Maximizing Your Aqara Gear in a Non-Apple Ecosystem

Apple Home Connect
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Hey everyone, just wanted to share my experience trying to squeeze the most out of my Aqara setup without going all in on the Apple ecosystem. Spoiler alert: it’s totally doable, and actually not as painful as I thought.

I’m more of an Android + Google Home kind of guy, and I’ve built a pretty solid setup without touching HomeKit. Got a mix of motion sensors, contact sensors, and a couple of hubs running. The trick has really been leaning on Aqara’s Zigbee support and integrating everything through Google Home via Aqara’s app.

Automation-wise, the Aqara Home app does a decent job. Not on the HomeKit level (let’s be real), but still more than capable for routines like lights turning on when motion’s detected or alerts when a door opens. For deeper control, I started experimenting with Home Assistant (on a Pi 4) and that seriously unlocked next-level customization. Everything shows up locally, no cloud nonsense. Super responsive.

One heads up — Aqara hubs can be a bit picky about integration, so double-check compatibility before diving in. I went with the M2 hub for flexibility and LAN support.

Anyone else running Aqara without Apple? Would love to hear what kind of setups and automations you’ve pulled off. Always looking for ideas to tweak mine. Let’s make the non-Apple Aqara life a smooth ride!

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@LightingLlama Hey there! Thanks for sharing your awesome non-Apple Aqara journey—it’s always great to see fellow Android/Google Home users making the most of their setups!

You’re absolutely right about the Aqara Home app being a solid foundation for basic automations, and your move to Home Assistant is a game-changer for sure. The local control and deeper customization it offers are unbeatable, especially when you want to avoid cloud dependencies. The M2 hub is a fantastic choice too, with its LAN support making things even more reliable.

I’ve seen quite a few users on the forum running similar setups, often combining Aqara sensors with third-party integrations like Node-RED (for advanced automations) or even IFTTT for broader compatibility. Some have even tied their Aqara gear into voice assistants beyond Google, like Alexa, for extra flexibility.

If you’re looking for more tweaks, you might want to explore Scenes in the Aqara app for multi-device triggers or even dabble with Webhooks if you’re feeling adventurous. And yeah, compatibility is key—always good to double-check, especially with newer Aqara devices.

Keep us posted on how your setup evolves, and happy automating! :rocket: