My Favorite Aqara Automations for a Simpler, Smarter Home
Hey Aqara Team, fellow users, and maybe even some CES attendees!
I wanted to share a few of my favorite Aqara home automations to hopefully inspire your own setups. I love automations that make life simpler—not overly complicated, but the kind that add small, meaningful touches to everyday living.
1. Outdoor Ambience Lights with the G5 Pro Camera
One of my favorite automations is tied to our outdoor space and the Aqara G5 Pro camera.
I set up an automation based on the camera’s face detection, so that when either my wife or I are detected at night, our ambience lights automatically turn on.
This way, whenever we’re outside enjoying time on the patio, the lights just come on for us—no switches, no voice commands.
I built this using Aqara’s Matter Signal Sync feature. The face-detection event is sent as a “device action,” which Aqara converts into a Matter occupancy sensor signal. From there, it becomes usable in automations across your Matter ecosystem.
2. Front Porch Safety Lighting with the Aqara Doorbell
My next lighting automation focuses on home safety, using the Aqara Smart Video Doorbell.
When the doorbell detects motion at night—whether it’s a guest, a late delivery driver, or someone who shouldn’t be there—both the front porch light and the light just inside the door turn on.
There are a few benefits to this:
- It gives the camera better lighting for clearer video.
- It provides safety and visibility for visitors.
- The indoor and outdoor lights turning on can deter unwanted activity by making it look like someone is home.
Simple, effective, reliable.
3. Automatic Range Hood Lighting with the T1 G4 Bulbs and FP2 Sensor
One more lighting automation—this one inside the kitchen.
In our cooking area, I installed Aqara T1 G4 bulbs inside the range hood, and placed an Aqara FP2 presence sensor nearby. The FP2’s zone detection is incredibly accurate.
The idea is this:
Whenever we’re standing at the stove during early mornings or evenings—times when the kitchen is dim—the FP2 detects our presence in the “range zone” and automatically turns on the hood lights.
No fumbling for a switch while cooking. Just smooth, automatic lighting where and when we need it.
Final Thoughts
None of these automations are overly complex—they’re just simple, reliable, and genuinely helpful. They’re the kinds of things that make your home feel smarter without making it feel complicated.
If you’ve built similar setups (or have ideas to improve mine), I’d love to hear them!