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How to Play Ambient Sounds on HomePod

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Apr 12, 2001
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Apple in October 2019 added a new HomePod feature that brings users the ability to play relaxing high-quality soundtracks with Ambient Sounds. This article explains how to use them.

homepod-on-shelf.jpg

The Ambient Sounds feature offers seven continuous streaming options. They include the following:
  • Rain
  • Stream
  • White Noise
  • Fireplace
  • Forest
  • Night
  • Ocean
To start streaming one of the sounds on your HomePod, simply ask Siri. To play White Noise for example, you would say "Hey Siri, play white noise sounds."

You can also get HomePod to play a random ambient sound by saying "Hey Siri, play sounds."

How to Set a Sleep Timer on HomePod

Additionally, you can play an ambient sound and set a sleep timer so that it automatically stops playing after a certain period of time has passed.

First, get HomePod to play an ambient sound using one of the phrases above, then say "Hey Siri, set a sleep timer for 45 minutes," or however long you want it to play for.

If you listen to the HomePod's ambient sounds very carefully, you may notice that they loop after about 15 minutes, but it's not something you're likely to pick up on if you're using them as background audio for focus or relaxation.

Article Link: How to Play Ambient Sounds on HomePod
 
Article Link
https://www.macrumors.com/how-to/play-ambient-sounds-homepod/
Last edited:
bstpierre said:
I asked Siri to play fireplace sounds and it did find one and played it through the music app. Might be the same thing the HomePod is doing.
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Probably not. Does the album cover say ‘sounds’ on it with an Apple logo?
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These ambient sounds sucks, their just 2 seconds of sound effects that is looped. It gets easily annoying, especially if you list to ‘Forest’.
 
melancholy said:
Probably not. Does the album cover say ‘sounds’ on it with an Apple logo?
[automerge]1572622028[/automerge]
These ambient sounds sucks, their just 2 seconds of sound effects that is looped. It gets easily annoying, especially if you list to ‘Forest’.
Click to expand...
I don’t think forest is looped that often. Birds naturally have a repeating rhythm, that may sound looped. But those night sounds. That one is horrible!
 
jace88 said:
Is this a native feature or is it just streaming from Apple Music subscription?
Click to expand...

Native feature – it behaves similarly to having bought the whole "album" of ambient sounds from the iTunes Store.
 
I just discovered this feature last night lol. They have also added thunderstorms. Hey Siri, play thunderstorm sounds! It's a really good one to fall asleep with.
 
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Old thread but after all these years, the Homepod ambient sounds (white noise) is still the best. There's no 'gap' or fade out/in like say the Google speakers or the Spotify playlists.
 
At least, the Apple Music Voice plan (4.99 a month) is required if you want ALL the sounds available. These free sounds are not that great but the other ones...are fantastic!
 
jace88 said:
Is this a native feature or is it just streaming from Apple Music subscrip
Click to expand...

jace88 said:
Is this a native feature or is it just streaming from Apple Music subscription?
Click to expand...
The free ones listed here are native, but if you want the better ones, you need to at least subscribe to Apple Music Voice, which is 4.99 a month. I think it's a better deal than Apple music because you still have full access to the Apple Music catalog!
 
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