PSA: You Can't Output Mac System Audio to Stereo-Paired HomePod Minis, But There Is a Workaround

[MacRumors]

If you were thinking of buying two HomePod mini speakers to use as a stereo pair with your Mac, you might want to think again. As some users undoubtedly found with the original HomePod, it's not possible to AirPlay to multiple speakers from the menu bar on a Mac.

The inability to select stereo-paired HomePod speakers as your Mac audio output device is a glaring omission in Apple's AirPlay rollout, and the situation unfortunately remains the same in macOS 11 Big Sur. You can only use them with certain Apple apps like Music and TV – all other Mac audio must be output to one speaker or the other, but not both at the same time.

While it's frustrating that Apple's own apps let users select stereo-paired HomePods as a single device, this does provide a workaround, although it's a kludge that has its drawbacks. The following steps show you how it's done.

1. Launch the Music app on your Mac and select your stereo-paired HomePod minis as the audio output.
   
   
   
   Now, minimize the Music app (don't close it), then launch the Audio MIDI Setup app located in the Applications -> Utilities folder.
   
   
   
   In the Audio MIDI Setup app, click the + button in the bottom-left corner of the interface and select Create Aggregate Device from the dropdown.
   
   
   
   Select the Aggregate Device in the sidebar and check the Use box next to AirPlay.
   
   
   
   Close the Audio MIDI Setup app, then select the Aggregate Device from the volume dropdown in the menu bar.
   
   

As for the caveats to this workaround, using it means you can only change the volume by tapping the physical HomePod controls themselves – you won't be able to adjust it from your Mac's menu bar. You also have to keep the Music app open at all times, otherwise you'll lose your audio and you'll have to repeat the steps.

Another thing to consider is that this is only AirPlay 1, so there's a delay in the sound output between playing/pausing, and audio will be slightly out of sync when watching videos, although checking the Drift Correction option (circled in green above) in the Audio MIDI Setup app can compensate for this.

As mentioned, the solution is far from ideal, but until Apple brings system-wide AirPlay 2 support to Macs, it's the only way to pipe your Mac's audio through stereo-paired HomePods, short of purchasing a third-party app like Airfoil.

Update: As MacRumors reader B4rbelith points out, if you play something in the Music app, you can then right-click AirPlay in the Audio MIDI Setup app's sidebar and select Use this device for sound output. This lets you control the volume from the menu bar, but the other caveats still apply.

Article Link: PSA: You Can't Output Mac System Audio to Stereo-Paired HomePod Minis, But There Is a Workaround

 

[GadgetBen]

This is ridiculous, come on Apple sort it out.

 

[hellosil]

Baffled by the fact that this needs a workaround to work.

For me its a reason not to buy a HomePod (Mini) yet.

 

[foobarbaz]

We don't need cables anymore, we can do everything over the air!

 

[Spongmincer]

This is ridiculous, come on Apple sort it out.

I really wish they would sort this. It makes no sense that it cant be done. Whats the reason for it? They must have one.

 

[Quu]

"It just works"

I actually have two Homepods (not the Mini kind) and Big Sur still doesn't support sending audio to them when they're grouped, just one or the other. So lame.

 

[iMatt.]

Introducing...MacPods

 

[Kylo83]

Apple need to fix this, this was one thing I was looking forward to with big sur thinking it will have it

 

[dannys1]

I really wish they would sort this. It makes no sense that it cant be done. Whats the reason for it? They must have one.

Latency. All your system sounds and time critical audio would be 3-4 seconds out time. Not an enjoyable experience.

 

[RedTheReader]

I understand that Apple wants to control what the HomePod can do. That’s fine. But the speakers do have Bluetooth, and have since 2018. Why can’t that be turned on, even if it’s only for beaming system sound to the speakers from a Mac? Are you really going to make me keep using my Harman/Kardon Soundsticks for the rest of my life, Apple?

 

[jclardy]

Glad I saw this, was just thinking I wanted to pick up a second mini for a stereo pair on my desk...I’ll wait for apple to update. Crazy that Big Sur didn’t bring this with it.

 

[deevey]

Latency. All your system sounds and time critical audio would be 3-4 seconds out time. Not an enjoyable experience.

More like 300-400ms out, but its still a lot when it comes to syncing physical actions to sound.

