Remote-access Guide

homekit remote access for shared users

by Prof. Kenyon Green MD Published 3 years ago Updated 2 years ago
image

Once a person joins your HomeKit home, they can access all of your HomeKit accessories and cameras. If the person isn't a household member, you can restrict remote access to only times when they are at your home. Launch the Home App. Tap the House Icon in the top left corner of the screen. Tap Home Settings.

Allow remote access and edit permissions for users
  • Tap or click Home , then select Home Settings. If you have multiple homes, choose a home, then select Home Settings.
  • Under People, select the person that you want to edit permissions for, then choose the following: ...
  • Tap or click Back, then Done.
Jul 8, 2022

Full Answer

How do I manage remote access to my HomeKit accessories?

If you don't have a home hub set up, they can only control your accessories while they're at your home, connected to your home Wi-Fi network, and within range of your HomeKit accessories. To manage remote access and change permissions for a user, open the Home app and follow these steps. Tap or click Home , then select Home Settings.

How do I share access to my HomeKit-enabled homes?

Inside the Home app, tap on the small arrow icon in the upper left corner of the screen to access your HomeKit settings. If you only have one HomeKit home, you’ll be in the default “Home” view (or whatever you named your house). If you have multiple HomeKit-enabled homes, take a moment to select the one you wish to share access to.

How do I add users to my HomeKit home?

Here's how to how to add users to HomeKit home. Adding a user to your HomeKit home only takes a few taps in the Home app. You can send invites to people already on your contact list or type in an email address or phone number for the person you wish to add. Tap the Add Button (looks like a plus sign). Tap Add People.

How do I Change permissions on the HomeKit app?

Launch the Home App. Tap the House Icon in the top left corner of the screen. Tap the Profile Photo of the person whose permissions you want to adjust. Toggle Add and Edit Accessories. This gives users the ability to edit accessories, scenes, and people invited to the HomeKit home. Tap Control Accessories Remotely.

image

Can you access HomeKit remotely?

If you have an Apple TV (3rd generation or later), HomePod, or an iPad (iPadOS 13 or iOS 10 or later) that you leave at home, you can remotely access HomeKit-enabled accessories from your iPhone and your paired Apple Watch.

How do you add someone to a HomeKit?

How to add users to your HomeKit homeLaunch the Home App.Tap the Add Button (looks like a plus sign).Tap Add People.

How do you screen share on HomeKit?

0:391:46Apple AirPlay & HomeKit are now available on most Roku devicesYouTubeStart of suggested clipEnd of suggested clipLook for the screen mirroring button in control center on your iphone. And ipad or in the menu barMoreLook for the screen mirroring button in control center on your iphone. And ipad or in the menu bar of your mac.

How many devices can connect to HomeKit?

As of October 2019, Apple lists 450 devices compatible with HomeKit, compared to 10,000 for Google and 85,000 for Amazon.

How do I share Apple home key?

4:1212:09First in-depth look at Apple Home Key & HomeKit guest access ... - YouTubeYouTubeStart of suggested clipEnd of suggested clipSo let's start with express mode and iphone all you do is approach the lock hold it over the nfcMoreSo let's start with express mode and iphone all you do is approach the lock hold it over the nfc reader the lock should then detect the device as a home key and will send the authentication.

Is AirPlay the same as screen mirroring?

With Mirroring users can stream their desktop from a Mac or an iOS device onto the TV via the Apple TV box. AirPlay Mirroring also allows users to stream games from an iPad or iPhone onto the TV screen via the Apple TV box. AirPlay Mirroring is different than AirPlay in a number of areas.

What is AirPlay HomeKit?

Apple AirPlay lets you stream, control, and share content from your iPhone, iPad, or Mac to your compatible Roku streaming device. You can watch movies, TV shows, and family videos, listen to popular music, or browse vacation photos.

What is airplay2?

AirPlay 2 does not work on any Android devices. AirPlay 2 lets you send music to multiple rooms at once, an upgrade over the previous version. Photo: Apple.

Why can't I add people to Apple home?

To invite people to control your home while you're away and edit permissions for them, you need to set up a HomePod, Apple TV, or iPad as a home hub. If you don't have a home hub set up, you can only invite people when you're home and connected to your home Wi-Fi network.

How do I connect to someone's HomePod?

0:133:51How to pair a Homepod Mini with an iPhone - YouTubeYouTubeStart of suggested clipEnd of suggested clipYou just need to place the homepod mini in the center of the frame. And then it'll begin the setupMoreYou just need to place the homepod mini in the center of the frame. And then it'll begin the setup which may take a few minutes lastly it'll ask you to set up siri by completing a few phrases.

How do I invite people to HomePod?

Add a user to HomePod mini or HomePod. Make sure that the new user has their own iPhone, iPad, or iPod touch and their own Apple ID. Update your HomePod mini or HomePod and iPhone, iPad, or iPod touch to the latest software. Invite the new user to your home in the Home app.

How do I add a second Apple TV to my HomeKit?

Add a HomeKit accessory to the Home appOpen the Home app and tap Add Accessory or Add .Tap Add Accessory .Use the camera on your iPhone, iPad, or iPod touch to scan the eight-digit HomeKit code, or QR code on the accessory or accessory documentation. ... When your accessory appears, tap it.More items...•

How to add users to your HomeKit home

Adding a user to your HomeKit home only takes a few taps in the Home app. You can send invites to people already on your contact list or type in an email address or phone number for the person you wish to add.

How to manage HomeKit remote access permissions

Once a person joins your HomeKit home, they can access all of your HomeKit accessories and cameras. If the person isn't a household member, you can restrict remote access to only times when they are at your home.

