How to customize the Intercom settings for HomePod

The Intercom feature released for HomePod gave users a great way to communicate throughout their homes. You can use Siri to send a message to the HomePod in your kitchen, reply to an intercom message from a HomePod in the office, and even use the Home app to send messages to every HomePod in your house.

Whether you have just one HomePod or a few, Intercom lets you communicate your way with a few tweaks. To make the Intercom feature work perfectly in your space, here’s how to customize it for your HomePod.

Customize the Intercom for HomePod

The HomePod Intercom settings we’ll walk through are currently only available on iPhone and iPad, not Mac. So open your iOS device to the Home app to get started.

Receive notifications

You can decide when to receive notifications for the Intercom. And you can adjust this setting on any of the HomePods you own or in the Home Settings. No matter which spot you make the change, it will apply universally. So, open the Home app and do one of the following to set up notifications.

In the HomePod settings

1) Navigate to a HomePod in the Home app.

2) Press and hold the HomePod icon.

3) Scroll down to the settings and select Intercom. You may have to tap the gear icon to display them all.

4) Under Receive Notifications When, choose from Never, When I’m Home, or Anywhere.

Home app Intercom Notifications on iPhone

In the Home Settings

1) Tap the Home icon on the top left and choose Home Settings.

2) Scroll down a bit and tap Intercom.

3) Under Receive Notifications When, choose from Never, When I’m Home, or Anywhere.

Allow user access

To control the users who can send Intercom messages, you’ll head to the Home Settings in the Home app.

1) Tap the Home icon on the top left and choose Home Settings.

2) Scroll down a bit and tap Intercom.

3) Under People, enable the toggles for those HomePod users you want to allow access to Intercom communications.

Home Settings for Intercom People on iPhone

Choose the HomePods

Just because you have a HomePod in a room doesn’t mean you want to send and receive Intercom messages with it. You can enable only those speakers you want to use the feature. Similar to setting up notifications, you can choose the HomePods to use in either their settings or the Home Settings.

In the HomePod settings

1) Navigate to a HomePod in the Home app.

2) Press and hold the HomePod icon.

3) Scroll down to the settings and select Intercom.

4) Under HomePod, enable the toggles for the HomePods you want to use with Intercom.

Home app Intercom for HomePod on iPhone

In the Home Settings

1) Tap the Home icon on the top left and choose Home Settings.

2) Scroll down a bit and tap Intercom.

3) Under HomePod, enable the toggles for the HomePods you want to use with Intercom.

Wrapping it up

The HomePod Intercom feature doesn’t have to be all or nothing. You can decide when to receive notifications, who can access the Intercom communications, and which HomePods to use.

Have you tried out the Intercom on your HomePod or HomePod mini yet? How do you feel about this handy feature? Let us know!

As a reminder, check out our tutorial for setting up the Intercom on HomePod if you haven’t yet.