Apple

Make your HomePod differentiate you from the rest: this is how personal requests are

What personal requests allow you

Personal requests are an essential tool to be able to use the HomePod in a much more personal way. A priori, this type of smart speaker only has the option to make requests in a general way. That is to say, it did not matter who spoke, the same answer was always given. That is why to learn about the tastes of a specific person, he could only do it individually. With personal requests this ends completely, making the same HomePod can be divided and be used personally by each person.

In this way, a user will be able to request that a specific person on their agenda be called, or an event be added to their calendar without affecting the information of the rest of the users. That is why two people can have access to your contacts, calendar, music library or personal tastes Simply by voice recognition. A function that has been highly desired in order to take advantage of these teams, and above all to have a much more personalized response.

Pre-settings you need to do2

Before starting to configure the functionality in question, a preliminary process must be carried out. This is about preparing the equipment to work properly. Specifically, the highlight is voice recognition. That is why to carry out all these steps it is important that the members of the family are together to be able to carry out the entire process.

Pay attention to the requirements

As expected, this is a functionality that will only work on your device if a series of very specific requirements are met. The first of these is the software, since it must be have version 15.2 of the operating system. This applies both to the smart speaker itself and to the iPhone or iPad from which you are going to make the corresponding configuration. This is something vital, because in the versions prior to this one that we have mentioned, you cannot find this functionality.

And if you’re wondering if there are any limitations on the hardware as such, you should know that Apple enables this functionality to both HomePod classic and mini. Both devices have the necessary components to carry out voice recognition and, therefore, the configuration of personal requests. Beyond this, no type of requirement can be found, unless you obviously have access to the device that is linked to the HomePod, as is logical.

Set up speech recognition

Beyond the limitations that are imposed through hardware or software, there is also a previous configuration that must be done. In this case, Apple specifies that the configuration of the voice recognition mode must be carried out. This allows in a clear way, that the HomePod identify who is speaking to you at any given moment. Ideal especially when you have a HomePod for a family of four, or in a shared apartment. By configuring this feature, it is said that a single HomePod can be multiplied, having a speaker for each of the users that make up the group.

By turning on the setting, you’re teaching Siri on HomePod to recognize different voices at home. In the event that you have invited other people in the Home app, members will be able to request their own music and make use of the personal requests that we will configure next. Obviously, for this, you must allow other people to control the accessories in the house. Once these considerations are taken into account, you can start activating voice recognition by following these steps:

  1. On iPhone or iPad, go to Settings.
  2. At the top, click on your username.
  3. Access the Password and Security section, and make sure that the authentication of double factor is activated.
  4. Go to the Home app and press and hold the HomePod to set up.
  5. Scroll down and tap on the gear.
  6. Make sure the option is activated Hearing Hey Siri.

to recognize

At this time, the configuration of this voice recognition should start. But if it doesn’t start due to a bug, you can simply force it by following these steps:

  1. Click on the house icon.
  2. Tap Home Settings.
  3. Find the user profile under People and tap Recognize my voice.

It is important that all active members of the same house are registered in the people menu. In this way the process will be much simpler by being able to choose which voice you want to recognize at each moment.

Using Personal Requests on HomePod

Once all the software, hardware and configuration requirements are met, personal requests can be configured as such. Below we show you the steps to follow, but also the main commands that will allow you to use this functionality.

Steps to configure it

In order to start configuring this functionality, you will simply need to have an iPhone or iPad at hand connected to the same Wi-Fi network as the HomePod. In addition, you must also have the voice recognition mode configured. Once you take this into account, you must follow the following steps:

  1. Go to Settings.
  2. Tap Siri and Search.
  3. Activate the following functions:
    1. Hearing Hey Siri.
    2. Press the side button to open Siri (on an iPhone with Face ID) or Press the top button to open Siri (on an iPad with Face ID).
    3. Siri with locked screen.
  4. Go to Settings.
  5. Click on your name, and enter Search.
    search for
  6. Make sure the option My location is set to This device.
  7. Go to the Home app.
  8. Tap Home Settings.
  9. Click on your name and then on personal requests.
  10. Turn on Personal Requests.

Commands to take advantage of

Once this option is already activated in the HomePod configuration, you will be able to start making different requests. It must be said that the instructions that can be given are quite intuitive, although Apple itself offers different examples of actions next to the command to use. We are going to highlight the following:

  • Hear news of the day with the command Hey Siri, personal report. In this case, the assistant will give weather information, calendar events and also the latest news that you have configured through Podcast.
  • use the calendar with the command Hey Siri, what’s on my calendar for today?. Obviously, variations can also be used to be able to add events, and it will always be done on your personal calendar even if there are multiple people using this HomePod.

HomePod

  • Send a message with the command Hey Siri, send Victor a message saying… In these cases, if the name of a third-party messaging application is added at the end, it can also be sent through it. On this occasion you can also request the reading of personal messages through the command Hey Siri, read me unread messages.
  • use notes with the command Hey Siri, add a note called ‘birthday present’.

In addition, you will also be able to ask Siri on the HomePod to search for your specific personal device. This can be achieved with the commands Hey Siri, where’s my iPhone?; Hey Siri, make the iPad ring or Hey Siri, find Elisa’s watch. It is for all this that it has very interesting functions, and it is worth having it configured, since Siri gains in intelligence, which can become one of its great problems.

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