Okay so I just moved into my first apartment and decided to dive headfirst into the smart home rabbit hole. Thought it would be complicated, but setting up Aqara with HomeKit was surprisingly smooth — and I figured if I could do this with zero clue, anyone can.
First, I grabbed the Aqara M2 Hub (cause it has Ethernet and IR, which sounded fancy enough), plugged it in, and scanned the HomeKit code with the Apple Home app. Literally like 2 taps and boom — Hub added.
Then came the fun part: sensors and switches. I got a bunch of motion sensors and window/door sensors. Again… scan the codes, and they pop right into HomeKit. No jumping through hoops, no techy mumbo-jumbo.
Here’s what I didn’t expect — the automations are actually kinda addictive. I set my hallway lights to turn on when the door opens at night, and a shortcut to mute my phone and turn off all lights when I tap the mini switch by my bed. It’s lowkey life-changing.
If you’re sitting on these gadgets but haven’t taken the plunge yet, trust me, it’s easier than setting up a Wi-Fi printer (yeah, I said it). And if you’re wondering — yes, no Aqara app shenanigans needed once you’re in HomeKit.
Would love to hear what automations y’all are running. Any cool ideas I should try next?