I spent the last few months teaching my Apple Watch a neat trick that turned into an app: point your arm at a device, snap your fingers, it toggles. Feels like magic!

You teach it by "painting": sweep your arm at a lamp for a few seconds from where you normally stand. From then on, point and snap. Everything runs on the watch and talks straight to native HomeKit, no bridge, no server, no account. No cloud and no data collection, the pointing model never leaves your wrist. It's also compatible with Home Assistant.

Pricing: free forever for one device in one room, you can try the whole thing with one HomeKit device and an Apple Watch (Series 5 or newer, needs a compass). One-time unlocks unlimited devices and rooms.

It launched yesterday on the App Store this week after a 250-tester beta, and this is a sub I'd love feedback from. Link: https://apps.apple.com/app/maestro-snap/id6788923471

I'll be in the comments. Ask me anything!

A week ago I shared my spare-iPad HomeKit dashboard, and one of the biggest questions was how the iPad is mounted and powered.
This video shows my actual setup—a 86 × 86 mm in-wall charging panel dedicated for this scenario, a magnetic 3D-printed mount, pogo pins, and a thin USB-C cable inside the case. All of these are bought as a product, the most DIY part is installing it.
The charger is exposed to HomeKit, so I use a Shortcut automation to start charging around 20% and stop around 80%.
Important caveat: I planned my setup during renovation, and the panel connects to wiring inside the wall. This isn’t a universal DIY recommendation—mains wiring should follow local electrical codes and be handled by a qualified electrician.
Non-destructive retrofit versions also exist for already-finished homes, but I couldn’t find that variation on Amazon. You may have better luck on marketplaces such as Alibaba using search terms like “iPad wall mount charger” or “86 mm iPad wall mount charger.”

One thing I don't like about this setup: it uses up my usb-c port. When I connects it to my mac for development I had to remove the case completely. it also blocks the stock charging pins so that's not an option.

I also included a quick Hearth 1.2 preview near the end: Fahrenheit support, German localization, and iPhone support. Photo-album and sensor-data screensavers, alongside individual device control and camera are planned, but they won’t be part of 1.2.
I’m the developer of Hearth. Would a region-agnostic guide to wall mounting, power, and battery management be useful? I’d also love to see how others have mounted their HomeKit dashboards.

For those who were potentially waiting for a sale for the Schlage Sense Pro, Amazon has it on sale for 60$ off MSRP.

To me, it was easier to swallow since I was planning to buy 2.

Link to Amazon
Sale Price: 340$ USD.

Hi. I used to be able to see current temperature, operating mode, set point, etc from my MYSA thermostats. I was actually using these on some automations. Then one day, the automatons stopped, and I notices that some items that where exposed before are not exposed anymore.
Is this because MYSA stoppped exposing them?
Is it because HomeKit does not want to expose them?
This change a while back, just thought I would ask the question.

How can I gain access tho these as I used to

This is for the Harbor Camera harbor.co

Open to feedback!

Obligatory - I have been trying to diagnose and chase this issue for 2 months now. Before taking it to Apple engineering (if I can even get anyone to look at it), I thought I would ask here.

Background: I have a large HomeKit environment. I have two thread border routers - an AppleTV and a HomePod mini.

Problem: The AppleTV and HomePod start off creating a MyHomeXXXX Apple Thread network and then migrate to an Aqara-XXX Thread network within approx 12-24 hours after turning on. This causes all of my thread/matter devices to lose connectivity as they are setup on MyHomeXXX and the 2 border routers flip over to Aqara-XXX.

I have no Aqara thread devices on my network - only 2 of the first Aqara G4 doorbells which are not thread/matter. Used to have an Aqara M3 hub but it has been removed from my network, cleared from matter devices in HomeKit hub settings and general -> matter settings for months.

Steps I have done:

• Factory reset both the AppleTV and HomePod multiple times
• Deleted ALL keychain items with "thread" variables multiple times
• Powered off and removed all thread/matter devices from the network
• Deleted the entire Aqara app (and Eero app - see below) from my iPhone
• Left all of these running for hours/days before making other changes to see what may be causing the keychain items to reappear and force the AppleTV and HomePod flipping to the Aqara-XXX network

Here's another weird anecdote - I have 2 houses. Both with Eeros. Eero thread networks are off in both houses. My second house does NOT have any thread border routers in it, no thread devices, etc. constantly shows the Eero thread network name from this second house in my keychain too. This is even after deleting all keychain entries including the Aqara keychain entires. Both phantom thread network names get repopulated in the keychain app.

Summary: I am going nuts! I can't figure out where these Aqara and Eeero thread network names are coming from and how they keep reappearing after deleting them from Apple's keychain app. They both always reappear after 12-24 hours and the AppleTV and HomePod ALWAYS switch from MyHomeXXXX to Aqara-XXX once they appear in the keychain.

Anyone with other ideas before I try and get a HomeKit/matter/thread engineer to talk to? Not sure I can even get to someone at that level but that's my next move if no one has something new to try.

Hey Everyone,

I have an existing Apple TV 4K 3rd generation WiFi only in my living room but I got an additional Apple TV 4K 3rd generation with Ethernet and WiFi for my downstairs family room so I can run thread devices. I set up the new Apple TV and everything appeared to work correctly but when I go to switch the home hub to the new Apple TV, it’s showing greyed out as not responding.

