I recently set up my smart garage door and lights using Home Assistant and wanted to streamline their control within HomeKit. Initially, I exported both the garage door (device_class: garage) and the garage lights (a light group) as separate entities, but I quickly realized I wanted them to work together seamlessly under a single tile in HomeKit.
After some research, I discovered that while HomeKit doesn’t natively support combining different device types into a single tile, there’s a workaround using the Combine Accessories feature in the Home app. Here’s how I did it:
- Add Both Accessories: First, ensure both your garage door and light group are added to HomeKit as separate accessories.
- Combine Accessories: Navigate to the Rooms tab, select the room where your garage is located, and tap the Combine Accessories button. Select both the garage door and lights from the list.
- Customize the Combined Tile: Once combined, you can customize the tile’s name and appearance to reflect its purpose (e.g., “Garage Access”).
Now, when I tap the combined tile, it opens the attached view where I can control both the garage door and lights. This setup not only simplifies my daily routine but also makes my garage automation more intuitive for guests who might use it.
If you’re looking to achieve a similar setup, I recommend exploring the Combine Accessories feature in the Home app—it’s a powerful way to customize your smart home experience without needing complex automations!