HomePod Software 18.2 Now Available – Brings Natural Language Search for Apple Music

Apple on Monday released HomePod Software 18.2 for the ‌HomePod‌ and HomePod mini. The new software was released alongside iOS 18.2. The new software brings support for Apple Music natural language search, allowing users to describe what they want to hear in more casual language.

The update’s release notes are as follows:

Software version 18.2 includes bug fixes and stability improvements.

Siri on HomePod is now integrated with Apple Music natural language search so you can describe what you want to hear using any combination of categories like genre, mood, decade or activity.

Enhance Dialogue on HomePod (2nd generation) when paired with Apple TV 4K gives you the option to hear speech more clearly over background sounds using real-time audio processing and machine learning.

How to Update HomePod Software

Your HomePod or HomePod mini should update automatically, but you can also manually update your device by doing the following:

1. Open the Home app.
2. Tap on the icon that looks like three dots in the upper right corner.
3. Tap on “Home Settings.”
4. Scroll down to “Software Update.”
5. Tap “Software Update” to see if there are any available updates.
6. Once you’ve tapped on “Software Update,” you’ll see the current version of the ‌HomePod‌ software that is installed on your HomePod or HomePod mini. You can also toggle off automatic updates if you want.
7. If there is an available update, tap the “Install” button to update your ‌HomePod‌. If you have more than one HomePod or HomePod mini in your home, each one will be updated at the same time via this software update feature.
8. A white spinning light appears on the top of HomePod while it’s updating. The update might take some time. Make sure that your HomePod stays plugged in while it’s updating.