To create an Apple Home automation, open the Home app on your iPhone, tap Add on the Home tab, and choose Add Automation. Select an event—such as motion, a door unlocking, someone arriving, or sunset—then choose the lights, lock, accessories, or scene that should respond. The trigger options depend on what each accessory makes available in Home.
How do I create an Apple Home automation?
- Open the Home app on iPhone. On the Home tab, tap Add, then tap Add Automation.
- Choose a trigger: People Arrive or People Leave, A Time of Day Occurs, An Accessory is Controlled, or A Sensor Detects Something.
- Choose the person, time, accessory state, or sensor event. Depending on the trigger, you may also be able to select days, a time range, or who is home.
- Select the accessories or scene to control, then set each accessory to the state you want. For several devices that should change together, choose a scene.
- Save the automation and use Test This Automation if it is offered. You can return to the Automation area in Home to test, edit, enable or disable, or delete it.
Apple describes Home automations as actions based on time of day, location, sensor activation, or an accessory action. See Apple’s guide to using automations in Home on iPhone.
| # | Preview | Product | Price | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 |
|
Apple - HomePod mini - Yellow | $141.84 | Buy on Amazon |
| 2 |
|
Apple - HomePod mini - Black | Buy on Amazon | |
| 3 |
|
Apple - HomePod mini - Orange | $144.00 | Buy on Amazon |
| 4 |
|
Amazon Echo Dot (newest model) - Vibrant sounding speaker, Designed for Alexa+, Great for bedrooms,... | $79.99 | Buy on Amazon |
| 5 |
|
Apple - HomePod mini - Space Gray | $169.00 | Buy on Amazon |
As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.
How do I make lights turn on when a motion sensor detects movement?
- In Add Automation, choose A Sensor Detects Something.
- Select the motion sensor and choose the motion condition Home offers.
- If available and useful, limit when it runs by time, days, or who is home.
- Select the hallway light or a scene, and set the desired light state.
- Save and test the automation by triggering the sensor, checking that the chosen light responds.
Apple gives motion-triggered stairway lights as an example of a Home automation. Sensor events and available conditions depend on the accessory and the options it exposes in Home. Apple’s scenes and automations guide explains how accessories and scenes can be used together.
What’s actually slowing this PC down?
Pick the symptom - the matching free tool is one click away.
Can unlocking my door trigger my lights?
Yes, if the lock is available in Home and exposes a suitable state as an automation trigger. Choose An Accessory is Controlled, select the lock, and choose the unlock or open state if Home offers it. Then select the lights or an arrival scene, save, and test it using the lock’s available Home controls.
#1 Best Overall
- Rich, 360-Degree Sound – Delivers deep bass and crisp high frequencies for immersive audio in any room.
- Siri Voice Assistant – Control music, smart home devices, and get information hands-free.
- Seamless Apple Integration – Works effortlessly with iPhone, iPad, Mac, and Apple TV for a connected experience.
- Compact & Stylish Design – Small but powerful, fits perfectly in any space.
- Privacy & Security – Designed to keep your personal information safe and secure.
Apple’s example is running a scene when the front door is unlocked. The exact choices depend on the lock’s Home integration; a lock shown only in its manufacturer’s app does not establish that it can trigger a Home automation. Apple’s automation guide describes accessory-control triggers.
How can I turn lights on around sunset?
- Choose A Time of Day Occurs when adding an automation.
- Select Sunset, then choose the days it should run.
- Select the lights or a scene and set their desired state.
- Save and test the automation.
Sunset and sunrise shift with the seasons. Home’s time-based trigger can also offer conditions such as who is home; available choices depend on the automation flow. The Shortcuts guide documents time, day, and people conditions for Home automation triggers: Apple’s guide to Home automation triggers.
Rank #2
- Rich, 360-Degree Sound – Delivers deep bass and crisp high frequencies for immersive audio in any room.
- Siri Voice Assistant – Control music, smart home devices, and get information hands-free.
- Seamless Apple Integration – Works effortlessly with iPhone, iPad, Mac, and Apple TV for a connected experience.
- Compact & Stylish Design – Small but powerful, fits perfectly in any space.
