Control HomeKit Remotely: Access Your Smart Home Away From Home
Remote Access to Your HomeKit Devices
Maintaining control over your HomeKit enabled smart home while traveling requires a central hub. This functionality is achievable when you are away from your residence.
Utilizing Apple TV or iPad as a Home Hub
To enable remote access, you'll need either an Apple TV or an iPad consistently present within your home network. These devices act as a Home Hub, facilitating communication with your smart devices.
The Home Hub allows commands to be relayed even when you are not physically on the same Wi-Fi network. This ensures seamless operation of your smart home ecosystem.
Setting Up Remote Access
Once an Apple TV or iPad is designated as a Home Hub, remote access is automatically enabled. No further configuration is typically required.
You can then manage and monitor your HomeKit devices through the Home app on your iPhone or iPad, regardless of your location.
Essentially, the Home Hub bridges the gap between your mobile device and your smart home, providing continuous control and awareness.
Utilizing Apple TV and iPad as HomeKit Hubs
Apple’s HomeKit framework empowers users to manage their smart home ecosystem directly from their iOS devices. This control is achieved through dedicated applications, convenient widgets, and, notably, voice commands via Siri integration.
However, the functionality is limited by proximity. Once you move beyond the reach of your home Wi-Fi network, the seamless integration ceases to function.
Further Reading: The Benefits of Apple HomeKit Secure Video
For instance, a voice command like "Siri, turn on the lights" will work flawlessly when issued from within your home. Conversely, the same command given while outside Wi-Fi range will likely result in an error message indicating an inability to connect to your devices.
A straightforward solution exists to overcome this limitation. Beginning with the 3rd generation Apple TV, Apple integrated HomeKit hub functionality directly into the device.
Connecting an Apple TV to your home network establishes not only an entertainment center but also a secure gateway. This gateway allows HomeKit commands to reach your smart home devices even when you are remotely located.
What if you don’t own an Apple TV? Apple addressed this by extending HomeKit capabilities with the release of iOS 10.
An iPad running iOS 10 or later, when left at home, can also serve as a HomeKit hub.
While the concept is simple, the initial setup of HomeKit can present some challenges due to its relative novelty. To streamline the process, we have compiled comprehensive guidance to facilitate a smooth and successful implementation.
Setting up a HomeKit Hub
The process of designating an Apple TV or iPad as a HomeKit hub is fairly consistent. Ensure both your iOS device and the chosen hub are connected to the same Wi-Fi network.
- Open the Home app on your iPhone or iPad.
- Navigate to the Home Settings.
- Select Hubs and Bridges.
- Your available Apple TV and iPad devices will be listed.
- Choose the device you wish to designate as a hub.
Once selected, the device will begin functioning as a HomeKit hub, enabling remote access and control of your smart home devices.
Important Considerations
Maintaining a stable Wi-Fi connection is crucial for reliable HomeKit performance. A weak or intermittent connection can lead to delays or failures in command execution.
Ensure your HomeKit hub (Apple TV or iPad) remains powered on and connected to the internet at all times to maintain remote access.
What You'll Need
Let's begin by ensuring you have everything necessary before proceeding with the setup. This tutorial doesn't require extensive resources, but lacking any component will prevent successful setup and testing of your remote HomeKit access.
Firstly, you’ll require either an Apple TV or an iPad designated to remain at your home continuously. For Apple TV, compatibility requires the 3rd generation (updated to Apple TV Software 7.2, based on iOS 8.4.1) or the 4th generation (running tvOS 10.0 or later). Confirm your Apple TV is running the latest software version.
Older Apple TV models, or 3rd generation devices without the necessary update, do not support HomeKit functionality. If choosing an iPad, it must support iOS 10 or newer, excluding earlier iPad models.
Acceptable iPad models include the 4th generation iPad, iPad Mini 2, 3, or 4, iPad Air or Air 2, and any iPad Pro model. Secondly, an iOS device – an iPhone or iPad – is essential.
Your primary iOS device, logged into your iCloud account, is ideal for this tutorial. If utilizing an iPad as your HomeKit hub, a secondary iOS device is needed for testing and remote control when away from the hub iPad.
Lastly, a HomeKit-enabled device, already installed and configured on your network, is required for testing. We are using the Philips Hue system with its new HomeKit-enabled bridge for this demonstration.
While it’s assumed you either possess or intend to acquire a HomeKit device, verify its proper installation and functionality within your home network before attempting remote control.
Apple TV vs. iPad: Optimizing Location and Features for HomeKit
Before making a decision, it’s important to understand why you might choose one device over the other to serve as your HomeKit hub. Naturally, if you possess only one of these devices, that will dictate your choice. However, for users deeply integrated into the Apple ecosystem, both an Apple TV and an iPad are often viable options for managing their HomeKit setup.
