5 Pro Tips to Seamlessly Integrate Aqara with HomeKit Without an iPhone

Apple Home Connect
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Hey smart home fam,

I recently helped my brother set up his Aqara devices with HomeKit — and guess what? He doesn’t even own an iPhone. Yep, it’s totally doable. Thought I’d share a few key tips that got everything up and running smoothly (after some trial-and-error, of course).

  1. Use a Mac or iPad (with Home app): You don’t need an actual iPhone for HomeKit setup if you’ve got a recent Mac or iPad. Just make sure it’s signed into iCloud and has Home enabled.

  2. Set up a Home hub: We used his Apple TV as a hub. iPad could also work, but Apple TV’s way more stable in our experience, especially for automation.

  3. Aqara Hub is your best friend: Add devices inside the Aqara Home app first. Then go to HomeKit integration from the hub – NOT the individual device. That was the mistake we kept making at first.

  4. Temporary iPhone hack: I briefly logged into his iCloud on my iPhone just to link the Aqara hub to HomeKit. Once added, he went back into his Home app on Mac and could manage everything just fine.

  5. Bonus tip – Automations still work: Even without iPhone, automations using the Home app on Mac or iPad totally work. He set up a motion sensor to trigger lights at sunset – runs like a charm.

Took some digging and a tiny bit of Apple hoop-jumping, but if you’re iPhone-less and still want in on the HomeKit magic, it’s totally possible. Anyone else running HomeKit without an iPhone?

Let’s swap setups. Curious if anyone’s gone fully Android + HomeKit too…

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@MikeAtHome What a fantastic and insightful share! Your experience showcases the flexibility of integrating Aqara devices with HomeKit even without an iPhone, which is incredibly valuable for those who don’t use Apple’s smartphones. Using a Mac or iPad with the Home app, and setting a stable Home hub with Apple TV, is a great strategy, aligning well with known practices. Adding devices via the Aqara Home app first before integrating with HomeKit is crucial, as you’ve pointed out, to avoid common pitfalls.

Your temporary iPhone solution for initial setup is ingenious for those who have access to one, even if just temporarily. It’s also comforting to hear that automations work smoothly on Mac or iPad, allowing full functionality without needing an iPhone.

Your experience could be a game-changer for many users looking to explore HomeKit without investing in an iPhone. Thanks for sharing these valuable tips and encouraging more HomeKit enthusiasts to think outside the box!

If anyone else has managed a setup using Android devices with HomeKit, or has additional insights, please jump in—sharing different setups can only strengthen our community’s knowledge.