My 2025 “Hall of Fame” 
As the year comes to an end, and having spent hours reading through the forum to earn my “Discovery Hunter” badge, I thought I’d put that time to good use! 
I went through my reading history to find the threads that really inspired me, taught me something crucial, or just made me laugh this year.
If you are looking for inspiration for your 2026 projects, here is my personal Aqara Forum Rewind:
1. My Highlights in the “Pets & Automations” Category 
Who says smart homes are only for humans? These were my absolute favorites regarding our furry friends:
- The “Cat Button” (Cuteness Overload) Just brilliant. The cat plays with a Wireless Mini Switch, which triggers the automatic feeder. I feel like my cat needs this (though I might regret it at 3 AM). (Kudos to @gafich10)
Cat Button #AqaraC1 - Automation for a Lazy Dog Very creative use for an Aqara Roller Shade Driver! The dog stands in front of the flap, and the driver automatically opens it. Loved this showcase! (Great showcase by @theboffin) Automation for a lazy dog
- The “Anti-Hare” Garden Defense Using motion sensors and sound to protect the garden from brown hares. Smart, eco-friendly, and technically interesting. (Question from by @HomeAutomationWizard) How to create a scarer for brown hare?
- The “Dog Bark Whistle” Using the G5 Pro Camera to detect barking and automatically play a sound to stop it immediately – ensuring peace with the neighbors! (Genius move by coletti.robert) Aqara Automation: Dog Bark Whistle
2. Top Tutorials & Tech Deep Dives 
Based on likes and view counts, these were the most helpful guides of 2025:
- Best Practices for Naming Devices Naming things is hard, but essential for a better smart home. So that the growing smart home doesn’t get out of hand. (Great tips by @RudyK) Best Practices for Naming Your Smart Home Devices
- Automation 2.0 Tutorial Collection A whole series of tutorials covering the newly introduced Automation 2.0. It explains powerful new If-When-Then logic for precise control. (Shoutout to gafich10) Automation 2.0 Tutorial Collection: Lesson 1
- 4 Ways to Integrate Aqara with Home Assistant A comprehensive guide comparing the different integration methods: Matter, HomeKit, AqaraBridge, and Zigbee2MQTT. (Top guide by @xiaot) 4 Ways to Integrate Aqara with Home Assistant
- Keeping the Old Chime Alive (G4/G410) Many wanted to keep their classic mechanical door chime while upgrading to a smart doorbell. This guide explains exactly how to trigger your original chime. (Helpful guide by @Aqara_PM_Donie) How to make the original bell ringing with G4/G410
3. The “Simple but Genius” Life Hacks 
Sometimes the simple automations are the most satisfying:
- The Washing Machine Alert Not just one solution, but a collection of smart ways to track your laundry. Whether using Smart Plug power monitoring, Vibration Sensors, or Door Sensors. This thread explores the best trigger for every machine type. Automation with smart plug and washing machine
- The “Smartest” Departure A discussion on the most reliable way to trigger “Leaving Home” scenes. Button? Geofence? Door lock? (Great debate started by markus) Is this the smartest way to leave your house?
- How to Control Aqara Security System Keypad, App, or NFC? This thread discusses the most convenient ways to arm and disarm the Aqara Security System. (An insightful discussion was started by @marshytapp) How do you control your Aqara Security System?
4. My personal Top Troublemakers / Problem Cases 
We all love our smart homes, but sometimes they test our patience. These threads were vital for troubleshooting:
- The Thread & Matter Jungle Recurring instability with Matter over Thread is a headache for many. Since listing all posts would take too long, I wrote this guide to help out. Matter & Thread: A Guide Through the Jungle
- Geofence Trigger Failures A topic that pops up frequently: location-based automations not firing.(Started by @luca_nox) Geofence trigger doesn’t work
- The Migration Headache (E1 to S1) Changing hubs is rarely as simple as we hope. This thread documents the struggle and solutions for moving from E1 to S1. (Asked by @mrphil, answered by @david) Hub migration from E1 to S1
- Matter’s “Limited Vocabulary” “My smart home speaks Matter, but only 20 words.” A discussion on the current limitations of exposed features in Matter integrations. My smart home speaks Matter, but only 20 words
5. The Best Questions (Helping Everyone) 
Sometimes the question is more valuable than the answer:
- Motion vs. Presence Detection What is actually better for which room? A definitive discussion on PIR vs. mmWave technology. Motion or Presence Detection?
- Lost Matter Codes Can you recover a Matter code if you lose the sticker? Why it is better not to throw away the packaging and instructions. Matter Code Lost Recovery
- FP2 vs. Pets How to handle presence detection without your cats triggering the lights all night. Essential reading for pet owners. How does the FP2 perform with cats in the room?
- Offline Mode: What Happens When the Internet is Gone? Can I use Aqara devices without internet? Which automations run locally on the hub? Can I Use Aqara Devices Without Internet?
6. Best Suggestions & Ideas
Please note that posts regarding wishes for 2026 are not included here. Therefore, do not be disappointed if you cannot find your suggestion. Features we are all waiting for:
- Aqara Home Dark Mode The community plea for a native Dark Mode in the Aqara app. Our eyes need this at night! Aqara Home App Dark Mode
- Native Desktop App “Native macOS/Windows App for controlling devices.” We need a proper dashboard on our big screens! Desktop App Request
- Multi-Home Auto-Switch The app should automatically open the correct “Home” based on location or connected Wi-Fi. A must for users with a vacation home or office. Feature Request: Multi-Homes Recognition
- Aqara Service Status Page An official webpage showing if Aqara servers are currently down. Essential for checking if the issue is your router or the cloud. Suggestion: Aqara Service Status Page
7. Best New Products of 2025 
The hardware highlights that got us talking:
- S1 Plus with Siri Synergy Siri finally got a permanent home on the wall. The integration discussion here was fascinating. Siri just got a permanent home: S1 Plus
- Aqara FP300 Preview The anticipation thread for the next-gen presence sensor. Expected features and release dates. Aqara FP300 Presence Sensor: Features & Release
- Aqara Doorbell Camera G410 Exploring the G410. Is it a smart home essential? The community discusses the latest doorbell cam. Exploring the Aqara Doorbell Camera G410: A Smart Home Essential
The Biggest Controversy of the Year
And finally, the thread that got everyone typing…
“Share your thoughts on the Forum Bot” Love it or hate it? The community feedback on the new AI helper was… passionate, to say the least. Share your thoughts on the Forum Bot
Did I miss any “Legendary Threads” from earlier in 2025?
Please link your favorite project below. I need new reading material for 2026! 