannot pair a HomePod mini with one of the larger HomePod models. It also means you can't pair a first-generation HomePod with a second-generation model, even though they look nearly identical. Second, you need to make sure your iOS devices and HomePods are up to date with the latest software versions. If you need help with the update process, check out how to update a HomePod or HomePod mini. Finally, Stereo Pairing requires assigning your HomePods to the same room within the Apple Home app. So if you haven't already done so, you'll need to organize your HomeKit house of rooms before proceeding. With those requirements out of the way, you're ready to create a stereo pair.

Creating a HomePod Stereo Pair

With the HomePod's deep iOS integration, Apple offers several ways to create a stereo pair. One method is to create your stereo pair when you set up your Apple HomePod. When you add a new HomePod to your household, the setup process offers to pair your speakers automatically. All you need to do is assign your new speaker to a room with an existing HomePod, tap Use as stereo pair, then choose Left or Right for placement. If you already have two HomePods in your household, you'll need to move them into the same room first. Start by launching the Home app, then tap the More... button in the top right corner of your screen. Next, tap the room with one of your HomePods, then tap your speaker to bring up the device control screen. From here, tap the Settings button, then tap Room and use the dialer to assign your HomePod to the desired location. At this point, the Home app will detect that there's already a HomePod in the same room and offer the Stereo Pairing option. Just tap Use as Stereo Pair to combine your HomePods. If you initially refused to use your HomePods in the same room as a stereo pair, you can still pair them with just a few taps. After launching the Home app, tap the More... button, then tap the room containing your HomePods. Next, tap on one of your HomePods, followed by the Settings button in the bottom right. Now tap Create a stereo pair, tap the HomePod you want to pair it with, then tap Done.

How to Change Your Stereo Pair Orientation

If you ever need to change your HomePods orientation within a stereo pair, do it again through the Home app. After launching the Home app, tap the More... button, followed by the room containing your stereo pair. Next, tap your HomePods and then tap the Settings button. Now tap on Audio Settings and then tap on the Switch button to switch orientations. To confirm orientation, you can tap a HomePod to play a tone on your speaker. When you're done, tap Back to save your changes.

Removing a HomePod stereo pair

Removing a HomePod from a stereo pair is also quick and easy. Launch the Home app, then tap the More... button in the top right corner. Now tap on the room with your HomePods and then tap on your stereo pair. Next, tap the Settings button and then scroll to the bottom of your screen. From here, tap Ungroup Accessories, followed by Ungroup again to remove your stereo pair.

Rock Out With a HomePod Stereo Pair

While Apple's HomePod, especially the larger model, already offers excellent, room-filling sound, creating a stereo pair can take your music to the next level. And if you have an Apple TV 4K, you can take your binge-watching experience to the next level by using your stereo pair as the default speaker for your set-top box, complete with Dolby Atmos support.