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There are a few reasons you may need to reset your HomePod Mini.
You might be having issues with the device, and it has become unresponsive.
Or you might want to sell the Apple smart speaker, or maybe you're looking to give it away to someone else.
Also: Apple updated everything from iOS to HomePod: What's new
Regardless of the reason, knowing how to reset your HomePod Mini could come in handy if you own one.
Resetting your HomePod only requires your hand, some good timing, and the device. If you'd rather reset it from the Home app, scroll down to find those instructions.
The first step to reset your HomePod Mini is to unplug it and wait 10 seconds.
Once you've unplugged your HomePod and the 10 seconds have passed, plug it back in and wait for 10 more seconds or until the white light comes on.
After plugging in your HomePod and waiting 10 seconds, touch and hold the display until the spinning light turns red.
Continue to touch and hold.
When 10 seconds have passed or the white light has come on, whichever happens sooner, press and hold the display on the HomePod Mini.
Don't remove your hand from the display.
Listen for Siri to tell you that the HomePod is about to reset and continue holding your finger on the top of the device.
The white light on the HomePod Mini display will turn red. Continue to hold.
Once you hear the three beeps after the voice prompt, you can take your finger off the HomePod Mini.
Review: The HomePod Mini is for Sirious Apple users only
After this, your device will start up.
You can let go after the three beeps.
Now, just remove your HomePod from the Home app on your iPhone or iPad.
If you'd rather try resetting your HomePod from the Home app on your iPhone or iPad, you can also do that instead of doing it on the HomePod itself. This is a good solution if you don't have your HomePod right next to you or want to do it remotely.
To reset your HomePod using the Home app, follow these steps:
In the unlikely event that you can't reset your HomePod Mini by pressing on the top of it or by using the Home app, you could also use your computer to restore it. Your HomePod Mini comes with a USB-C cable that you can plug into your Mac or PC. Once you do this, you can find your HomePod Mini on your Mac in Locations by using Finder.
If you have a PC, just use the latest version of iTunes to access your HomePod Mini and its settings.
Then, simply select the HomePod Mini and click on Restore HomePod. This will reset the device and update it to the latest software.
The ability to group two HomePods to create a stereo pair is a great feature that results in rich, room-filling stereo audio. But if you need to reset one or both of your HomePod Minis already in a stereo pair, you'll need to unlink them first.
To ungroup two HomePod Minis, follow these steps:
If you're having issues with your HomePod becoming unresponsive, you can try restarting the device before diving into resetting it. Sometimes the old "Did you try turning it off and on again?" move really is the answer.
To restart your HomePod Mini:
This should reboot your HomePod. If this doesn't work to make your HomePod responsive again, then you should reset it.