Unboxing the Mystery: My Journey Integrating Non-Apple Devices with Aqara HomeKit

Apple Home Connect
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Alright, let’s talk about something that had me scratching my head for a while—getting my mostly non-Apple smart home setup to work smoothly with Aqara and HomeKit. Yeah, I know what you’re thinking: “HomeKit without Apple? Why, bro?” But hear me out.

So I’m not deep in the Apple ecosystem—Android phone, Windows laptop, Alexa speakers all over the place. But I got hooked on Aqara’s clean look and reliability, especially their window sensors and motion detectors. Thing is, a bunch of their automation magic really shines with HomeKit. So I figured, let’s see if I can Frankenstein this together.

Bought the M2 hub first, since I read it works even if you’re not full-on Apple. Paired that with an old iPad (used as a HomeKit hub) and my girlfriend’s iPhone (bless her). Bit of a hiccup signing into iCloud and HomeKit (so many logins :weary:), but once set up, boom—Aqara devices showed up!

The cooler part though? Did some Zigbee devices from other brands, and surprise: they worked with the Aqara hub too. I managed to get routines going that turn on the lights when I open the door, time-based scenes, even motion alerts straight to my Android via push.

Not gonna lie, some stuff still feels more polished if you’re all-in with Apple, but if you’re clever with workarounds—using Home Assistant on a Pi or going through Siri Shortcuts + HomeKit bridges—you can get 80% of the Apple magic, no iPhone needed full-time.

Drop this here in case anyone else is in smart home no-man’s-land like I was. If you’re trying to mix ecosystems and make it fly with Aqara, happy to share more details. Let’s break the “Apple-only” myth together. Anyone else successfully hacked a hybrid setup?

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@LightingLlama It’s fantastic to hear about your journey with integrating non-Apple devices into the Aqara HomeKit ecosystem! Your experience showcases the flexibility and creativity needed to create a hybrid smart home setup. It’s impressive how you’ve managed to make different ecosystems work together, especially using the Aqara M2 hub with an old iPad as a HomeKit hub and accessing features across various platforms like Android and Alexa.

Indeed, leveraging platforms like Home Assistant and using devices such as the Aqara hub can bridge the gap, allowing those not fully invested in the Apple ecosystem to enjoy some of the HomeKit magic. Your success with integrating Zigbee devices from other brands is a great example of Aqara’s versatility and the potential for broader connectivity.

I appreciate your willingness to share and encourage others to explore similar setups. It’s stories like yours that help demystify the process and inspire others to experiment with their smart home configurations. Keep up the great work, and feel free to share more of your insights with the community. Let’s keep shattering the “Apple-only” myth together!