It's hard to not have any smart tech in your home these days. Smart home tech is fairly ubiquitous, and most of us have some form of it in the house. Many of these products also utilize Apple's HomeKit (check out our ultimate guide), so you can control your house gadgets directly with your iOS device or even Mac.

Mar 24, 2020 To use the Home app on a Mac, update your Mac to the latest version of macOS. Make sure that you have one or more products that support HomeKit or AirPlay 2. To check if a product is supported, look for the labels “ Works with Apple HomeKit ” or ' Works with Apple AirPlay '. on the product packaging or online.
‎Set up, manage, and control your Google Home, Google Nest, and Chromecast devices, plus thousands of connected home products like lights, cameras, thermostats, and more – all from the Google Home app. One view of your home. The Home tab gives you shortcuts for the things you do most, like playing.

But how do you get started with it on the Mac? Don't worry, we're going to walk you through it now.

How to set up Home app on Mac

The iOS app can be used in tandem with BluePlum's desktop software (Mac only) so your inventory stays up-to-date across all your devices. The remote and desktop app sync with each other once they’re on the same Wi-Fi network so don't have to worry about manually updating.

What Is The Mac Home App For Iphone

Unfortunately, you can't directly set up the Home app on your Mac. Instead, you'll need to set it up on your iOS device first.

Make sure that your HomeKit accessory is powered on and near your iOS device. You'll also want to double check if there is any additional equipment you need for it to work with iOS (i.e. Philips Hue Bridge for Philips Hue bulbs).
On your iOS device, launch the Home app.
Tap on Add Accessory.
Scan the accessory's eight-digit HomeKit or QR code with your iOS device's camera. For those using an iPhone 7 or later and there's an NFC wireless icon on the accessory, you may hold your iPhone near the accessory to add it to the Home app.
Tap on your accessory when it pops up on the screen to add it. If the prompt Add Accessory to Network pops up, select Allow.
Give your accessory a name and then assign it to a room. Organizing by room makes it easier to identify accessories in the Home app and control them with Siri.
Tap Done.

In order to get your HomeKit accessories to show up in the Home app on Mac, you'll need to be signed in on the same Apple ID on both devices, have iCloud Keychain turned on, and make sure Home is toggled on in your iCloud Settings. Both iOS and your Mac should be updated with the latest software.

It's a bit disappointing that you're unable to add new accessories directly in the Mac version of the Home app, but you can still get most of the other features that Home is capable of.

Getting started with Home on macOS

When you first launch the Home app on your Mac, it'll ask for permission to connect to your iCloud account. When it gains access, it'll check for all of your HomeKit devices and add them to your 'Favorites' by default.

To turn a device ON/OFF, just click on it. Grayed out icons means that the device is currently OFF, while white means it's ON.

What Is Mac Home App

Right-click on a device and you'll get two options: Show Controls and Settings. The Settings allows you to do things like renaming your devices, which is useful when moving things around the house.

Settings will allow you to see the device name and room. From here you can add a device to your favorites list, include or exclude it from status updates (they are included by default), group accessories, and see details about the device manufacturer, model number, firmware, and serial number.

When you click on Show Controls, you'll have access to such things as dimming the lights, adjusting temperature, and more, depending on the devices you have. For those who use Philips Hue whit and color bulbs, Show Controls would also give you the option to change the color of your lights.

Automation for all

Even though it seems that Home for macOS is a little half-baked with the fact that you can't add devices directly, it's still a useful tool to have. Using the Home app from your Mac means you don't have to look for your iPhone or tablet if you're at the desk and want to turn the lights off in a room that you're not using. Or if you want to lower the temperature in the house a bit, and your iOS device isn't right next to you, but you're at the computer, just do it from there. It's never been easier, especially if you're lazy.

If you're not convinced about smart home tech, maybe the ability to control your house from your computer will change that.

HomeKit

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Closed for 2020

Apple says its offices in the US will not fully reopen until at least 2021

According to a report from Bloomberg, Apple is planning for its office and many of its retail workers to remain remote for the rest of the year.

With the Home app, you can easily and securely control your HomeKit accessories from all your Apple devices. Turn off the lights, see who’s at the front door, adjust your living room temperature, turn up the music, and so much more. And with the new HomeKit Secure Video capability and HomeKit‑enabled routers, it’s all even more secure. The Home app makes all your connected devices work harder — and smarter — for you.

One app for all your home accessories.

No matter which compatible accessories you choose, the Home app makes it easy to set up and control all of them, all from one place. Over 100 brands worldwide are committed to providing accessories that are compatible with the HomeKit framework, and the number available is growing every day. Each of these accessories is reviewed and approved by Apple to help ensure your security when you use it.

Air Conditioners
Air Purifiers
Bridges
Cameras
Doorbells
Fans
Faucets
Garage Doors
Humidifiers
Lights
Locks
Outlets
Receivers
Routers
Security
Sensors
Speakers
Sprinklers
Switches
Thermostats
TVs
Windows

Look for this symbol in stores and online.

Get your house in order. Room by room.

The Home app groups accessories by room, so you can easily control devices in any part of your house with a tap or a click. You can even tell Siri things like “Turn off my bedroom lights” or “Start heating the upstairs.” You can press an icon to perform more complex tasks like dimming the lights or adjusting the thermostat. And you can add your AirPlay 2–enabled TV¹ to the Home app and control it like any other accessory — turn it
on and off, change the volume, and switch inputs.

Keep an eye on your home.
And keep other eyes out.

Footage from home security cameras contains your most personal and sensitive data. With HomeKit Secure Video, activity detected by supported cameras is privately analyzed by your home hub using on‑device intelligence to determine if people, pets, or cars are present. When important activity is detected, you and anyone you share your Home app with will receive a rich notification that lets you view the clip right from the Lock Screen. Recorded video is available to view for ten days from the Home app. It’s securely stored for free in supported iCloud accounts and doesn’t count against your storage limit.² Leading camera manufacturers like Eufy, Logitech, and Netatmo have announced support for HomeKit Secure Video.

HomeKit routers make your home
as secure as it is smart.

Smart home accessories that connect to the internet can be vulnerable to attack. That’s why HomeKit‑enabled routers are available as a foundational layer of security for your smart home. HomeKit routers can firewall off each of your accessories so even if one were to be compromised, it wouldn’t be able to access your other devices or personal information. You can use the Home app to control which services your HomeKit accessories can communicate with in your network and on the internet. Lea