The primary factor to consider is the physical location of the device. Certain HomeKit accessories communicate via Wi-Fi, such as the Philips Hue bridge, while others utilize Bluetooth, exemplified by Schlage Sense HomeKit-enabled locks. If your chosen HomeKit hub is outside the Bluetooth range (approximately 30-40 feet) of a particular device, HomeKit connectivity will likely be unreliable or completely unavailable.
For example, if your Apple TV is situated in a bedroom and cannot establish a Bluetooth connection with a smart lock on an exterior door, repositioning either the Apple TV or an iPad may be necessary to ensure consistent connectivity. Conversely, if you regularly use your iPad in bed for reading or streaming, it may not be ideal for controlling Bluetooth-dependent smart home devices located elsewhere in the house.
See Also: Enhancing Siri Responsiveness with Voice Activation
Beyond location, which is of paramount importance, there’s a significant secondary consideration: available features. With the introduction of iOS 10, Apple launched the Home app, a centralized dashboard for managing your HomeKit environment. Surprisingly, despite the Apple TV’s long-standing capability as a HomeKit hub, a version of the Home app has not been released for tvOS.
An iPad functioning as your HomeKit hub offers two key advantages over the Apple TV in this respect. It not only provides access to the Home app, offering a user-friendly dashboard on its larger screen, but also supports the "Hey Siri!" functionality. This allows for interactive control through the touchscreen, as well as voice commands like "Hey Siri! Activate Movie Mode in the living room," creating a seamless and intuitive smart home experience.
Preparing Your Devices for Remote HomeKit Access
While the new Home app and Apple’s efforts to improve HomeKit accessibility are welcome, certain aspects of the system remain complex. It is crucial to carefully review this section, as overlooking these steps can result in a failed remote HomeKit setup without any clear indication of the problem.
Initially, verify that all devices participating in this process – your primary iOS device for HomeKit control and the Apple TV or iPad functioning as a hub – are signed in with the HomeKit administrator’s account. This is typically the account used when the HomeKit system was originally configured. Other users with separate iCloud logins can be granted access later.
Furthermore, whether utilizing an iPad or an Apple TV as your HomeKit hub, enabling enhanced security within your iCloud account is mandatory for remote access. With the release of iOS 10, two-factor authentication became a requirement for enabling remote HomeKit functionality. Access your iOS device or Mac to activate this feature; on iOS, navigate to Settings > iCloud > Passwords & Security.
It’s important to note that even if you don’t utilize other iCloud features, the iCloud Keychain must be activated, as it is now a security prerequisite for HomeKit. Access this setting by going to Settings > iCloud > Keychain and ensuring it is toggled on.
Before proceeding, confirm the following: consistent iCloud login across all devices, two-factor authentication enabled for your iCloud account, and the iCloud Keychain activated on any iOS device involved in the setup.
Important Considerations
- Ensure all devices are running the latest iOS or tvOS software.
- A stable internet connection is essential for reliable remote access.
- The Apple TV or iPad hub must remain powered on and connected to your home network.
Related: A Step-by-Step Guide to Setting Up Two-Factor Authentication for Your Apple ID
Configuring Your Apple TV as a HomeKit Hub
For those choosing Apple TV as their HomeKit hub, this guide provides the necessary steps. Prepare to use your TV remote, or a Bluetooth keyboard if preferred, and follow the instructions below.
Step One: Activating HomeKit Access on Your Apple TV
Having addressed the essential security measures, enabling HomeKit access on your local network is straightforward. Simply log into your Apple TV using the identical iCloud/Apple ID you employ for controlling your HomeKit system.
Unlike earlier iOS versions, HomeKit is now fully integrated and activated by default, provided your account has appropriate security settings. Therefore, the primary action required on the Apple TV is to navigate to Settings > Accounts. Verify that the Apple ID: iCloud entry corresponds to the ID used on your main iOS device for HomeKit control.
If you recently enabled two-factor authentication on your iCloud account, re-authentication will be necessary. Select the iCloud entry, even if it indicates you are already logged in. Re-enter your password and then input the two-factor authentication code delivered to your phone.
Upon completion, your Apple TV’s iCloud account menu will display a "Home" entry, which should indicate "Connected".
If the status is not "Connected", revisit the security considerations outlined previously to ensure proper implementation. You can revisit this menu at any time to check the HomeKit hub status or disable it by selecting "Home" and toggling it to "Not Connected".
Your Apple TV is now successfully linked to your HomeKit network.
