The new iOS 10 software for Apple includes a Home app that allows you to control your home’s systems with your mobile device, or even by voice (thanks, Siri). While it may be a a little challenging to set up, Taylor Martin of CNET has shared a step by step guide on how to get started with the new Home app. Once you confirm that your devices are HomeKit-compatible, you can get started on setting up your rooms and automations to control your home’s various devices.
Create a Room
When adding a new device from within the Home app, you have the option to assign the device to a room. Rooms let you group multiple devices, so that you can control the entire room with one tap or voice command.
For instance, you can tell Siri to “turn off the living room” and every connected device in that room will be powered off. Hello, 21st century Clapper.
If you don’t have any rooms setup, devices will be assigned to the default room. To add a new room, open the Home app and switch to the Rooms tab. Tap the settings button (a bulleted list icon) in the top left corner of the screen and tap Add Room. Give the room a name, set a photo and tap Save.
To move devices between rooms, press and hold on one of the device icons and tap Details. Tap Location and select which room you want the device to be assigned to. Repeat this for every device you want to move to a different room.
From the Rooms tab, there are two ways to switch between which room is currently displayed. Swiping left and right will scroll through the various rooms, while tapping the settings button in the top left will let you quickly jump to any room. The latter is more helpful if you have Home devices in three or more rooms in your home.
If for any reason you wanted to control only some of the devices in a Room, you would need to create a Scene.
Read the full guide on how to set up your Home app here.
