How to install the fifth developer beta of 16.1 on your HomePod

Homepod Mini Review (Image credit: Stephen Warwick / iMore)

Apple regularly improves its HomePod and HomePod mini speakers over time through over-the-air software updates. While HomePod will, by default, automatically download future updates, you can also use the Home app on an iPhone, iPad, and Mac to install them manually. Beta versions are also available to devleopers to try out features before they are released to the public.

Follow the steps below to update your HomePod on your own. The current version is 15.6 beta 1.

What's new with HomePod software

October 11, 2022: HomePod Software 16.1 beta 5 now available

HomePod and HomePod mini owners can now download the fifth developer beta of HomePod Software version 16.1.

October 4, 2022: HomePod Software 16.1 beta 4 now available

HomePod and HomePod mini owners can now download the fourth developer beta of HomePod Software version 16.1.

May 18, 2022: HomePod Software 15.6 beta 1 now available

HomePod and HomePod mini owners can now download the first developer beta of HomePod Software version 15.6. The update adds support for multi-voice recognition for up to six users in India and Italy. You can learn more in the release notes below:

February 22, 2022: HomePod Software 15.4 beta 4 now available

HomePod and HomePod mini owners can now download the fourth developer beta of HomePod Software version 15.4. The update adds support for multi-voice recognition for up to six users in India and Italy. You can learn more in the release notes below:

Software version 15.3 adds Siri voice recognition support for up to six users in a home in English (India) and Italian (Italy). This update also includes performance and stability improvements.

How to manually install software updates for your HomePod

Launch the Home app on your iPhone or iPad.
Tap the House icon.
Tap Home Settings.

How to install software updates for your HomePod in the Home app on the iPhone by showing steps: Launch the Home app, Tap the House icon, Tap Home Settings — Source: iMore (Image credit: Source: iMore)

Tap Software Update.
Flip the switch off next to Install Updates Automatically if this is your first time updating your HomePod.
Tap Install if an update is available.

How to install software updates for your HomePod in the Home app on the iPhone by showing steps: Tap Software Update, Turn off switch next to Install Updates Automatically, Tap Install if an update is available — Source: iMore (Image credit: Source: iMore)

If you have multiple HomePod speakers in your home, the software update will be downloaded and applied to all of them at the same time so that you don't have to update each HomePod individually.

Questions

If you have any questions about updating your HomePod's software, let us know in the comments.

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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.