How to control video playback on your Apple TV with your HomePod

How-to
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HomePod on a TV stand with
HomePod on a TV stand with (Image credit: iMore)

Every day I'm learning more and more about how HomePod works with Apple TV. It's not just an AirPlay speaker. You may not be able to ask Siri to start playing a movie for you, but you can ask it to pause, play, skip ahead, and skip back when you're watching something on your Apple TV.

How to control video playback on your Apple TV through HomePod using Siri

With your HomePod set up to your Apple TV, all audio playing from it can be adjusted by asking Siri for a little help. Siri is also there to help when you need to pause, play, skip ahead or skip back.

Make sure the movie, TV show or video is either playing or paused on Apple TV,

Then say:

  • "Hey Siri, Pause.
  • "Hey Siri, Play.
  • "Hey Siri, skip ahead [X seconds, minutes, or hours]."
  • "Hey, Siri, go back [X seconds, minutes or hours]."

How to control video playback on your Apple TV through HomePod using your iPhone or iPad

If you'd rather not use Siri to trigger playback, you can do so on your iPhone or iPad

  1. On iPhone 8 Plus and older, swipe up from the bottom of the screen to access Control Center. On iPhone X, swipe down from the upper right corner of the screen.

Access Control Center on your iPhone or ipad

  1. 3D Touch or long press on the Now Playing panel in Control Center.
  2. Tap your HomePod Now Playing panel.

3D Touch or long press on the Now Playing panel, then tap your HomePod panel

  1. Tap the Play/Pause button to play or pause the video.
  2. Tap the Skip ahead 15 seconds button to skip the video ahead.

Tap Pause/Play, then skip ahead 15 seoonds

  1. Tap the Go back 15 seconds button to back up the video.
  2. Drag your finger across the slider bar to scrub forward or backward to a different spot in the video.

Tap go back 15 seconds, then use the slider bar to scrub forward or backward

You can also access these controls in the Music app by tapping Now Playing and then tapping the AirPlay icon to call up your Airplay devices. Follow the same steps after selecting your HomePod from the options.

Any questions?

Do you have any questions about using your HomePod to control video playback on your Apple TV? Put them in the comments and I'll help you out.

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Lory Gil
Lory Gil

Lory is a renaissance woman, writing news, reviews, and how-to guides for iMore. She also fancies herself a bit of a rock star in her town and spends too much time reading comic books.  If she's not typing away at her keyboard, you can probably find her at Disneyland or watching Star Wars (or both).