How to Play Tidal on HomePod in Two Ways

By Miley Swift Updated on 2023-02-03 / Update for Tidal Tips

HomePod is one of the best-sounding wireless smart speakers. It lets you control it via Siri, control smart home apps, and even play music. However, HomePod only supports a few streaming services including Apple Music, Deezer, etc. If you want to listen to Tidal on HomePod, it would be a little difficult. Keep reading and learn how to transfer Tidal to iTunes library or use AirPlay to get Tidal Apple HomePod working. The detailed steps for both methods are laid out below.

play tidal on homepod

Part 1. How to Play Tidal on HomePod via iTunes Match

To listen to Tidal music on HomePod, you need to sync all your Tidal songs to iCloud Music Library using iTunes Match. And it's necessary to get help from AudFree Tidal Converter. It enables you to download and convert Tidal music to MP3, FLAC, AAC, etc. in order to import Tidal music to the iTunes library.

AudFree Tidal Music Converter will convert Tidal songs at a 5x faster speed and save them as local files. Since the lossless sound quality is retained, you can play original high-quality Tidal music on your HomePod. Whether you are using Tidal Premium or Tidal Free, you can use it to download and convert Tidal music, playlists, albums and podcasts.

Since it allows you to customize the output parameters, you can convert Tidal music to the audio format you want. This way, you can enjoy Tidal music on your HomePod/HomePod Mini and many more devices.

AudFree Tidal Music Converter

audfree tidal music converter
  • Keep lossless audio quality with all ID3 tags
  • Download music from Tidal for offline listening
  • Convert Tidal music to HomePod compatible M4A, etc.
  • Customize audio quality by adjusting bit rate, sample rate, etc

These steps will guide you to use AudFree Tidal Music Converter to convert and download music locally. Then you can sync the converted Tidal songs to iTunes for playback on Apple HomePod.

Step 1Add Tidal music to AudFree Tidal converter
add tidal music for homepod
Please launch AudFree Tidal Music Converter and then you will see the Tidal app opening at the same time. Just discover the Tidal music, copy the Tidal track link by clicking the "..." icon > "Share" > "Copy Tidal Track", and then paste it into the search box of AudFree. Touch the "+" button to load Tidal music automatically.
Step 2Customize Tidal output settings for HomePod
set tidal output settings for homepod
HomePod can support a wide variety of audio formats, including AAC, MP3 VBR, WAV, FLAC, MP3, AIFF, FLAC, Apple Lossless, protected AAC (from iTunes Store) and HE-AAC (V1). So you can click on the top-right menu bar and choose the "Preferences" > "Convert" option, and then you can customize the audio format as one of the HomePod compatible audio formats.
Step 3Download Tidal music for playing on HomePod
convert tidal for homepod
Now, hit on the "Convert" button at the bottom of the main interface and then this software will start to convert Tidal music to HomePod compatible audio files. In general, it works at 5X faster speed to get local Tidal audio tracks. After conversion, you can find all Tidal tracks in the destination folder by clicking the "history" icon.
Step 4Upload Tidal music to iCloud Music Library

Now you have the compatible Tidal music files with HomePod, you can start to sync them to your iCloud Music Library. Here, we will take iTunes for Windows as an example to show you the detailed steps.

Step 1. Launch the iTunes app on your Windows computer.

Step 2. Please click "Edit" > "Preferences" from the menu bar of iTunes.

itunes edit preferences

Step 3. Turn "Sync Library" on under the "General" option and click "OK" to confirm it.

sync tidal music to icloud music library

Step 4. Once Tidal songs are synced to iCloud Music Library, you can enjoy Tidal on HomePod directly from iTunes.

Note: Please subscribe to iTunes Match, if not, you won't see the "Sync Library" tab.

Part 2. How to Get Tidal HomePod to Work via AirPlay

AirPlay is a proprietary protocol suite created by Apple. It lets users stream audios, videos, photos, etc. from Apple devices to smart speakers, Apple TV, and more. Once you have activated the AirPlay feature, it's able to send music playing on the iPhone or iPad to HomePod - whether that's Tidal, Spotify, or another service.