Step Two: Deactivating Sleep Mode on the Apple TV
Official documentation from Apple regarding HomeKit and Apple TV does not explicitly state whether disabling sleep mode is required for remote functions to operate.
Related: How to Prevent Your Apple TV from Going to Sleep
However, through testing, it has been determined that preventing the Apple TV from sleeping is advisable. In our trials, commands failed to reach the home when the device was in sleep mode. To disable sleep mode, navigate to Settings > General > Sleep After and set the option to "Never".
Concerns about energy consumption are minimal. Monitoring our Apple TV revealed that continuous operation for a year consumed approximately $2.50 in electricity.
Configuring Your iPad as a HomeKit Hub
For those interested in utilizing an iPad as a central control point for their smart home, this guide provides the necessary steps. Prepare your iPad to experience a more connected lifestyle, similar to operating systems seen in science fiction.
The process of establishing your iPad as a HomeKit hub is notably more streamlined than configuring an Apple TV for the same purpose. This is due to the relative simplicity of the iPad’s setup procedure.
Before proceeding, ensure you have completed the initial setup steps outlined previously, specifically enabling two-factor authentication for your iCloud account and activating iCloud Keychain. This is a prerequisite for successful HomeKit hub functionality.
Setting Up the Home Hub
Once these prerequisites are met, access the Settings app on your iPad. Navigate to the "Home" section within the Settings menu.
Within the Home settings, locate the option labeled "Use this iPad as a Home Hub." Toggle this setting to the "on" position.
This single action initiates the iPad’s role as a HomeKit hub. The system will automatically configure the device to facilitate remote access and control of your HomeKit accessories.
The configuration is remarkably straightforward. As long as your iPad is signed in with the same Apple ID used as the HomeKit administrator and the required security features are enabled, activating the hub function is a simple toggle.
With the iPad now functioning as a HomeKit hub, you can enjoy remote control and automation of your compatible smart home devices.
Managing Your HomeKit Devices Remotely
With the initial setup complete, it’s crucial to verify functionality. Remote access to your HomeKit devices is achieved either through the Home app or via Siri. Therefore, familiarize yourself with the commands and their responses before depending on them when you are physically away.
A straightforward method for testing is to disable Wi-Fi on your iPhone and utilize your cellular connection to simulate a remote connection to your residence. Access the Control Center by swiping up on your iPhone and toggle Wi-Fi off.
After disconnecting from Wi-Fi, activate Siri by pressing and holding the home button. Then, issue a command known to function within your HomeKit ecosystem. For instance, we requested a change in the color of our Hue bulbs.
It's interesting to note that Siri sometimes adds articles to spoken commands, resulting in a slightly unusual phrasing.
Alternatively, launch the Home app, interact with any configured HomeKit widgets, or utilize HomeKit shortcuts within the iOS 10 Control Center.
If a command, shortcut, widget, or other HomeKit activation method operates correctly while you are at home, it should function seamlessly when you are away as well.
The Significance of Device Positioning in HomeKit
A crucial detail we want to re-emphasize, to potentially save you considerable troubleshooting time, is the impact of device placement on HomeKit functionality, particularly concerning your Apple TV or iPad.
This guide has been revised to incorporate the changes introduced to HomeKit with iOS 10. The most frequent issue reported by readers of the initial version centered around placement difficulties and a misunderstanding of Bluetooth's role within their HomeKit setup.
How Apple Devices Interact with HomeKit
Apple TV and iPad devices can connect with HomeKit-enabled devices through two primary methods: utilizing your wired or wireless home network, or directly via Bluetooth.
While a robust Wi-Fi router typically provides coverage throughout your home, even extending beyond its perimeter, Bluetooth signals experience significant degradation over relatively short distances, such as across a large single floor.
Troubleshooting Remote Access Issues
During testing, we encountered an issue where remote HomeKit access failed to function with a new Schlage Sense lock when the Apple TV was positioned in a distant office location.
It became clear that the lock was communicating with the HomeKit system using Bluetooth, rather than Wi-Fi.
Relocating the Apple TV to a more central location, near the living room television, brought it within Bluetooth range of the lock, restoring remote HomeKit control.
If you are experiencing unresponsive devices, carefully consider the proximity of your HomeKit hub to the smart device, and whether the device relies on Bluetooth communication.
Remote Control Capabilities
Upon successful completion of this tutorial, you will be able to issue commands such as "Turn the lights off" or "Set the thermostat to 75" from anywhere, even while away from home.
Need Assistance?
Do you have a specific question regarding HomeKit or other smart home technologies? Please reach out to us at ask@howtogeek.com, and we will make every effort to provide a helpful response.