I’m trying to connect my Aqara Smart Lock U400 to Matter using Apple Home through the Aqara app, following the exact steps shown in the app, but I keep hitting a dead end.
Here’s the flow I’m following:
In the Aqara app, I tap Join Aqara Home through sharing (it says the device is connected to a third-party ecosystem).
I choose Apple Home and follow the instructions.
In Apple Home, I open the accessory details, tap Turn On Pairing Mode, and get the Matter setup code.
Back in the Aqara app, I paste that Matter code.
At this point, the process fails with this message:
“There is no Matter controller in the current home, so Matter devices can not be added. Please add a Matter controller first.”
What’s confusing is that:
The lock is already visible and working in Apple Home.
Apple Home clearly supports Matter and is generating a valid setup code.
The Aqara app is the one instructing me to go to Apple Home and retrieve that code.
So I’m stuck in a loop where Aqara tells me to use Apple Home, Apple Home provides a Matter code, but Aqara then claims there is “no Matter controller in the current home.”
Is an Aqara hub required to act as the Matter controller even when using Apple Home? If so, this flow is very misleading, since the app implies that Apple Home alone is sufficient.
Has anyone else run into this with the U400? Any guidance on what’s actually required to complete this setup would be really appreciated.
Do you have an Apple TV or HomePod to use as an Apple Home Matter Controller?
EDIT: OH, this write up is very confusing. But I think I understand that actually it won’t pair in the Aqara app. In that case, yes, you need an Aqara Hub to be a Matter Controller for Aqara’s ecosystem.
You would need a matter controller for use in Aqara. The M3 (usd 109) is a great choice but if I’m not mistaken the (m100 usd 29) can also work with it. If you’re able to the M3 is an excellent choice for an Aqara matter controller and can bridge Aqara zigbee devices into Apple as well (m100 can too)
Hi - I don’t believe this is correct. Just look at yanivfridman’s first picture. The app very specifically says:
“Your device is connected to a third-party ecosystem. You can join Aqara Home through sharing to use it”
And then the app gives instructions on how to share using Apple Home. So the functionality is built into the app, but it is not working for some of us.
I’ve also seen other posts on reddit where people have the same problem while some have said they’ve gotten it to work with non-Aqara hubs.
We assume that by now you have already bound your door lock to Apple Home and connected your U400 to the Aqara Home app via Bluetooth.
If you would like to enable a Matter connection within the Aqara Home app, an Aqara Thread-enabled Matter Controller (such as Hub M3) must be connected to your current Home.
To use the Smart Lock U400 through Matter in any ecosystem, you must have a Thread-enabled Matter Controller for that specific ecosystem. Without it, the lock will not be able to stay online or be controlled remotely through Matter.
The supported Thread-enabled Matter Controllers are following, please kindly check:
But this is all really confusing. If you are saying that the only way to use the U400 via Matter within the Aqara Home app is with an Aqara Thread-enabled Matter Controller, then what functionality is being displayed in the screenshots posted by yanivfridman?
He is clearly showing that within the app, there is a screen that has instructions on joining Aqara home through sharing and another screen that shows specifically how to do this within Apple Home.
If this functionality within the app isn’t to be able to use Matter within the Aqara app without using an Aqara controller, then what is it for?
Thank you for your detailed question—we understand why this can be confusing, and we will continue improving our software instructions to provide clearer and more helpful guidance.
To clarify, the screens shown by yanivfridman inside the Aqara Home app are not intended to indicate that the U400 can operate in Aqara Home via Matter without an Aqara Matter controller.
What those screenshots are actually for:
Connecting An Aqara Thread-enabled Matter Controller to Smart Lock U400
The supported Thread-enabled Matter Controller is as follows:
Aqara Hub M3
Aqara Hub M100
Aqara Hub M200
Aqara Doorbell Camera Hub G410
Aqara Camera Hub G5 Pro
Check Points:
Bluetooth must be enabled during the binding process.
Make sure your phone and Thread Border Router(e.g. Hub M3) are under the same Wi-Fi network.
Keep the distance between the lock and the Thread-enabled Matter controller(e.g. Hub M3) within 5 meters. If there are obstacles such as walls, keep the distance within 3 meters.
Make sure the Hub M3 has already been added to the “Home” you want to use in the Aqara Home app.
Your Hub M3 is running the latest firmware.
Your Aqara account region is set to one of the supported regions: United States, Canada, Singapore, Australia and New Zealand.
(In Aqara Home app, go to “Profile”> Settings > Region to change your environment)
After everything is set up, you’ll be able to remotely control the Smart Lock U400 and create automations that suit your personal preferences.
we currently support the following remote features, please check:
I have the same exact issue. I own an Apple TV 4K with Ethernet (matter/thread enable), and I hit the same wall as OP. This is unclear and not cool that I can’t use my Apple TV 4K as the thread/matter hub, and now need to buy an another Aqara item (m3 etc) to get cloud support.
Feels like your marketing and support materials are very misleading.
