How can I stop HomePod mini from playing music automatically?

Update: I contacted Apple support. They were very receptive to my issue and replaced the HomePod Mini. I am happy to be proof that Apple stands by its products and offers great customer service. (I do not work for the company!!)

THis does not work, I'm glad it worked for you but for the rest it does not, There is a huge group of people on Reddit, for whom the only thing that worked is disconnecting the touch screen cable. That's the only thing that worked for me as well.

Looks the iOS 18.2 update fix the problem… 3 weeks after the update and no more problems…

no, you want to disconnect the wider cable on the right side of panel, the picture shown is already disconnected.

Updating to iOS 18.0 not fix the problem in my pair HomePod second generation!!!!I hope Apple make a feature software update fixing this problem, before we open the speakers and disconnect the Touch Bar connection!!!

I didn't remove that ribbon. I gently unscrewed the 4 screws, and turned the board over,. From there, I disconnected the touch ribbon, and reassembled everything. So far, so good.

ralorier147 wrote:

Can I help you

People usually post here because they want help. If you have some advice to give, just go ahead and give it. Or ask clarifying questions.

Does not work. It's a touch panel issue introduced with the software update. It's random.

I'm taking mine to the service station for a forced update to 18.0. If that does not work, I will open it and unplug the touch strip.

Nope, the problem is back and I think it’s the touch sensor that’s the issue, as have seen others saying that’s the issue. Now faced with maybe opening the HomePod and removing the touch panel 🤦🏻‍♂️

Same thing happened with Homepod2 pair. Drove me nuts!

Resetting to factory settings solved it.

Reset HomePod - Apple Support

After removing the touch control, it has been a month, and there has been no automatic playback or random playback at any time during this period.

I have similar issues with HomePod gen 2. Unfortunately the issue started just after the warranty ended and I can’t get any support from Apple.

I disconnected this loop and it worked!

Once was enough. Nobody wants or needs to scroll past your copy/pasted non-working answer 25 times bud.

Do you have other devices or people in your home that would be able to connect to your HomePod and play music? If so, you may want to use the steps in the section "Require a password to play audio on HomePod" from the article here: Play audio on HomePod using an iOS or iPadOS device - Apple Support

Also, in the article the section "Allow others to control audio on HomePod" mentions the following:

"Allow others to control audio on HomePod

1. In the Home app on your iOS or iPadOS device, tap , then tap Home Settings.
2. Note: If you have more than one home, you see settings for your current home (based on your location). To edit a different home, tap Homes, then tap the home you want to edit.
3. Tap Allow Speaker & TV Access and choose one of the following options:

• • Everyone: Gives access to everyone nearby.
  • Anyone On the Same Network: Gives access to those connected to your Wi-Fi network.
  • Only People Sharing This Home: Gives access to those you’ve invited to share your home (in the Home app) and who are connected to your Wi-Fi network."

Using these steps you'll want to check your current sharing options. If the issue continues, test a normal restart of your HomePod using the section "Restart HomePod" here: Change HomePod settings