How HomeKit Works

HomeKit isn’t a smart home system per se; it doesn’t operate from a central hub, as do a lot of similar systems. Instead, HomeKit is more like the standalone smart controllers offered by Amazon (Echo) and Google (Home), but it works through a smartphone/tablet app instead of a piece of hardware (although you can control HomeKit devices, after they’ve been set up, with Apple’s HomePod smart speaker).

So how does HomeKit work? It all revolves around Apple’s Home app, which comes installed on your new iPad.

If a smart device is compatible with the HomeKit standard, it’s typically discovered by Apple’s Home app when you first power on the device. (If it’s not automatically discovered, you can add it manually to the app.) After a device is linked to the Home app, you specify what room it’s in. You can then control the device from the Home app or via any scenes or automations you create. (Your iPad must be connected to your home Wi-Fi network to do this; Home can’t control your smart devices remotely.)

Add a New Accessory

Compatible accessories are relatively easy to add to the Home app. Just make sure the accessory is powered on and connected to your home’s Wi-Fi network—and that your iPad is connected to the same network.

Tap the Home icon to launch the Home app.

From the Home screen, tap the + button.

Tap Add Accessory.

Look for the HomeKit code on the new device or in the device’s documentation. Position the camera of your iPad to capture this code.

If for some reason step 4 doesn’t work, tap I Don’t Have a Code or Cannot Scan to enter the code with your tablet’s onscreen keyboard.

If you want, change the name of this accessory by tapping the current name and then entering a new one. (Siri identifies this device by the name you give it here.)

By default, the new accessory is added to your default room. To add the accessory to a different room, tap Location and select another room.

Include this accessory in your favorites on the Home app’s home screen by tapping “on” the Include in Favorites switch.

Tap Next.

If the accessory requires additional setup, tap View and follow the onscreen instructions.

Tap Done to complete the installation.

Add a New Room

When you install a new accessory, you assign this device to a given room in your home. You can create additional rooms corresponding to your actual physical rooms.

Tap Rooms to display the Room screen.

Tap the Menu button in the upper-left corner of the screen.

Tap Room Settings.

Tap Add Room.

Enter a name for this room into the Room Name field.

Change the room’s background wallpaper by tapping Choose from Existing and then making a selection.

Alternatively, you can take a photo of the room to use for the wallpaper. Tap Take Photo and proceed from there.

Tap Save. The room is now created and added to your room list.

Create a Scene

The Home app doesn’t limit you to controlling one device at a time. You can control multiple accessories at the same time by creating what Apple calls scenes.

For example, you can create a scene called “Good Morning” that turns on the smart lights in your bedroom and turns up your smart thermostat, or one called “Arrive Home” that turns on your living room lights and unlocks the front door. You activate a scene with a single tap from the home or room screen or via Siri command.

On the Home screen, tap the +.

Tap Add Scene.

Enter the name for this scene.

Tap Add Accessories.

Tap those accessories you want to add.

Tap Done.

Back in the New Scene pane, press and hold an accessory to adjust its settings.

Tap Test This Scene to see if the scene works as you want.

Make sure the Include in Favorites switch is “on” to display this scene on the home screen.

Tap Done to add this scene.

Control a Device or Scene from Your iPad

Turning a device on or off, or activating a scene, is as easy as tapping your tablet’s screen. For many devices, additional controls are also available.

On either the Home or Rooms screen, tap an accessory or scene to turn it on or off. The tile for the accessory or scene dims when the device is turned off; the tile has a white background when the device is turned on.

Press and hold the tile for an accessory to access additional controls for that item.

Controlling Devices and Scenes with Siri

You’re probably used to asking your iPad’s Siri personal assistant to do all manner of things, from looking up information to reading the latest news and weather reports. Well, you can also use Siri within the Home app to control your connected smart devices using voice commands.

To use Siri to control any devices and scenes you’ve added to the Home app, all you have to do is say “Siri,” then speak the desired command. It’s that easy.

Obviously, which commands you speak depend on which devices you have installed and what you want them to do. For example, if you want to turn off the lights in your bedroom, say this:

Siri, turn off the lights in the bedroom.

Pretty simple. If you want to reduce the brightness for a given light or room, say this:

Siri, set brightness for the living room lights to 50 percent.

To set your smart thermostat, say this:

Siri, set the temperature to 70 degrees.

You can even ask questions of Siri regarding your smart devices, like this one:

Siri, did I lock the front door?

If you have scenes created (refer to the “Create a Scene” task earlier in this chapter), you can turn on a scene by saying

Siri, set my relaxing scene.

It’s all very common sense. All you have to do is speak to Siri via your iPad, and she works within the Home app to do the rest.