HomePod Using Home Pod Minis with iTunes on PC

[luckylisp]

Can someone please tell me how to get iTunes (that I'm using on a PC) to play through my Home Pod Minis? Apple says to Click the AirPlay button at the top of the iTunes window, but I don't have an Airplay button on my iTunes anywhere. And yes, my iTunes is fully updated. Can anyone help?

 

[iStorm]

I assume the HomePods have been set up first using a iPhone or iPad...and they are on the same network as the PC, correct?

Are you able to provide a screenshot of iTunes?

 

[luckylisp]

Yes, they were set up using my iPhone and I also updated the HomePod Mini's. Everything is on the same network. Here's a screenshot of my iTunes. Appreciate your reply and any help you can maybe offer.

 

[iStorm]

It seems that the PC/iTunes isn't able to detect the HomePods on the network...and that could be for a number of reasons. Basically, iTunes uses Bonjour to scan the network for other Apple devices, and that probably isn't working somehow.

The main things I'd try are:
- Check to see if the Bonjour service is running and/or restart it (link).
- Restart all your devices, including the wifi router.
- Uninstall & reinstall iTunes. (If you uninstall, be sure to uninstall Bonjour too, so that it can get re-installed. I believe it is a separate entry in the uninstall programs list.)
- Make sure communication/Bonjour isn't getting blocked by Windows firewall or any other 3rd party protection apps you may have, and/or on the router itself. This is pretty broad and would be hard to give you exact steps, but this link may get you started.

 

[luckylisp]

Thank you again for your reply. Bonjour service is running and is not blocked by my Windows Firewall. Not sure if it's being blocked elsewhere, it sounds like that gets a little complicated to look into. I've restarted all devices, including my router. So far nothing had brought the Airplay icon up. I guess I'll delete and reinstall both iTunes and Bonjour and see if that does the trick. Thank you again for the suggestions and links, I appreciate it.

 

[luckylisp]

ok so I uninstalled both iTunes and Bonjour and reinstalled iTunes, but Bonjour did not reinstall with it.. So.. hmm. looking into how to install it on Windows. These are the instructions, but option 6 was not made available to me. Is the Bonjour program the same as the print services program? That program I found via a help site. Apologies as I'm not familiar with the Bonjour program so a bit confused.

1. Navigate to Apple’s website.
2. Head to download iTunes.
3. Click on the Get it from Microsoft button below iTunes for Windows.
4. Download it for your PC.
5. Extract the installer file using WinRAR or 7ZIP.
6. Double-click on Bonjour 64.exe or Bonjour32.exe.
7. Follow the on-screen prompts to install it.

 

[luckylisp]

This is the Bonjour link I found. https://support.apple.com/kb/DL999?viewlocale=en_US&locale=en_US

 

[iStorm]

Sounds like maybe you installed the Microsoft Store version of the app. Try using Apple's installer instead.

1. Navigate to Apple's iTunes page.
2. About half way down the page, there is a section that says Looking for other versions?...click on Windows.
3. Should be taken to a page to download Apple's installer. Click on Download iTunes for Windows now (64-bit).

(Or just go directly to this link: https://www.apple.com/itunes/download/win64)

I'm not sure if the Microsoft Store version would be able to make use of Bonjour since apps from the Microsoft Store are sandboxed. Just for good measure, I'd uninstall that one and install everything using Apple's installer. Bonjour is included in that one.

 

[luckylisp]

Ah I see, ok I'll try that. (I did install the Microsoft version, yes) Thank you so much for the reply!

 

[luckylisp]

Starting to think I may have to give up on the idea of having Airplay. When I try and install iTunes from the Apple page it installs, but I now get a message saying "the file iTunes library .itl cannot be read because it was created by a newer version of iTunes". Then iTunes won't open at all. I really can't believe how difficult something that seems so simple should be. (The version Apple has up is from 2020)

So I'm now caught in something of a loop. To get the newer version so I don't get that error, it seems I have to go back to downloading from the Microsoft store. Maybe I'm missing something. Will research on how to resolve that error, but urgh this is frustrating.

 

[Dominican]

just did it now work great.. all you need is itune

 

[luckylisp]

Just wanted to report back on how I got Airplay back in my iTunes in case anyone is dealing with the same issue and using Windows. On your computer:

Go to settings
Open Network & Internet.
Open properties.
Under Network profile, if setting is public, then change to private.
Open iTunes and airplay icon should now appear.

Thanks again to iStorm for their patience trying to help me sort this.