How do I enable AirPlay on HomePod when controls are not available?

I think the latest update has also impacted all of my HomePods. Same situation. Rebooting router, WiFi does not help. Phone running 18.3.1 and HomePods running 18.3.

Settings for HomePod only shows Remove accessory. The Reset function has disappeared.

I’ll try physically unplugging and restarting tomorrow, but everything was working fine until the last update.

I stand corrected. This issue is still occurring. It was working after I updated to iOS 18.3.2 yesterday but today it is not. Sorry.

It is happening again using iOS 18.4 and HomePod 18.4.

I’m using an iPhone 14, a MacBook Air 2024 ( the m3 chip version) and an iPad 8th gen. I have the Sequoia OS with the very latest update on my Mac and all the newest and latest updates on my other devices. My 2022 HomePod mini has the latest update as well.It’s an older HomePod mini but it was bought new a year ago. I have reset my router and my WiFi and reconnected all my devices to it. All after doing a complete factory reset on my HomePod mini as it is having the same problem. It won’t AirPlay from any of my devices anymore and it definitely used to. I’m having the same issue in the home app saying that No controls are available. Only in my case it’s not giving any option in the settings or anywhere to do anything. Please help! In my actual phone settings things are set to AirPlay and handoff etc. But in the home app it gives me 0 options to do anything and I’ve already checked my router and did a factory reset on my HomePod mini. Might I also add… I even did factory resets and then restored them with my iCloud account each of my individual devices I mentioned above. Still no airplay from any of them and still stating no controls available. I’m NOT ok with this. Pls help!

What device is it not working on? What os version (please don't answer with latest) it is running? For example my late 2012 Mac mini runs macOS 10.15.7 Catalina, which is the latest that it can run, but by no means current. The Home app in Catalina is incompatible with the new Home architecture - Apple Support. I'm trying to help you establish if you are seeing expected behaviour or not.

In some cases rebooting all of the devices involved, including your router and/or access points, may help.

tt2

Are both devices connected to the same Wi-Fi network, and does that network allow peer-to-peer traffic?

tt2

Thanks for the reply. I did that twice already but the issue still exists. I think it is related to the last (18.3) software update. All worked fine prior to that update.

I think this issue has been fixed in iOS 18.3.2. Everything seems to be working like it should.

I'm now having the problem on my iPhone 14 Pro Max with iOS 18.4, where I wasn't having it before. :'(

Same here. I posted my very frustrating issue below in response to the author (first person who posted the problem). Are you still having your issue as well?

Same story for me. All of a sudden, the HomePod Mini went offline, said that it was having trouble connecting to the internet, directing me to the Home app, where I got the message about controls unavailable. Software reset from Home app didn't help.

What finally worked was a hard reset [Unplug HP 10 seconds, plug in and wait 10 seconds, hold finger on white light until it turns red and keep holding until it beeps 3 times. After it restarted fully I was able to do a complete new setup].

You might need to Reset your HomePod mini - Apple Support.

tt2

I'm having the exact same issue. I can access the two HomePod minis in my home office only from my iPad and my Mac(s). I cannot access them from my iPhone 14 Pro or my iPhone 15. Both iPhones are on iOS v18.3.

I could play music to them from the MacBook Pro (macOS Sequoia 15.3) and from the iPad Pro (running iPadOS v18.3).

I had both the minis paired for a Stereo Pair. I deleted the pair and restarted both minis. After that, the iPad and the MacBook Pro could still see them individually, and could show them in the list of AirPlay options, too. But neither iPhone could connect to them. They show up in Home on both iPhones, but when I click on their icons from the iPhone, it reports "Controls not available" and clicking the gear icon shows all of the options greyed out. When I do the same from iPad or the MacBook, I can connect to and control both minis.

When I bring the iPhone close to either mini, it brings up the proximity option, but it still shows all controls greyed out and report "Controls not available."

It certainly seems to be an iPhone and/or iOS issue.

It will depend on your model but there is usually a web page you can go to on the device, or a small hole that you prod to reset it. Start with a simple power cycle in case that is all it needs. Look up the manual and download locally before resetting. Take note of your existing settings such as ISP login, DNS, SSID name and password etc.

tt2