How to Create Custom Siri HomePod Announcements

See really to usage Siri to thief support amended way of what's happening successful your Apple-centric smart home.

Notifications from Apple's Home app are a awesome measurement to support tabs connected your smart home—if you ever person your iPhone aliases Apple Watch connected you. Wouldn't it beryllium bully if Siri connected your HomePod announced erstwhile a sensor detects mobility aliases erstwhile a doorway aliases model opens?

While you cannot do it each from nan Home app, you tin make it happen. You only request a small patience, nan correct operation of hardware and software, and this guide. We'll show you how.

Custom Siri Announcements: What You'll Need

Although nan process of creating civilization Siri announcements is comparatively straightforward, it requires aggregate devices, apps, and services to make nan magic happen. First, you'll request a HomePod aliases HomePod mini smart speaker, arsenic it will play your civilization Siri announcements done HomeKit automation.

Second, you'll request an progressive subscription to Apple Music to shop your announcements successful nan cloud. If you don't person a subscription, location are a fewer ways you tin get Apple Music for free. All it takes is simply a fewer taps aliases clicks to get started.

Third, you'll request a Mac to build your civilization announcements successful nan Shortcuts app and transportation them to your Apple Music Library. In nan Shortcuts app, you'll participate nan matter that you want Siri to speak, and you'll usage it to person nan matter into a compatible audio file.

And finally, you'll request an iPhone aliases iPad to build your HomeKit automation. Unfortunately, macOS doesn't presently support audio successful nan Home app, truthful you'll person to move to your iOS instrumentality for nan last measurement successful nan process.

Step 1: Create a Custom Siri Announcement successful nan Shortcuts App

Creating your civilization Siri announcements starts successful nan Shortcuts app for macOS. It whitethorn look and sound a small daunting if you're caller to Shortcuts, but don't worry; we'll guideline you done nan process step-by-step.

1. Launch nan Shortcuts app connected your Mac.
2. Tap nan Add button.
3. Search for Text and resistance it into your Shortcut.
4. Type successful your connection successful nan Text Field.
5. Search for Make Spoken Audio from Text and resistance it into your Shortcut.
6. Search for Encode Media and resistance it into your Shortcut.
7. Click Show More and past click Audio Only.
8. Search for Save File and resistance it into your Shortcut.
9. Click nan Run Shortcut button.
10. Choose a location connected your Mac and click Open to prevention your file.

That is each it takes to create your civilization Siri announcement successful nan Shortcuts app. However, you'll still request to do a fewer much things earlier it will play automatically connected your HomePod.

Step 2: Add Your Custom Siri Announcement to Apple Music

Next, you'll request to transportation your audio record complete to your Apple Music Library connected your Mac. This portion is speedy and easy, requiring only a fewer steps.

1. Launch nan Music app on your Mac.
2. Click File connected nan Menu Bar.
3. Click Import.
4. Navigate to your file, past click Open.

While your audio record will look instantly alongside your Apple Music room connected your Mac, it will return a fewer moments earlier it makes its measurement to nan cloud. Before proceeding, you'll request to guarantee that it is disposable connected your iOS devices.

Step 3: Use Your Custom Siri Announcement successful HomeKit Automation

With your audio record successful Apple Music, it is now clip to put your HomePod to bully usage pinch HomeKit automation connected your iOS device. Through automation, your HomePod will automatically play your civilization announcement based connected nan authorities of a HomeKit device—like a interaction sensor connected a doorway which we'll usage arsenic an example.

1. Launch nan Home app connected your iOS device.
2. Tap nan Add fastener then Add Automation.
3. Tap A Sensor Detects Something.
4. Tap your sensor past pat Next.
5. Tap Opens followed by Next.
6. Tap your HomePod, past pat Next.
7. Tap Play Audio then Choose Audio...
8. Tap Apple Music past take your record from your library.
9. Tap Use Current Volume aliases Set Custom Volume and set accordingly.
10. Tap Back past Done to prevention your automation.

With this automation, your civilization announcements will automatically play whenever your doorway opens. If you request to refine your automation, you tin group times for erstwhile it is progressive aliases necktie it into a person's location.

Custom Siri Announcements Can Help Keep You successful nan Loop

By creating civilization Siri announcements, your HomePod tin thief support you successful nan loop for events successful and astir your home. Of course, your announcements are not constricted to automation—you tin besides usage them successful Scenes, which opens up world of possibilities.