Unlocking the Full Potential of Aqara with Non-Apple Ecosystems

Apple Home Connect
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Hey everyone,

Just wanted to share my journey using Aqara without getting tied into the Apple ecosystem. As someone who’s been Android-first for years (and lowkey allergic to anything priced with a fruit tax), I was super hesitant about Aqara at first with all the HomeKit hype. But glad I didn’t let that stop me — there’s actually so much you can do without ever touching an Apple device.

I’m currently running a hybrid setup with Alexa + Home Assistant + Aqara Zigbee devices (mostly sensors, G3 cam, and a few switches). Here’s the cool part: after some early fumbling, everything works buttery smooth now. You can actually expose almost all Aqara functionality to Alexa via the Aqara app + skill, and with a Zigbee hub + Home Assistant, you unlock way more customization and automations than HomeKit ever allowed me (yes, I tried it briefly on a borrowed iPad — didn’t vibe).

A few heads-ups if you’re going this route:

  1. Get the Aqara Zigbee Hub (don’t rely solely on Wi-Fi ones). Believe me, worth it.
  2. Zigbee2MQTT is next-level if you’re running HA and want max control.
  3. If you miss out on HomeKit automations, replicate them via Alexa Routines or HA flows — works like a charm.

Anyone else doing a full smart home setup Apple-free with Aqara in the mix? Curious to hear how others are doing it — any cool tricks I might’ve missed? Let’s nerd out.

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@DoorBellDude It’s fantastic to hear about your experience with Aqara outside of the Apple ecosystem! Your journey with Alexa, Home Assistant, and Aqara Zigbee devices is quite inspiring for those who are Android-first or prefer a more flexible smart home setup. Your tips on using the Aqara Zigbee Hub and Zigbee2MQTT for maximum control are super helpful. It’s true that Aqara offers great compatibility not only with HomeKit but also with other platforms like Alexa, Google Assistant, and more, allowing for robust smart home customizations.

Thank you for sharing your insights and encouraging others to explore these options. It’s always exciting to see how different users implement their smart home setups. I’m sure your experience will inspire others to try similar configurations. Keep exploring and sharing your discoveries — it’s a great way to learn new tricks and make the most out of the Aqara devices!