Use HomePod for stereo and home theater sound on Apple TV
You can use one or more HomePod speakers to create room-filling sound.
If you have two HomePod speakers, you can use them as a stereo pair for true stereo separation or home theater surround sound if you have Apple TV 4K (see Which Apple TV do I have?).
Place HomePod speakers for optimal sound
Do one of the following:
If you’re using one HomePod speaker: Place the speaker within 10 inches (25 centimeters) of a wall and as close to the center of your TV as possible.
If you’re using a HomePod stereo pair: Place the speakers on either side of your TV. For optimal surround sound, the HomePod speakers should be about 4 feet apart from each other.
Note: A HomePod stereo pair supports Dolby Atmos, Dolby Digital 7.1, or Dolby Digital 5.1 surround formats. Although HomePod mini doesn’t support Dolby surround formats, you can enjoy an elevated sound experience, rendering these sound formats in mono or stereo.
For more information, see Set up a HomePod stereo pair in the HomePod User Guide.
Set HomePod speakers as your default audio output
Before you start, make sure your Apple TV and HomePod speakers are assigned to the same room and connected to the same network.
Go to Settings
on Apple TV.Go to Video and Audio > Audio Output, then select the HomePod (or HomePod stereo pair) as your Default Audio Output.
This routes all sound, including navigation clicks, from Apple TV to your HomePod.
Tip: You can use HomePod to control Apple TV with Siri commands. See Use Siri on other devices to control Apple TV.
Set up HDMI enhanced audio return channel on Apple TV 4K (2nd generation or later)
Apple TV 4K (2nd generation or later) includes eARC, which passes full-resolution audio—including 3D surround sound formats such as Dolby Atmos—from an eARC-supported TV (or any HDMI device connected to it) to your Apple TV.
When you set up HomePod or HomePod mini speakers as the default audio output with Apple TV 4K, you can use them to play audio from a game console or DVD player that’s connected to your TV with an HDMI cable.
Connect one end of an eARC-compatible HDMI cable (sold separately) to the HDMI port on your Apple TV 4K, then connect the other end to the HDMI port labelled eARC on your TV.
Turn on your TV, then make sure its HDMI-CEC setting is enabled.
See the Apple Support article Make sure that HDMI-CEC is on.
Set the HomePod (or HomePod stereo pair) as your default audio output for Apple TV.
In Settings
on Apple TV, go to Video and Audio > Audio Output > Audio Return Channel, then select Play Television Audio to turn eARC on.On your TV, select the HDMI input for the device you want to route audio from (such as a game console or DVD player).
The audio for the selected device is routed through Apple TV to your HomePod speakers.
Note: You may need to check with your TV manufacturer to see if additional settings are required to enable eARC for audio output.
For more information, see the Apple Support article Use HDMI ARC or eARC with your Apple TV 4K (2nd generation or later).