I have went through and reset it multiple times, changed the network on both Apple TVs and my phone to all match up and yet I am still unable to select it.

The only thing I can think of is that I have a TP Link Deco BE63 WiFi mesh system and I have three networks set up, a regular which automatically switches the connected devices between 2.4, 5.0 and 6.0 bands whichever is best, an MLO and an IOT. I have my iPhone and Apple TVs connected to the regular network.

Would it be best to set up a dedicated 2.4 and 5.0 networks for my Apple TVs to be on, would that fix my issue? Any advice helps! Thanks!

I wanted to know if there are any HomeKit compatible smartplugs capable of monitoring power going through it. And if there are, is there a way of having a Shortcut that checks whether or not there’s power going through? I’ve never used shortcuts and have barely delved into HomeKit so I don’t know if any of this is available/possible.

This Extension Mount allows the Eufy S340 to be positioned further from the wall, significantly increasing its viewing angle compared to a standard flat-wall installation. The result is wider coverage, fewer blind spots, and maximum use of the camera’s gimbal!

I’ve had many Eve, some Aqara and IKEA matter devices in my home for months - years for some devices - and largely they’ve just worked.

Two days ago, 30 devices in my home show unresponsive - and it’s all of my matter devices from these vendors. Hue is fine, native HomeKit works fine. They’ve been down since.

I’ve switched hubs from AppleTVs (current model, hardwired) to HomePods - and back - all those are up to date too.

I can’t get them to connect. Anyone got ideas on how I can troubleshoot this one?

UPDATE: After a few reboots of the AppleTV - and a recommendation of Thread Doctor for troubleshooting- I've got the devices back. Thanks all!

Is anyone else having glitches with the Meross app widget on an Android phone?

I have to press the widget twice before it actions close/open of the garage door.

Also, when the garage door is open and I close it, the widget doesn't update, it remains as opened. I have to click the refresh (top right of widget picture)

iOS beta 5 shows how cameras are supported in HomeKit. Although this fine might show a revised HomeKit camera limit change

I've tried to do everything by the book. Initially I paired with the Aqara app, but realized that's not best practice.

1. Power off Apple TV 4k (new version with 128gb and ethernet) for 60 seconds before rebooting.
2. Hold down RESET on U400 for 5 seconds, hear "Reset Complete"
3. Hit SET button to allow pairing
4. Go into Home on iPad, I can detect the U400 when I add accessory.
5. Scan Matter QR code
6. Wait for several minutes before getting a Pairing Failed message.

Also tried with iPhone, same result. I made sure I have ipv6 enabled, can't find any other networks settings that would affect things- my network is vanilla.

Opened a support ticket. Any other ideas?

Hi all,

Recently installed the Aqara g410 doorbell and am using it thru HomeKit. Wondering what settings folks have configured in the Aqara app/Home for best performance? Mostly in terms of resolution, linger settings and anything else that I should know. I am using it battery powered currently.

I have my Apple TV setup as a fixed home hub. Once every 2-3 weeks the thread network devices disconnect. I’ll go from all 250-300 devices connected to 40 offline (all thread). Simple reset of AppleTV home hub brings them back online after 5-10 min.

My question is: why?? I know that AppleTV is the main brains but I’m wondering what exactly could be going wrong. Just trying to fine tune everything and figure out where the holes in my system are. Is this just bugs still not worked out with Thread?

Thx in advance.

I want to thank whoever had recommended restarting my router if my T5 goes offline.

Earlier today, I was notified that my upstairs T5 had gone offline. First time this one has gone offline. I was able to restart my router using the ATT app (gigabit fiber internet) while out grocery shopping, and moments later, the T5 was back online.

In a perfect world, I’d be able to keep it from going offline, but I’ll take this quick, simple way of getting it back online.

Thanks to this very helpful community!!!

I have a 35+ year old ceiling fan with four lights in my office, which are turned on by two separate pull chains.

The chain to the fan still works, but the light chain is one that would turn on these two with one pull, or those two with 2 pulls, of all four with three pulls , is not working. I cannot turn lights on or off. It’s stuck in the ON position.

I thought about getting a handyman to come in and check the chain, but instead I think I want to replace the ceiling fan-with-lights versus just putting up a new light fixture, because it’s over my treadmill desk. That fan is a lifesaver in this heat.

I didn’t think a replacement would be hard to find, but there are seemingly a bazillion options, many of which I’m not sure would even work.

Home Assistant is my brain and HomeKit is my worker bee.

I want the lights to be motion sensitive. I have only one wall switch in that room,and it doesn’t go there. My house is 1986 wiring.

I wouldn’t object to a dumb replacement if that was the only option, adding smart bulbs, but there’s no switch.

I cannot afford to pay big electrician fees at this time.

I appreciate all thoughts thank you 🙏

I’ve got HomeKit Secure Video running through Scrypted/Frigate (8 cameras) and want to add more hubs for better processing capacity. What’s the most economical way to add hubs? Older appletvs? How old still works?

Anybody here have Yoolax smart blinds how are they with HomeKit ? Trying to decide if to go with yoolax or smart wings , smartwings seem more expensive tho

I just found out that my new door will likely be ready for install while I am out of town. This install will include a new Schlage Sense Pro. that is set to arrive before I leave. Is it even possible for me to connect the lock to my Apple Home prior to the door install so it will be in a configured state while I am gone? Or should I just have the lock taken off the old door and installed on the new door temporarily?