So… I’ve been wanting to smarten up my home with Aqara devices, but the catch? No iPhone, no iPad, no HomePod — nada in the Apple world. Thought I was outta luck until I dove deep into alternatives and found my groove.
Turns out, you don’t need an Apple device to get a slick setup. I paired Aqara sensors and switches with Home Assistant (my new favorite thing btw) and it works beautifully. Using a Conbee II stick and ZHA, I pulled in all my Aqara gadgets — door sensors, motion sensors, wireless switches — smooth. The only setup that took more fiddling was the camera (G2H), but for most other devices, it was seriously plug and play.
For voice control? I’ve got Alexa handling that part. Scenes, automations… no hiccups so far.
Drop this for anyone thinking they can’t use Aqara without Apple gear — don’t sweat it. You’ve got options, and they’re pretty awesome too.
Anyone else running Aqara on non-Apple systems? Would love to hear your setups or tips!