Is the app Controller for HomeKit really worth it?
Looking for alternative to make more complicated automations as shortcuts in HomeKit is unreliable.

I've slowly been updating to smart switches throughout the house but I have two 4-way circuits that I'm on the fence about. Even with dumb switches, the 4-way setup was already excessive; the rooms aren't big enough to justify this many switches in the wall, IMO. If I upgrade to smart switches, it becomes even less appealing since I can use Siri instead of walking.

I'm using Inovelli White Series throughout the house, which is the Matter/Thread line. I've got good Thread infrastructure going already and want to keep building on that. Inovelli has a cheap AUX switch that I can buy and wire up 4-way, so that's always an option, but I'm wondering if there's something more creative / useful to do. E.g.:

* convert to 3-way and use the extra junction box as a scene controller
* convert to 3 way and cover with a blank plate
* convert to 3 way and hang a picture over it
* convert to 3-way and abandon the wiring (i think it can be abandoned safely by disconnecting wire on both ends, pushing out of each junction box, and then drywalling over the abandoned receptacle?)
* keep it 4 way b/c it's easier and/or looks better than any of the options above?

Opinions on these options? Anybody else converted from 4-way circuit to 3-way?

Hey r/homekit,

Every time I’ve posted about Haven here, you’ve come back with ideas, bug reports, and honest feedback, and a lot of the app came straight from those threads. So first: thank you. It felt surreal when MacStories included Haven in "Our Favorite Indie Apps for iOS 27, Vol. 3", and none of it would have happened without this community.

Today’s update makes Haven fully optimized for iPhone Duo. My favorite part is Split View with the Home app. You pair an accessory on one side while its setup code sits right there on the other, with no hunting for stickers or boxes. If you’ve ever re-paired a whole house, you know how much that helps.

The Mac app got a full redesign so it feels even more at home on macOS, and a new menu bar option lets you check your accessories’ batteries at a glance.

At heart it’s still the same little app: it keeps your HomeKit and Matter setup codes safe and your batteries in check. There’s no account and no subscription, and your codes stay on your devices and in your own iCloud. You can try it free with up to 10 codes, and a one-time purchase unlocks unlimited codes.

https://apps.apple.com/us/app/haven-setup-codes/id6760440926

I’ll be in the comments. Tell me what you love, what’s broken, and what you want next.
Thank you for being part of this. 🧡

What outdoor camera actually supports this? 

• 4K native camera
• Outdoor
• Apple Home app
• HomeKit Secure Video
• 4K through Apple Home/HKSV
• Optional: Able to tilt/pan/etc remotely

I had Halo recessed lights (dumb) on a Lutron smart dimming switch. The lights had the ability to change temperature but it was at the box in the ceiling, so not ideal. I wanted to change light temp from Apple Homekit. So, I bought Halo smart recessed lights with color changing capability and Matter.

They work great in Homekit and I can group them and change colors from Homekit. The problem is the switch. Obviously the Lutron dimmer kills voltage to the smart controllers of the new lights so dimming from the switch is broken.

I swapped the Lutron for a Leviton 3rd gen with Matter and SmartBulb capability.

The only way the switch will work is if I create Scenes and Shortcuts to control each individual function. 1 for on, 1 for off, 1 for 80%, 1 for 60%, etc., etc. I just can’t.

Is there anything that just works and lets me group the switch and 4 canned lights so they work at the switch (on/off + dimming) and from Homekit (with color change)?

Hi everyone,

I'm outfitting an apartment in Europe and really want the Buster + Punch aesthetic—specifically their rotary dimmer plates with the knurled brass knobs.

My goal:

1. Manual control: Turn the physical B+P knob to dim dumb ceiling LEDs / 24V COB light strips, and push to click on/off.
2. Apple HomeKit / Siri: Be able to tell Siri to set brightness (e.g., 20%) or run automations without physical interference with the knob.
3. No cloud lag: Prefer native Matter / Thread or local HomeKit integration.

Has anyone actually accomplished this with genuine B+P rotary hardware?

• Did you swap the internal module for a smart digital rotary module (like EcoDim, Sunricher, or Varilight V-Pro Smart) that actually mechanically fit the B+P plate cutout and shaft depth?
• Or is the consensus that B+P rotary knobs are strictly analog/dumb, and the only real way to get HomeKit dimming with B+P is to ditch the knob and use their Retractive (Push-to-Make) switches with an in-wall dimmer like a Shelly Dimmer?

Would love to hear from anyone who has physically installed this in the field. Thanks!

So this genius managed to lose her keys and had to call her brother after midnight to get into her home. And while all is well, my keys had been found, I realised that I should finally bite the bullet and get a smart lock installed.

I’ve been researching and honestly, the more I look, the more I’m getting confused. I live in an apartment, my door has a simple euro-profile lock (though I am going to replace the whole door soon, so I would be open to fully integrated smart locks). I’ve been looking into Yale, Aqara, bold and switchbot. From what it seems, Aqara U200 remains the best in the market when it comes to EU market or am I mistaken here? I would prefer to have the fingerprint option, which Aqara does have.

Should I just go with Aqara or are there any great options that I should consider?

I’m located in Ireland.