HomePod mini 2 can double as speakers for your Mac, if you have the right one

If you bought a Mac within the past three years, Apple offers a new feature with the HomePod mini 2 that you can take advantage of: the ability to set up the speakers as the default audio output device. However, Apple says this works only on Macs with Wi-Fi 6E or later, which Apple began incorporating into Macs in 2023.

To be more specific, the HomePod mini 2 can be used as default Mac speakers with:

• M2/M2 Pro or later Mac mini
• M2 Pro/M2 Max or later Mac MacBook Pro
• M2 Max/M2 Ultra or later Mac Studio
• M2 Ultra Mac Pro
• M3 or later iMac
• M3 or later MacBook Air

A single HomePod mini 2 can connect to the Mac, or a pair can be connected for stereo output. The mini 2’s four speaker surround soud setup works only with the new 4th generation Apple TV 4K. Learn more about the HomePod mini 2.

The HomePod mini 2, as well as older mini models and the larger HomePod can also connect to the Mac (and iPhone, iPad, iPod touch, and Apple TV 4K) via AirPlay, but this type of connection can’t be set as default, so you need to reconnect anytime you restart the device or log out. There’s also a slight lag when syncing up the audio, so it’s not the most ideal setup.

Interestingly, a footnote on the HomePod mini 2 tech specs website says the following in regards to the new Mac connectivity:

7. Compatible with HomePod mini 2 and HomePod (2nd generation) with support on all Mac desktops and laptops with Wi-Fi 6E or later.

That indicates that this connection method also works with the HomePod (2nd generation) as well, which was released in 2023 and is equipped with Wi-Fi 802.11n, not Wi-Fi 6E. Also the HomePod product page does not offer any details on Mac connectivity. We’ve reached out to Apple for clarification and will update this article should we get a response.

HomePod mini 2

Price When Reviewed: £149

Best Prices Today: £149 at Apple

Apple HomePod (2nd generation, 2023)

Price When Reviewed: £349 (was £299)

Best Prices Today: £349 at AO£349 at Apple£349 at Argos

Read our full Apple HomePod (2nd generation, 2023) review