HomePod Siri nefariously listening at random times after Mini update to iOS18.3??

[kkclstuff]

Ive had this HPM for several years, and yes there would be an occasional misheard 'Hey Siri' command like... "Hey sorry" or "Hey Siri" within a TVshow being watched etc etc. But after the last update iOS18.3 the HPM will just start listening on its own (swirling color LEDs) with no prompt or other audio in the room, middle of night, etc. Along with randomly saying "ok heres Apple1 Music" (I have no Apple1 account) and starting to play music.

I always knew the heySiri prompt meant "the device is listening", but now its creepy with no prompt the HPMini just doing its own thing;

• starts to listening (for up to +1 minute in a silent room)
• asking "Do I want that shown on my iPhone" (without a request)
• starting to play music on Apple One (without a request)

This false activation has now happened at least 8x (that I know of) in the past 24hrs.
Device as been both removed and reset once since this started.


Anyone else seeing this or similar anomalies? (what version iOS ?)

 

[Itinj24]

Ive had this HPM for several years, and yes there would be an occasional misheard 'Hey Siri' command like... "Hey sorry" or "Hey Siri" within a TVshow being watched etc etc. But after the last update iOS18.3 the HPM will just start listening on it own (swirling color LEDs) with no prompt or other audio in the room, middle of night, etc. Along with randomly saying "ok heres Apple1 Music" (I have no Apple1 account) and starting to play music.

I always knew the heySiri prompt meant "the device is listening", but now its creepy with no prompt the HPMini just doing its own thing;

• starts to listening (for up to +1 minute in a silent room)
• asking "Do I want that shown on my iPhone" (without a request)
• starting to play music on Apple One (without a request)

This false activation has now happened at least 8x (that I know of) in the past 24hrs.
Device as been both removed and reset once since this started.


Anyone else seeing this or similar anomalies? (what version iOS ?)

I have a mix of 17 Minis and OG’s all on 18.3 and have not noticed this behavior but I’ll certainly pay attention for it now.

 

[kkclstuff]

today, I turned off "listen for hey Siri" on all my devices—so the only SIRI activation should be by touching the HPM screen panel.

Ive noticed:

• the touch screen activation to be either unresponsive or super laggy.
• Siri's replies to be either unresponsive, super laggy, or irrelevant.
• And the "active listening" still auto-starts randomly (both in a silent room or while watching TV)

 

[kkclstuff]

More bizarreness:

today I noticed that if I have audio playing thru the Mini and Siri starting an unwanted 'actively listening'.... the audio's volume is lowered, it listens for about 1minute (with no response from me), then asks if "I'd like to see that from my iPhone"?

...after a few secs with no reply from me it stops actively listening... but the music I was playing does not return to previous listening level—the audio is still playing but the volume is now set to 0. I must manually reset the level from my iPhone's control center.

 

[kkclstuff]

I have "hey Siri" turned off all my devices...

when Siri started its next unwanted listening, I told Siri to "restart the HPM"... nothing (swirling colors)
after about another 20sec I told Siri to "Turn Off 'Hey Siri'"... 10 sec Siri replies, "'Hey Siri' is already off" !!!

This time it returned my previously playing music back to its preexisting vol. (By the time it took me to type this reply... the vol went from 50% to 0% as if it was switched off.)

What the what?!?

 

[dotme]

Go into Settings for the HomePod in the Home app, disable "Touch and Hold for Siri"

If I had to guess, you probably have a touch panel going bad.

 

[kkclstuff]

ahhh dig thats a great testing idea.

EDIT: Turning off the touch panel seems to have fixed it in the short term (again only a few minutes but much better control than before)

Yesterday while trying to use the panel I thought 'maybe it's dirty/dusty with its laggy response and giving a false sensor activation—like a Magic Trackpad in the summer. 😅 But I never thought of turning off the panel. Brilliant! Thanks @dotme

Certainly helps in the short term but still a disappointment for longevity of an product that just sits in one place all the time.

 

[dotme]

Happy it helped - There are scattered reports of this issue elsewhere, it seems.

https://www.reddit.com/r/HomePod/comments/11igt3w/two_homepod_minis_stuck_in_reset_loop_thinking

Some tips in the above link if the ghost touches start to trigger long-press reboot loops.

 

[kkclstuff]

Thanks for that info, I'll check it out.
since turning off the touch panel, "hey siri' is working normally again.👍

I wonder if the touch panel is affected by moisture/dust/etc in general? I'd be interested to hear from anyone using a HPM in the kitchen or bathroom.

EDIT: Oh Dig! theyre talking about what I suspected. Thanks again!

 

[Itinj24]

Thanks for that info, I'll check it out.
since turning off the touch panel, "hey siri' is working normally again.👍

I wonder if the touch panel is affected by moisture/dust/etc in general. I'd be interested to hear from anyone using a HPM in the kitchen or bathroom.

EDIT: Oh Dig! theyre talking about what I suspected. Thanks again!

I have an OG, a stereo pair of Minis and a solo Mini in bathrooms for a few years with no issues thus far. Full bathrooms with showers that are being used multiple times daily.