HomePod HomePod mini “Setup Failed (-5303)”—What is going on?

[DominikHoffmann]

I was trying to set up a HomePod mini for a client (which means that I will not be able to try suggestions until my next appointment with her). Her iPhone was on iOS 16.x, still, but I don’t know, whether it has something to do with it.

I factory-reset her HomePod mini and then commenced with setup through her phone. We got to the point, where she entered her Apple ID password on her iPhone, after which the setup process continued for a short time, until it displayed this:

A web search revealed nothing about Error -5303.

Any idea what this error number implies?

 

[DarthJuan]

I purchase a used one today and the same error code pop up for me.
I text Apple Care the tech couldn't tell me what the error code means, except that it's a setup error. And like your post states I can't find any information on the error code.

 

[japanime]

We got to the point, where she entered her Apple ID password on her iPhone,

Hopefully others will step in and correct me if I'm wrong, but I don't believe the HomePod setup process requires the user to enter their Apple ID password. At what point in the setup process outlined by Apple was she being asked for her password?

 

[DominikHoffmann]

Hopefully others will step in and correct me if I'm wrong, but I don't believe the HomePod setup process requires the user to enter their Apple ID password. At what point in the setup process outlined by Apple was she being asked for her password?

It had gone through about 2 min worth of configuration and asked for it. Could it be that she is not properly signed into her iCloud account?

 

[DarthJuan]

It ask me to enter my password to verify my iCloud account. Then it gives me the error code.
The interesting thing is the Homepod was added to my iCloud account show up with serial number and all. The Homepod even connects to my wifi I can see it in my UI for Unfi and I open a terminal window and ping it, then the light circle on the HomePod just spins and reboot back to setup again.

 

[japanime]

It had gone through about 2 min worth of configuration and asked for it. Could it be that she is not properly signed into her iCloud account?

That seems likely. Perhaps she wasn't signed in at the time you tried to set it up for her, and when she did sign in, she entered her password incorrectly. The setup process them simply timed out and gave her that error.

 

[DarthJuan]

I got it to work!
I use an iPhone running 17.1.2 and it set up.
It's seems to be a 17.2 issue. Hope that helps