The Apple HomePod is a smart speaker that can perform tasks like control your smart home, give you news and sports scores, and translate words into other languages. To take advantage of these smarts, you need to know the right commands.

This article lists 134 of the most common, and most useful, HomePod skills (the specific functions or tasks supported by a smart speaker). Start each command listed here by saying, “Hey Siri.” Words listed in brackets below—[like this]—are variables that you can customize to your needs.

HomePod only works with one user account—the one belonging to the iPhone that set up the device in the first place. So, when you ask Siri to create a note or a reminder, it only appears on that iPhone/iCloud account. You can’t change this setting without setting up HomePod with a new iPhone.

HomePod Music Skills

​Along with playing music, the HomePod can control playlists and pull songs from Apple’s extensive digital catalog. You can play songs from your library or discover new tunes using these voice commands with your smart speaker. If you hear a new song you don’t recognize, Siri can identify it for you and add it to your collection without you having to touch your iPhone.

  • “Play [song name]” or “Play [song name] by [artist name].““Play [album name]” or “Play [album name] by [artist name].““Play [album name] shuffled.““Play the latest [artist name] album.““Play music by [artist name].” “Play the top 10 [genre name] songs.““Play songs from the [decade].““Play hit songs from the [decade].““Play the number 1 song from [date].““Play the [movie name] soundtrack.““Play [playlist name] playlist.““Add this song to [playlist name] playlist.““Shuffle my [playlist name] playlist.““Play a live version of this song.““Who sings this?““Who was the [drummer/guitarist/etc.] on this song?““What is this song called?““Add this song to my library"“I like this song.““Play more songs like this.““Never play [this song/song name] again.““After this, play [song name].““What year did this song come out?““Tell me more about this artist.““When was this recorded?““Turn up/down the volume.““Raise/lower the volume to [1-100].““Skip this song.““Play the next song.““Play the previous song.““Play a [mood/activity] song.”

These commands control Apple Music only. To use streaming music services like Spotify, use AirPlay.

HomePod Podcast Skills

The HomePod isn’t limited to music. If you have a backlog of podcasts to listen to, it can help you control those, too. Use these skills to pull up specific episodes, find new shows to binge, and control the playback, all with your voice.

  • “Play [podcast name].““Play the [number] episode of [podcast name].” “Play the newest episode of [podcast name].““Play my newest podcasts.““What podcast is this?““Subscribe to [podcast name].““Pause/Play.““Jump back [amount of time].““Skip ahead [amount of time].““Play it [speed; twice as fast, etc.].““Turn up/down the volume.““Raise/lower the volume to [1-100].”

​These commands control the Apple Podcasts app only. If you prefer another podcast app, you need to use AirPlay.

HomePod Radio Skills

You have more ways to listen to music on Apple’s platform than just looking for artists and albums. Beats 1 is a streaming-radio system that lets you listen to live programming that includes curated playlists from a variety of hosts. If you aren’t feeling like music, you can also access other stations that provide news, sports, local, and public radio.

Use these commands to get around Beats 1 using your voice and a HomePod speaker.

  • “Play Beats 1.”
  • “Play NPR Radio.”
  • “Create a radio station based on [artist name].”
  • “Play [genre name] radio.”
  • “Play music that I like.”
  • “Turn up/down the volume.”
  • “Raise/lower the volume to [1-100].”

HomePod Message Skills

Because your HomePod uses Siri, it can do anything you can do with the digital assistant on your other Apple devices. This functionality includes sending, receiving, and listening to texts you receive through the Messages app. If your iPhone isn’t handy, your HomePod can read back your most recent messages and compose and send replies using these commands.

  • “Send a message to [contact name] [message content].““Send a message to [multiple contact names for group message] [message content].““Do I have any new messages?““Read my new messages.““Read my messages from [contact name].”"[Chat app name] message [contact name] [message content].“​Supported chat apps include Skype, Viber, WeChat, WhatsApp. The app must be installed on your iPhone.

HomePod Smart Home Skills

Your HomePod can also run the smart devices you’ve set up to automate your house. It can use any voice commands you’d issue Siri to turn on lights, control the climate, and receive status updates for your gadgets.

  • “Turn on the [device name; lights/fan/etc.].““Turn off the [device name].““Turn on/off the [device name] in [room].““Set temperature to [temperature].““Set temperature in [room name] to [temperature].““Adjust lights to [desired brightness].““Set lights in [room] to [desired brightness].““Make the lights [color] in [room].““I’m [HomeKit scene name; home, leaving, etc.].““Set my [scene name] scene.““Are the lights on in [room]?““Is the garage door open?““What’s the temperature in [room]”?