To stream music to HomePod from Tidal, please make sure:

  • You have subscribed to Tidal HiFi or HiFi Plus.
  • The iPhone's Bluetooth and Wi-Fi are enabled.
  • Your iPhone and HomePod are connected to the same Wi-Fi network.

Now, you can follow the steps below to make HomePod Tidal work.

2.1 How to Stream Tidal on HomePod via AirPlay on iOS

Step 1. Firstly, set up your HomePod and check whether it works properly.

Step 2. Secondly, run the Tidal app on your iOS device and set "HomePod" as the AirPlay destination.

Step 3. Alternatively, you can open "Control Center" on your iOS Device and tap the "AirPlay" icon to select "HomePod" under the "Speakers & TVs" section.

play tidal on homepod with airplay on ios

Step 4. Now, start to play Tidal songs. Tidal music playing on the iOS device will be streamed to HomePod.

2.2 How to Listen to Tidal Music on HomePod via AirPlay on Mac

Step 1. On your Mac computer, go to the "Apple menu" and choose "System Preferences" from the drop-down list. Then choose the "Sound" tab.

mac system preferences

Step 2. In the "Sound" interface, click on the "Output" button.

sound output

Step 3. Select the "HomePod" that you get ready to play Tidal music.

Step 4. Then, check the "Show volume in menu bar" option on the bottom so that you can choose HomePod from the audio control on the menu bar next time.

Step 5. Open the Tidal app on your Mac and begin to play music. Music playing on Mac will be streamed through your HomePod.

Part 3. Frequently Asked Questions about HomePod

There is a collection of commonly asked and concerned questions about HomePod by users. We will go through them. Hope you find it useful.

Q1: What Streaming Music Services Are Compatible with HomePod?

A: HomePod supports Apple Music, Deezer, Pandora, iHeartRadio, and Tuneln. These streaming music services can stream directly to HomePod. As for other incompatible services like Tidal, you can connect your HomePod to AirPlay and then stream them easily.

Q2: Can Apple HomePod Be Recharged?

A: No. Apple HomePod doesn't take batteries, so it is not rechargeable. HomePod is equipped with a power cord, which can be used to connect the bottom of the HomePod to an electrical outlet to make HomePod work.

Q3: Is It Necessary to Get AppleCare+ for HomePod?

A: AppleCare+ for HomePod is an economical way to protect HomePod. Sometimes, your HomePod inevitably suffers from accidental damage. In such a case, repairing in the Apple store will cost you a lot. However, if you have bought AppleCare+ for HomePod for $39, you can enjoy two-year accidental damage protection besides 24/7 technical support and an extended warranty for two years.

Q4: How Can I Restart My HomePod?

A: HomePod is not designed with a restart button or a power switch to use. When you need to reboot your HomePod, you can unplug it from power source and then plug back in to restart it. Alternatively, open the HomePod app on your device > connect your device with HomePod through Bluetooth > go to "Settings" > choose and touch the "Reset HomePod" option to restart your HomePod.

Q5: What If Blank White Screen Appears When Setting up a New HomePod?

A: Generally speaking, reason for the white screen during the HomePod setup is a simple failure. When the Apple Music app is uninstalled or deleted from your device, this issue happens. To fix it, you just need to re-install Apple Music on your device. After that, start the HomePod settings again. If the setup process is interrupted by the message of subscription to Apple Music, you might choose "Not Now" to skip it to continue.

Part 4. The Final Thoughts

With AudFree Tidal Music Converter, you can download and convert Tidal music to HomePod-supported audio files. Then you can sync the converted Tidal songs to iCloud Music Library and play them on HomePod via iTunes. In fact, AudFree Tidal Converter supports most popular audio formats, including MP3, FLAC, AAC, etc. Therefore, you can use it to play Tidal music on multiple devices even Tidal doesn't support.

Miley Swift

Miley Swift

Staff Editor

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Miley Swift is a professional content creator in the field of music entertainment and tech. Passionate about Tidal streaming technology, she is adept in offering and updating relevant tech skills and tools of Tidal music.
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