Apple's new HomePod mini 2 isn't the only speaker getting Sound Glow, the music-reactive lighting effect introduced alongside it earlier this month. Release Candidate testing shows the feature coming to speakers already sitting on shelves and nightstands: HomePod mini, HomePod mini 2, and HomePod (2nd generation) all support it, while the original full-size HomePod is left out entirely.
Here's how to enable Sound Glow on HomePod once a speaker qualifies, which software unlocks it, and what the effect looks like once it's actually running.
Treat some of this as confirmed but not finished. Apple officially advertises Sound Glow for HomePod mini 2 and HomePod (2nd generation), while support for the original HomePod mini has been confirmed through hands-on testing of HomePod software 27.2 rather than Apple's product pages. The update is currently at the Release Candidate stage, not publicly available to everyone yet.
HomePod Sound Glow supported models
Current evidence supports this compatibility list:
HomePod mini: supported in HomePod software 27.2
HomePod mini 2: supported
HomePod (2nd generation): supported
HomePod (1st generation): not supported
There are two levels of confirmation here.
Apple introduced Sound Glow with HomePod mini 2 and also advertises the feature on its HomePod (2nd generation) product page. HomePod mini 2 ships with support for HomePod software 27.2.
The original HomePod mini is the surprise addition. 9to5Mac has tested Sound Glow on the first-generation HomePod mini using the 27.2 Release Candidate, while separate code analysis reported by Apfelpatient reaches the same compatibility list.
The original 2018 HomePod is excluded.
Before assuming a speaker qualifies, confirm exactly which model is sitting on the shelf. HomePod mini and HomePod mini 2 look similar, and the shared name makes them easy to confuse. If the speaker is an original full-size HomePod, current testing indicates Sound Glow won't be available.
HomePod software 27.2: the Sound Glow prerequisite
Existing compatible speakers need HomePod software 27.2 for Sound Glow.
That build reached the Release Candidate stage Oct. 19 and is available to developers and public beta testers ahead of the general release.
Apple hasn't announced an exact public release date for HomePod software 27.2.
HomePod mini 2 goes on sale Oct. 30 and Apple says the new speaker supports HomePod software 27.2, making a public release by or around its launch a reasonable expectation. But Oct. 30 shouldn't be treated as Apple's confirmed release date for the software itself.
For most users, the practical move is simply to wait for the public update rather than installing pre-release software solely to get Sound Glow.
How to turn on Sound Glow on HomePod
Once a qualifying HomePod is running software 27.2, turning Sound Glow on is straightforward:
Open the Home app. Make sure the HomePod has been updated to software 27.2.
Touch and hold the HomePod tile and open its settings. Scroll through the speaker's settings until you find Sound Glow.
Turn on Sound Glow. The feature currently uses a simple on/off toggle, with no separate brightness, color, or sensitivity controls.
Start playing supported audio and the HomePod's top display will begin showing the effect.
If the HomePod is paired with an Apple TV, there's another option. Sound Glow can also be switched on or off from the Apple TV's Control Center, making it easy to change without opening the Home app.
Why the toggle isn't showing up
If Sound Glow doesn't appear, check the HomePod's installed software version first.
Existing compatible speakers need HomePod software 27.2. If you're still running an earlier public version, a missing toggle is expected.
Model compatibility matters too. Sound Glow works on the original HomePod mini, HomePod mini 2, and HomePod (2nd generation), but not the original full-size HomePod.
HomePod Sound Glow settings: what the effect actually looks like
Sound Glow turns the speaker's LED matrix into a color-matched animated display.
With music or podcasts that have artwork, the effect draws dominant colors from what's currently playing and animates them across the top surface. 9to5Mac's hands-on testing found that the colors move and pulse along with the audio.
Apple describes Sound Glow on HomePod mini 2 as reacting in real time to bass and treble. Its HomePod mini 2 announcement also says Now Playing artwork generates a color-matched experience unique to each song.
Soundscapes work differently. Ambient sounds such as rain, forest, and fireplace use their own animations rather than the normal audio-reactive Sound Glow processing, according to 9to5Mac's hands-on testing.
Expect an accent rather than room lighting.
9to5Mac found the colors vibrant but not bright enough to illuminate a room. The effect is easiest to appreciate when the HomePod's top surface is visible, while positioning it near a light-colored wall in a darker room can produce some reflected color.
One additional requirement applies if you want to control Sound Glow by voice. Apple's fine print says voice control for Sound Glow requires an Apple Intelligence-enabled iPhone running the latest software. That requirement applies to voice control, not to switching Sound Glow on manually through the Home app.
What to do now
If you're using public software, wait for HomePod software 27.2 and then check the Home app for Sound Glow on a compatible speaker.
HomePod mini, HomePod mini 2, and HomePod (2nd generation) are the supported models based on Apple's announcements and current Release Candidate testing. The original full-size HomePod is excluded.
Once 27.2 is installed, open the HomePod's settings in the Home app and turn on Sound Glow. If the speaker is paired with an Apple TV, you can also toggle the feature through Apple TV's Control Center.
Don't count on Oct. 30 as a guaranteed software-release date unless Apple announces it. That's when HomePod mini 2 reaches stores, and the new speaker supports 27.2, but Apple hasn't given existing HomePod owners a firm date for the update itself.
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