If you’ve got a smart home hub set up and want to control devices in that location remotely, use all of the above commands, and specify the location. For example: 

These commands work only with Apple HomeKit-compatible smart-home devices.

  • “Turn off the [device name] in the [location] house.““Set the temperature in [location] to [temperature].”

HomePod Reminder Skills

Just like on the iPhone and iPad, you can use the HomePod to set alerts for appointments and other things you might need to remember later. Give Siri an event, time, and even a place, and the HomePod adds a note to your phone.

  • “Remind me to [task].““Add [item] to my [list name].““Remind me to [item] when I [location information; leave the house, get home, etc.].““Mark [task] as complete.““Do I have any reminders?““Cancel my [task] reminder.”

HomePod Alarm/Timer/Clock Skills

You can use your HomePod along with Siri to control your iPhone’s Clock app with your voice. Use these commands to perform a variety of time-based tasks. Some of them include asking for the time around the world, setting timers when you’re cooking, and creating alarms to remind you to get ready for plans. You can use the Home app to manage multiple timers on your HomePod.

  • “Set a timer for [amount of time].““End the timer.““Pause the timer.““Change the timer to [time].““How much time is left on the timer?““What time is in it [place]?““When is daylight saving time?““Wake me up at [time].““Change my [time] alarm to [new time].““Snooze.““Stop/turn off alarm.““Set an alarm for [time].““Set an alarm for [time] on [day].““Set an alarm for [time] every [day/days].““Set an alarm for [time/day] titled [name].““What alarms do I have?”

HomePod Sports Skills

Even when you aren’t listening to sports news or games on Beats1, your HomePod can keep you up to date with sports news. Siri can retrieve scores, pull up schedules, and provide the information you need to know about your favorite teams.

  • “Did [team name] win last night?““What was the score of [team name]’s last game?““When do [team name] play next?” “What teams are playing in [sporting event]?““What [sport/league] games are happening today?““How many [points/touchdowns/home runs/other statistic] did [player name] have yesterday?”

HomePod Weather Skills

Use these HomePod skills to prepare for your day. Siri can deliver current weather conditions as well as the forecast. If you’re planning a trip, the HomePod can also tell you what to expect at your destination.

  • “What’s the temperature outside?““What’s today’s forecast?““Will I need an umbrella today?““What’s the weather forecast tomorrow?” “What’s the weather in [location name]?“When does the sun rise in [location name]?”

Misc. HomePod Information Skills

The HomePod can do hundreds of more tasks, just like Siri can. Do you need to know how many inches are in 100 centimeters? Do you want a traffic report? Are you looking for a restaurant or movie time? Ask your HomePod, and Siri tells you. Here are some of the other skills you can access through your smart speaker.

Notes (Uses Apple’s Notes App by Default)

  • “Create a new note.”
  • “Create a new note called [title].”
  • “Add [content] to my [note title] note.”
  • “Create a new [note app name] note called [title].”
  • Add [content] to my [note app name] [title].“Supported notes apps include Evernote, OmniFocus, Picniic, Remember The Milk, Streaks, and Things. The app must be installed on your iPhone.

Cooking

  • “How many [unit] are in a [unit]?“For example: “How many teaspoons in a tablespoon?““How many calories are in [amount] of [food]?”

Traffic

  • “What’s the traffic like on the way to work?““How long does it take to drive to [location]?”

News

  • “What’s the latest news?““What’s the latest sports news?“Choose your preferred news source by asking HomePod to “change the news source to [name].” NPR News is the default, but other options include CNN, Fox, and the Washington Post (In England, options include Sky News and LBC. In Australia, options are ABC, SBS, and Seven Network).

Stocks

  • “How is the stock market doing?““How it the [stock exchange name] doing today?““What’s the stock price of [company name/stock symbol]?““What’s the market capitalization of [company name]?““Compare [company name/stock symbol] and [stock exchange name]”

Translation

HomePod can translate phrases from English into French, German, Italian, Mandarin, and Spanish. Just say:

  • For example: “How many teaspoons in a tablespoon?”

  • “How do you say [word/phrase] in [language]?““Translate [word/phrase] into [language]”

Places

  • “Where can I get [cuisine type] food?““What time does [store/restaurant/etc.] open/close?““Where’s the closest [gas station/coffee shop/business type]?”

Facts

  • “What’s the [percent] tip on [dollar amount]?““What movie won [award] in [year]?““Who was the [number] president of the U.S.?““What does [word] mean?““What is [currency][amount] in [currency]?”

Get the Latest Tech News Delivered Every Day