How to use your HomePod as a smoke detector alarm

Apple HomePod 2 in black — (Image credit: Future / Stephen Warwick)

Back in January, Apple announced a new Sound Recognition feature alongside the launch of the HomePod 2. The feature lets your HomePod listen out for your home's smoke and carbon monoxide detectors and alert your iPhone via the Home app. It's a really nice addition to Apple's smart speaker that helps with knowing what's happening at home when you're out and about.

The feature uses the always-on microphone in your HomePod, HomePod 2, or HomePod mini, so you don't have to buy a fancy HomeKit smoke alarm. Now, Sound Recognition is finally available, and it's worth trying. Here's how.

How to enable HomePod Sound Recognition

HomePod Sound Recognition Smoke Detector — (Image credit: iMore)

Open the Home app
Tap the three dots in the top right corner
Tap Home Settings
Choose Safety & Security
Turn Sound Recognition on

You'll need the latest update for your HomePod and your Home app with the latest architecture, so make sure everything is up to date; otherwise, the option will be greyed out.

It's straightforward to set up and a fantastic new free feature to add to your HomePod to make it an even better smart home device.

Make your home smarter

The Sound Recognition feature is a welcome addition to the HomePod lineup. It gives users added smart home functionality without purchasing one of the best HomeKit smoke and CO detectors.

If you're ever worried that the fire engine speeding past is heading toward your apartment block, then worry no more, as HomePod's new feature will notify everyone in your household if a noise is detected. Hopefully, this is the start of further HomePod updates that can make devices more useful without looking for more HomeKit accessories.

If you want to make your smart home more HomeKit enabled or use it with Matter, we have a host of buying guides to help deck out your home, including our best HomeKit light bulbs alongside our best HomeKit accessories buying guide.

John-Anthony Disotto is the Editor of iMore, helping you get the most from your Apple products and fixing things when your technology isn't behaving itself.

Based in Scotland, where he worked as a Genius Bar technician repairing iPhones, John-Anthony has used the Apple ecosystem for over a decade and prides himself on closing his Apple Watch activity rings.

He leads iMore's work on AI in the newsroom, testing where it genuinely improves editorial work and where it doesn't. Every story is written, edited, and signed off by a person.

Previously in editorial at TechRadar and Tom's Guide, John-Anthony is an avid film geek who won the Edinburgh International Film Festival Student Critics award in 2019. Away from Apple, he tinkers with game emulation and Linux on his Steam Deck.