[Updated] Some HomePods have stopped working after updating to iOS 13.2

White HomePod on a dresser
White HomePod on a dresser (Image credit: Apple)

What you need to know

  • iOS 13.2 released today to the HomePod.
  • Some users have completely lost functionality after installing the update.
  • Apple has yet to acknowledge the issue or release a fix.

A report via MacRumors suggests that Apple has now pulled the 13.2 update for HomePod. It has also released a support document advising that users should only reset their HomePods as a last resort. It first recommends restarting the HomePod with the Home App. Anyone who has already reset or removed the HomePod from the Home app is advised to contact Apple Support.

Some HomePod owners have found that their smart speaker has been left useless or "bricked" when updating to iOS 13.2 today. Reported by 9to5Mac, many are saying that their HomePod has stopped functioning at all after updating to the newest version of the HomePod software. People have taken to Twitter and Reddit to report the problem and warn others to hold off on updating their own speakers.

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It is an unfortunate problem, as iOS 13.2 brings a number of new features to the HomePod, including the ability for it to finally recognize multiple voices for personalized control and Handoff to pass music, podcasts, and phone calls between your iPhone and your HomePod with ease. The full release notes are below:

iOS 13.2 provides support for new HomePod features:The ability for HomePod to recognize the voices of different family members to provide a personalized experience *Handoff music, podcasts or phone calls by bringing your iPhone close to HomePod *Add music to your HomeKit scenes *Play relaxing high-quality soundtracks with Ambient Sounds *Set sleep timers to fall asleep to music or Ambient Sounds

Apple has not yet released a statement acknowledging the issue or its plans to fix the problem. In the meantime, it is best to hold off on the update to ensure your HomePod stays functional.

Joe Wituschek
Contributor

Joe Wituschek is a Contributor at iMore. With over ten years in the technology industry, one of them being at Apple, Joe now covers the company for the website. In addition to covering breaking news, Joe also writes editorials and reviews for a range of products. He fell in love with Apple products when he got an iPod nano for Christmas almost twenty years ago. Despite being considered a "heavy" user, he has always preferred the consumer-focused products like the MacBook Air, iPad mini, and iPhone 13 mini. He will fight to the death to keep a mini iPhone in the lineup. In his free time, Joe enjoys video games, movies, photography, running, and basically everything outdoors.