Apple lets youturn your HomePod speaker into an intercom, allowing family members to send audio messages from one Apple speaker or device to another in your household. Family members receive Intercom notifications and can send Intercom messages from their devices.
About Intercom
Here’s Apple’s description of Intercom:
A new Intercom feature offers a quick and easy way for family members to connect with each other at home. One person can send an Intercom message from one HomePod to another — whether in a different room, a specific zone or multiple rooms throughout the home — and their voice will automatically play on the designated HomePod speaker.
The feature supports most, but not all Apple devices:. Follow along with us to learn about the Intercom system requirements in terms of device and operating system support.
Intercom system requirements
Intercom requires a HomePod and also works on the iPhone, iPad, Apple Watch, AirPods and CarPlay with the corresponding iOS 14.2, iPadOS 14.2 and watchOS 7.1 updates.
Intercom: device support
Here are the Apple devices that support Intercom:
In addition to the aforementioned devices, the Intercom feature is also supported on CarPlay. Intercom works with your AirPods out of the box and requires Siri access to interact with it.
These Apple wireless speakers withcompatible softwaresupport Intercom:
You need at least a HomePod and another Apple device to use Intercom.
The following iPhone smartphones powered bycompatible softwaresupport Intercom:
Learn how to identify your iPhone model.
These Apple tablets powered bycompatible softwaresupport Intercom:
Learn how to identify your iPad model.
iPod touch
The following iPod touch media players powered bycompatible softwaresupport Intercom:
Learn how to identify your iPod touch model.
Apple Watch
These Apple Watch smartwatches powered bycompatible softwaresupport Intercom:
Learn how to identify your Apple Watch model.
CarPlay support for Intercom is coming in the future.
you may also use Intercom hands-free while working out or running errands with your AirPods and AirPods Pro earbuds, right out of the box, no special software needed.
Learn how to identify your AirPods model.
Intercom: OS support
The following operating system versions must be powering yoursupported Apple devicesbefore you’re able to take advantage of the Intercom features:
What about the Mac?
Apple makes no mention of Mac compatibility for Intercom. When you think of it, it shouldn’t be too hard to send a notification to any Mac on the user’s current home network with a play button. We don’t think the lack of Mac compatibility is due to some limitations with macOS.
Intercom from HomePod to Apple Watch and viceversa (iOS 14.2 b4, watchOS 7.1 b3, HomePod 14.2 beta)pic.twitter.com/JXBVqSUdZH
— cino (@domenicopanacea)July 02, 2025
Rather, we think that Intercom will be supported on the Mac when Apple releases the macOS 11.0 Big Sur update later this month. We’ll be making sure to update this article to reflect any changes in terms of Intercom’s system requirements and compatibility.
Using Intercom
We will detail using Intercom in a standalone tutorial. In the meantime, you can use Intercom on two or more HomePods. If you’re at home, you can make announcements to other HomePod speakers throughout the house (“Hey Siri, intercom ‘Dinner is ready!’”). Or perhaps you’d like to send an audio message to a HomePod in a specific room or zone.
You will however need another Apple device like an iPhone or use CarPlay in case you want to use Intercom remotely. For example, you’ll need an iPhone with an Internet connection to Intercom a HomePod in your house when you’re in the backyard or on your way home.
Intercom’s support for CarPlay makes it a cinch to send and receive messages through Apple’s in-car dashboard while you’re driving. And with support for your AirPods and the Apple Watch, you can even use Intercom during a workout or when running errands, which is great.