 

[foobarbaz]

Latency. All your system sounds and time critical audio would be 3-4 seconds out time. Not an enjoyable experience.

But that's only a problem because they chose that to be a problem.

The HomePod has Bluetooth. Bluetooth can transfer sound with a reasonable latency. They just didn't implement it.
Also they could have just added a line-in. (With USB-C in the mini they could still do it with a custom cable or power brick.)

So the question stands: What's the reason they didn't do it?

 

[Morgenland]

Great, thanks for the workaround

 

[123]

Now that's what I call a workaround!

 

[otternonsense]

Baffled by the fact that this needs a workaround to work.

For me its a reason not to buy a HomePod (Mini) yet.

Happy to stick to my bluetooth speaker too. These product decisions are laughably poor.

 

[B4rbelith]

You don't need to create an aggregate device. Just play something from Apple Music to your stereo HomePods, then open 'Audio Devices', right click on Airplay, and select 'Use this device for sound output'.
It's not ideal, and media players like IINA and VLC lag. Youtube through Safari works fine though, as it buffers the video to keep in time.

 

[SirAnthonyHopkins]

Another workaround would be software like Airfoil or SoundSource, presumably. I realise not everyone is going to pay $30+ just to output audio to their HomePods but for those of us who already own it, it's a good and much easier solution than the above.


Although tbh outputting system audio to a HomePod isn't a great experience anyway.


EDIT: Just noticed it actually says this in the article, that'll learn me for not reading to the end.

 

[timmyh]

You don't need to create an aggregate device. Just play something from Apple Music to your stereo HomePods, then open 'Audio Devices', right click on Airplay, and select 'Use this device for sound output'.
It's not ideal, and media players like IINA and VLC lag. Youtube through Safari works fine though, as it buffers the video to keep in time.
View attachment 1672092

That works, too! I like it. Added it to the article. Thanks!

 

[Touchstone64]

Talking to Rogue Amoeba, Airfoil needs HomePod Minis to be paired in the macOS Home app to use them as a paired output, but the Catalina Home app doesn't show the HomePod Mini ... yet? 🤦‍♂️

 

[dannys1]

More like 300-400ms out, but its still a lot when it comes to syncing physical actions to sound.

AirPlay 1 (which it has to use) would be much more than that, see how long it takes a YouTube video to play on Apple TV using the HomePods as speakers.

 

[dannys1]

But that's only a problem because they chose that to be a problem.

The HomePod has Bluetooth. Bluetooth can transfer sound with a reasonable latency. They just didn't implement it.
Also they could have just added a line-in. (With USB-C in the mini they could still do it with a custom cable or power brick.)

So the question stands: What's the reason they didn't do it?

Even bluetooth isn't good enough for system alerts or gaming etc (which is why the Nintendo Switch doensn't have bluetooth headphones). I do agree though an input cable wouldn't be too bad of an option but they are individual powered speakers so it causes issues when you want to use two and they do that with a wireless protocol. It's all really in the name of simplification - it's built into your iOS device, it works seamlessly, it works from Apple Music seamlessly - they didn't want to add options and complications. Apple are very rarely one of those companies that throws 50 options at one device like budget companies do, where none of them are really ideal.

 

[ZipZap]

But that's only a problem because they chose that to be a problem.

The HomePod has Bluetooth. Bluetooth can transfer sound with a reasonable latency. They just didn't implement it.
Also they could have just added a line-in. (With USB-C in the mini they could still do it with a custom cable or power brick.)

So the question stands: What's the reason they didn't do it?

Thank you. Apple should be able to overcome the latency issue. I am pretty PO'd that this has not been fixed after all this time.

 

[hugodrax]

Wait for the homepod pro mini with the new magical A2 processor that can do 4 trillion audio calculations a second providing near zero latency like studio monitors costing thousands of dollars.

 

[CJM]

Yeah this has been a bugbear for me for a while as well. Apple could just spend some time on it and fix the latency and allow them to be used as system outputs.

For that matter it would also be great if I could use them with my PC as stereo system outs (I don't mind having to buy an additional app) - it would certainly alleviate some of the redundancy I have at home. I use bookshelf speakers on my desk for PC gaming, I'd like my homepods to work with the TV, but I sometimes use my PC with the TV and still want good audio.