Welcome to Tanner's Tips!
This post is dedicated to all the great features that Pandora has to offer. Each week I'll be talking about and breaking down a Pandora feature in detail. Some of you may be using these features every day and others maybe not so much. My goal is to introduce something new and fun to your Pandora experience. Thanks for listening! 🎧
If you have a support question, please visit our Support Forum and choose the board that best suits your question. If you'd like to submit a feature request, please visit our Feature Request board.
Siri + Pandora
- Device: iOS Mobile
- Subscription: Free, Plus & Premium
In honor of Apple's latest iOS release (iOS 15) this past Monday, let's talk about Siri! Pandora listeners on iOS devices can use Siri voice commands to access content and control playback on Pandora.
Want to enjoy this feature? First, you'll need to be on iOS 13 or later and be on the latest version of the Pandora app.
If your device can't update to iOS 13, you can create custom voice shortcuts to access content using Siri.
Siri + Pandora + iOS 13 or later
Free, Plus and Premium listeners can ask to hear their favorite stations. Premium listeners can also ask Siri to play additional content, such as albums, podcasts, and specific songs or playlists.
Here are some examples of commands you can use with Siri:
- Request to play content on Pandora: "Hey Siri, play _______ on Pandora." You can ask Siri to play a station, an album, a song, a playlist, or a podcast using this command.
- Control playback: "Hey Siri, pause/play/resume this Song."
- Search for content on Pandora: "Hey Siri, Find _______ on Pandora."
While you won't be able to create or edit playlists through Siri, you can do that from the Pandora app and your changes will carry over.
If you're running a version older than iOS 13, you'll need to update your device's operating system (OS) to be able to use this feature. Refer to this article for more info.
Adding and Editing Siri Shortcuts (pre-iOS 13)
If you can't update your operating system to iOS 13, you can still use Siri by creating voice command shortcuts.
To create Siri shortcuts from the Pandora app:
- Start from your Profile.
- Tap the Settings gear in the top right corner.
- Choose Siri Shortcuts.
- Then pick one of your Recently Played items to record a custom voice command.
You can say the suggested prompt or record something unique.
Tip: To add items to your Recently Played menu, listen to that content for at least 30 seconds and then skip to something else. That way, the item will become queued in your recently played list.
To review or edit any Siri Shortcuts you've added for the Pandora app:
- Go to your device Settings.
- Tap Siri & Search then My Shortcuts. Pandora shortcuts you've added will have the Pandora app icon next to them.
- Tap a shortcut on the list to re-record phrase or swipe right to delete it.
For additional information and detailed instructions about this, see Use Siri Shortcuts on the Apple website.
Siri + HomePod + Pandora
If you enjoy listening to Pandora with your Apple HomePod, here are a few commands you can use:
- Request a Podcast: "Hey Siri, play [podcast] on Pandora"
- Request a station: "Hey Siri, play [artist] radio on Pandora."
- Create a station: "Hey Siri, create a [artist] station on Pandora."
- Use Thumbs: "Hey Siri, I like this." or "Hey Siri, I don't like this"
- Skip songs: "Hey Siri, skip this song on Pandora."
- Control playback: "Hey Siri, pause/play/resume Pandora."
- Control volume up or down: "Hey Siri, make it louder," or "Hey Siri, make it quieter."
- Premium subscribers can ask Siri:
- To play playlists they've collected, as well as albums, and songs: "Hey Siri, play Highway Companion by Tom Petty on Pandora."
- To add content to their collection: Hey Siri, add [song]/[podcast]to my collection” or “Hey Siri, add this to my collection” while the content is playing. Adding artists or playlists to your collection is not currently supported.
Additionally, on your HomePod, you can select Pandora as your primary music and podcast service and you won't have to say "on Pandora" after each command.
Don't want anyone else messing with your Pandora account using HomePod? Enable Recognize My Voice, then only you will be able to Thumb up/down or add to your collection.
If it is turned off, no one will be able to Thumb or collect music.
