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Apple Adds HomePod Lock Controls and Sound Glow in iOS 27.2

iOS 27.2 adds HomePod Lock Controls for all models and Sound Glow for mini and second-gen, 9to5Mac reports.

AI News Feed · 2026-10-20 04:47

The Lock Controls setting appears in the Home app under the HomePod accessory settings, 9to5Mac reported, citing pdfu. When enabled, it prevents the HomePod from playing audio or taking action when the top cap is touched. Intercom, timers, alarms, Check In and FaceTime calls will still respond to touch, according to Apple's description cited by the outlet. 9to5Mac said the option is useful for users who control the speaker through an iPhone or another device, and for households with toddlers, cats or HomePods that experience phantom taps. It will be available on all HomePod models, including the first-generation HomePod from 2018.

In a separate report, 9to5Mac said Apple is rolling out Sound Glow for the HomePod mini and the second-generation full-size HomePod; the original full-size HomePod is excluded. The feature lights the touch surface with animated ambient effects drawn from the artwork of the currently playing song or podcast. It uses two or three dominant colors from the artwork, with balls of color moving across the surface. The output is not especially bright, but 9to5Mac noted that it can cast visible color onto a white wall in a dark room.

To enable Sound Glow, users need software version 27.2, which is currently in release candidate beta, according to 9to5Mac. In the Home app, users can long-press the HomePod, scroll to settings and turn on a new Sound Glow toggle. The feature can also be enabled from Control Center on an Apple TV paired with HomePods: long-press the Apple TV remote, select the HomePod menu item and toggle Sound Glow on or off. 9to5Mac said the Apple TV route makes it easy to turn the effect on for a party and off afterward.

Lock Controls gives users a way to prevent accidental or unwanted touch input without losing access to alarms and calls, while Sound Glow adds a visual element tied to music playback on newer models. The update is expected to arrive next week, though Apple has not announced a specific release date in the reports.

Editor's Summary

Apple's iOS 27.2 and HomePod 27.2 update adds Lock Controls across all HomePod models and Sound Glow for HomePod mini and the second-generation HomePod, according to 9to5Mac. Lock Controls disables most top-touch interactions while preserving alarms, timers and calls, and Sound Glow projects album-art colors onto the speaker surface. The update is expected next week.