Hey , Share a bit of a win I had recently. I’ve always liked Aqara devices for the price and reliability, but felt like I was leaving half the features on the table because I’m not deep into the Apple universe (Android phone user here, no HomePod, no Apple TV, nada).
At first, I figured I’d be stuck with just the basics through the Aqara app. But after a lot of digging, some Reddit rabbit holes, and a few trials and errors, I managed to pull off a setup that unlocked way more functionality than I expected—without touching a single Apple device.
Key move? I started using Home Assistant (running it on a cheap Raspberry Pi I had lying around). Paired the Aqara Hub M2 as a Zigbee gateway into HA. From there, every sensor, switch, and button I had became stupidly customizable. Automations? Light years beyond what the app gives you.
One big plus—local control. Everything feels snappier, especially motion-triggered lights. Also, no cloud dependency means if my internet dies, my automations don’t.
Just wanted to throw this out there for anyone who’s been holding back because they don’t have an iPhone. You can totally tap into Aqara’s potential without the Apple tax. Happy to share more details if anyone’s curious.
Anyone else running Aqara with Home Assistant or another setup outside of Apple? Would love to swap tips.