- Privacy & Security – Designed to keep your personal information safe and secure.
When should I use a scene instead of selecting individual accessories?
A scene groups accessory states so a single selection can coordinate several devices. For example, a “Good Night” scene can turn off lights and lock the front door. You can activate scenes manually, with Siri, or through an automation. Use individual accessories when only one or two devices need to respond; use a scene when the desired result is a coordinated set of states. See Apple’s guide to creating scenes and automations.
Do I need a HomePod or Apple TV for Home automations?
Not every Home automation has the same hub requirement. Apple says Matter-enabled accessories require a home hub, such as a HomePod speaker or Apple TV 4K. Thread accessories require a Thread-enabled hub for automations, notifications, and control while away from home. Apple lists Apple TV 4K, HomePod (2nd generation), HomePod mini, and a compatible third-party Thread border router as Thread-enabled hub options. Check the exact accessory and hub model before buying; a HomePod mini is not a universal requirement for all Home automations.
Rank #3
- Rich, 360-Degree Sound – Delivers deep bass and crisp high frequencies for immersive audio in any room.
- Siri Voice Assistant – Control music, smart home devices, and get information hands-free.
- Seamless Apple Integration – Works effortlessly with iPhone, iPad, Mac, and Apple TV for a connected experience.
- Compact & Stylish Design – Small but powerful, fits perfectly in any space.
- Privacy & Security – Designed to keep your personal information safe and secure.
Apple Home supports HomeKit- and Matter-enabled accessories, including lights and locks. Confirm that the exact model is compatible with Apple Home, and check whether it uses Wi-Fi, Thread, or another supported connection. Compatibility with a manufacturer’s own app alone does not confirm Apple Home support. Details are in Apple’s introduction to Home on iPhone and Apple’s automation guide.
Quick Recap
Best Value
- Rich, 360-Degree Sound – Delivers deep bass and crisp high frequencies for immersive audio in any room.
- Siri Voice Assistant – Control music, smart home devices, and get information hands-free.
- Seamless Apple Integration – Works effortlessly with iPhone, iPad, Mac, and Apple TV for a connected experience.
- Compact & Stylish Design – Small but powerful, fits perfectly in any space.
- Privacy & Security – Designed to keep your personal information safe and secure.
Rank #4
- Your favorite music and content – Play music, audiobooks, and podcasts from Amazon Music, Apple Music, Spotify and others or via Bluetooth throughout your home.
- Alexa is happy to help – Ask Alexa for weather updates and to set hands-free timers, get answers to your questions and even hear jokes. Need a few extra minutes in the morning? Just tap your Echo Dot to snooze your alarm.
- Keep your home comfortable – Control compatible smart home devices with your voice and routines triggered by built-in motion or indoor temperature sensors. Create routines to automatically turn on lights when you walk into a room, or start a fan if the inside temperature goes above your comfort zone.
- Do more with device pairing – Fill your home with music using compatible Echo devices in different rooms, or create a home theatre system with Fire TV.
- Say goodbye to drop-offs and buffering - With eero Built-in, Echo Dot doubles as a mesh wifi extender, adding up to 1,000 sq. ft. of wifi coverage to your existing eero network.
What should I check if an automation does not run?
- Check both ends of the automation: confirm that the trigger sensor or lock and the target lights are added to Home and responding there.
- Test the actual event: use Test This Automation where available, then cause the relevant motion, lock state, or other trigger and check the target accessory.
- Review conditions: check selected days, time ranges, occupancy, and who-is-home settings if it runs only in some situations.
- For location triggers: the people included need Share My Location enabled on the primary iPhone or iPad used to control the home, with that device selected as their location source. A Mac cannot trigger a location-based automation, according to Apple’s scenes and automations guide.
- For Thread devices: check that the setup has a compatible Thread-enabled hub, particularly if automations, notifications, or away-from-home control are not working.
- For temporary changes: disable an automation from the Automation area or remove it if it is no longer needed. Some accessory flows also let you specify how long an accessory remains in a state.
Product prices and availability are accurate as of the date/time indicated and are subject to change. Any price and availability information displayed on Amazon at the time of purchase will apply.
