Your HomePod can now alert you if your smoke alarm is going off

If you've got a HomeKit smart home, you can put off buying smart smoke detectors: The HomePod and HomePod Mini can now listen for and recognize the sounds of smoke and CO alarms in your home and send your iPhone a real-time notification. 

A HomePod or HomePod Mini isn't a substitute for a smoke alarm, however, and this feature shouldn't be relied upon in cases of emergency or where the loss of life is possible. 

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This software update upgrades the smart speakers to double as listener devices, specifically programmed to recognize the sound of the existing smoke and carbon monoxide alarms when they are triggered. 

How to enable Sound Recognition on the Home app

What you'll need: The sound recognition feature requires the updated Home architecture for all Apple devices that access the Home app to run the latest software. 

Since the update was just rolled out, Apple has placed a shortcut in the Home app to easily turn on Sound Recognition. You can do this by opening the Home app and clicking on Continue within the alert for  New Safety & Security Features. Then, tap Turn On.  

FAQs

What happens if a smoke alarm is triggered near my HomePod?

The HomePod will now work as a listener as well as a smart speaker. So, if a smoke or carbon monoxide detector is triggered, the device will recognize the unique sound of the siren and send you a notification to your iPhone or iPad. Once you receive the notification, you can open it and have the option to listen in through your HomePod to hear what is going on, and even stream the live feed from any compatible cameras nearby.

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This feature doesn't work without a smoke or CO alarm, as the HomePod speakers do not contain smoke or CO detectors. The speakers are only able to listen to the siren nearby and react accordingly. 

Does the first-generation HomePod support Sound Recognition?

Both the first-generation and second-generation HomePods should support the Sound Recognition feature, as well as the HomePod Mini. 

Is the Sound Recognition feature free?

For all of Apple's HomePod devices, the Smoke & CO alarm sound recognition feature is completely free, simply an added update to the existing smart speakers' interface. Having the convenience of getting a real-time alert if one of these alarms is triggered while you're out is something people look for when selecting smart smoke detectors.

There are competitors that have their own versions of smoke and CO alarm listeners with a monthly fee, like one from Ring Alarm, which works with a Ring Protect subscription, and Amazon's Echo speakers, which can be enabled with an Alexa Guard Plus plan.