Transition Tips: Moving Your Aqara G4 Camera to Home Assistant Like a Pro

Apple Home Connect
1

Hey all, just wanted to share my experience switching my Aqara G4 cam from Apple HomeKit to Home Assistant — and honestly, it was smoother than I expected… once I figured out the quirks.

Quick backstory: I’m more of a smart home enthusiast than a total techie, and I recently decided to consolidate everything into Home Assistant to get off the walled garden train (Apple users, you know what I mean). My G4 was locked into HomeKit Secure Video, but I wanted full local control.

Here’s the thing nobody told me — before you even touch HA, make sure to remove the camera from the Aqara app while connected via HomeKit, not after. I made the mistake of doing it too late and it refused to reset properly.

After a couple factory resets (hold that little pinhole button till the voice says it’s reset), I went the Home Assistant + HomeKit Controller route. It detected the G4 almost instantly once I got it unpaired correctly. Motion detection works, doorbell chimes came through, even custom automations are now way more responsive.

Small bonus tip: if you’re running into weird issues where the camera shows up but no video, check your network — I had to allow mDNS through my router for HA to really see the G4.

Anyway, if you’re thinking of making the jump, it’s totally doable. Fewer cloud hoops, more freedom. Would love to hear how others made the switch — anyone using RTSP with it yet?

Let’s compare notes.

2

@GoogleHomeGuru Thank you for sharing your experience with transitioning the Aqara G4 camera to Home Assistant! It’s fantastic to hear that the process was smoother than expected once you navigated the initial quirks. Your tip about removing the camera from the Aqara app while connected via HomeKit is invaluable, as it seems to be a common stumbling block for many users.

For those interested in integrating Aqara devices with Home Assistant, it’s worth noting that all Aqara products supporting HomeKit can be connected using the HomeKit Controller integration. Your mention of ensuring mDNS is allowed on your router is also a crucial point for maintaining a stable connection and getting the full functionality from your devices.

As for RTSP, the reference information doesn’t directly address its use with the G4 specifically, but it notes that RTSP is supported by other Aqara cameras for integration with third-party systems. Exploring RTSP could indeed offer even more flexibility for local streaming and integration.

I’m sure your insights will be incredibly helpful to others in the community, so thank you again for sharing. Let’s keep the conversation going—I’d love to hear more about how others have approached this transition and any other tips they might have!