A HomePod mini displays different lights to indicate different situations and purposes, but the orange flashing light can be a confusing one.
The Apple HomePod mini has many flashing lights, and each has its own meaning, including the orange flashing light. The HomePod mini comes ‘with a spinning light,’ ‘white pulsing light,’ ‘multicolored spinning light,’ ‘green pulsing light,’ and the ‘orange flashing light.’ However, the orange flashing light can be the most confusing since it’s not also used on the regular HomePod.
The HomePod mini is one of the world’s most popular smart speakers and integrates magically with other Apple devices. While the HomePod mini is mostly used to listen to music, it can also be used to control music, read messages, or have iPhone calls transferred to it. The HomePod mini does rely on Siri, but it can be controlled via touch or voice control, and multiple HomePod mini units can be connected together to create a stereo music environment.
The status lights appear on the top of the HomePod mini and are used to inform the user of the current status of the device. For example, the ‘white pulsing light’ means the HomePod mini is playing music while a ‘white spinning light’ means the HomePod mini is currently turning on or updating its software. When it comes to the orange flashing light, this one also means the device is updating its software, but with an unsuitable charger.
Understanding HomePod Mini’s Orange Flashing Light
The orange flashing light will appear when a HomePod mini is updating its software while connected to a Mac and not receiving the recommended level of power. Other than a Mac, the orange flashing light is also shown when the HomePod mini is updating while using a power adapter that isn’t rated at 20W, unlike the one that’s included in the box. In contrast, the ‘white spinning light’ indicates an ongoing update while receiving the right amount of power. This orange flashing light isn’t available on the regular HomePod device and so it may seem confusing to owners of both speakers, or for those that have switched out a standard HomePod for a newer HomePod mini. However, the reason for this is that the standard HomePod doesn’t come with a separate USB-C cable and power adapter making it significantly less likely to be updating with an insufficient power source.
In terms of the other lights, the ‘multicolored spinning light’ on the HomePod mini means Siri is currently listening to what the user is saying. iPhone and iPad users will be very familiar with this status light since it is the same colors as Siri. HomePod mini users can transfer phone calls from their iPhone or iPad devices to the HomePod mini. When doing so, a ‘green pulsing light’ will appear on the top of the HomePod mini, just as it does on the regular HomePod in the same situation.