How to manage HomeKit accessory permissions

If you prefer to do all of the HomeKit accessory management for your home — or if you want to prevent accidental changes, you can manage a person's permissions in the Home app.

How to manage HomeKit camera permissions

In addition to sharing your HomeKit accessories with others, they can access your live camera feeds and recordings. You can restrict a person's ability to view your camera's live feed or grant full access to recordings in the Home app.

How to manage Apple Music permissions

Sharing your HomeKit home also extends to playing Apple Music on your HomePod or AirPlay 2 speakers. If you prefer, you can prevent the playback of explicit songs in the Home app.

How to remove a user from your HomeKit home

You can remove a user from your HomeKit home in the Home app. This setting is handy for situations where you only wish to grant temporary access.

Share your smart home with everyone

Now that you know how to add users to HomeKit home, you can invite friends and family to join in on the smart home fun. To help make the process easier for those new to your home, check out our guide how to add home notes in the Home app.

Who can control Homekit?

By default, however, the only person who can control all the HomeKit accessories is the person who set the system up; the administrative control is linked to their iCloud login. As such, if you want to grant access to anyone else in your home, you’ll need to invite them and authorize their iCloud account. The process of both adding and removing ...

How to accept Homekit invitation?

How to Accept a HomeKit Invitation. On the guest user’s iOS device, they will receive a notification alerting them to the invitation. Don’t worry if they miss the notification, they can just as easily open the Home app and tap on the same Settings icon that we used to send the invitation in the first place.

How to remove phantom home?

In the Settings menu of the guest user’s device, head to “Homes” and then select the entry for the phantom default “Home”. After selecting it, scroll to the bottom and tap “Remove Home”. The simple act of purging the phantom home will make life much easier for your more permanent guest users.

Can I use iCloud to control my home?

Once you’ve authorized their iCloud account they can use apps and Siri to control your home’s smart devices just like you can, issuing commands like “Hey Siri, set the thermostat to 72 degrees.”, “Set the scene to movie night”, or using any other commands or apps your accessories support.

How to add people to Apple Family Sharing?

In the following “Add People” screen, you’ll be able to browse your contact list, manually enter an email address , or, as seen below, conveniently pick from people that are already a member of your Apple Family Sharing plan. Select as many people as you wish (you can invite more than one person at once) and then select “Send Invite” in the upper right corner.

Can you share Homekit with guests?

That’s all there is to it: with trip into the HomeKit settings and some basic application setup on your guest’s iOS device you can share your awesome home-of-the-future gear with everyone in your household.

Do you have to download every smart home app?

While they can still do so if they wish, they don’t need to.

How to enable Homekit on Apple TV?

Once you’ve done the extra security legwork we just outlined, you enable HomeKit access to your local network simply by logging into your Apple TV with the same iCloud/Apple ID as the device you use to control your HomeKit system at home. That’s it. Unlike HomeKit in iOS 9, there’s no opting in on your iOS device to–HomeKit is now totally integrated and on by default (so long as you have appropriate security settings on your account).

How far away is Homekit from Bluetooth?

If your HomeKit hub is not within Bluetooth distance (~30-40 feet) of the device in question, then HomeKit connectivity with that device will be spotty-to-non-existent.

How to use iPad as home hub?

Once you have done so, simply navigate to Settings > Home and toggle “Use this iPad as a Home Hub” to on.

How to enable two factor authentication on iCloud?

Grab your iOS device or Mac computer to do so–on iOS you can enable two-factor by heading to Settings > iCloud > Passwords & Security.

Is Homekit a new product?

Although the solution might be simple once it’s deployed, HomeKit is still a relatively new offering and the setup isn’t without quirks. Rather than leave you to muddle through the process we’ve gathered all the relevant information here to get you up and running.

Can Apple TV be used as a Homekit hub?

If you have an iPad running iOS 10 (and you leave that iPad in your home when you’re away) it can now function as a HomeKit hub too. Advertisement.

Can you open Homekit on iOS 10?

Alternatively, you can open up the Home app , any HomeKit widgets you’ve configured, or any of the HomeKit shortcuts on the new iOS 10 Control Center. If a voice command, shortcut, widget, or other HomeKit trigger works when you’re at home now, when you’re away, it will work just fine too.

How to leave a home on a shared home?

Leave a home you were invited to share. Tap or click Home , then select Home Settings. If you're a member of multiple homes, choose the home that you want to leave, then select Home Settings. Scroll down and tap or click Leave Home. Tap or click Leave.

What does a home hub do?

If you set up a home hub, you can manage remote access and edit permissions for people that you invite to control your home. If you don't have a home hub set up, they can only control your accessories while they're at your home, connected to your home Wi-Fi network, and within range of your HomeKit accessories.

How to send an invite to a home?

If you have multiple homes set up, choose the Home that you want to invite someone to, then select Home Settings. Tap or click Invite People . Enter the person's Apple ID that they use with iCloud. Tap or click Send Invite.

How to control home on iPhone?

Accept an invitation to control a home. Open the Home app on your iPhone, iPad, iPod touch, or Mac. Tap or click Home . Select Home Settings. Tap or click Accept, then Done. After you accept the invite, tap or click Home , then select the name of the Home to control it.

How to remove someone from my home?

Under People, tap or click the user that you want to remove from your home. Tap or click Remove Person.

Can you add a homePod to a shared TV?

Shared users can't add HomePod, Apple TV, or any AirPlay 2-compatible smart TVs or speakers to the Home app. You can only add these devices if you're the owner of the home in the Home app.

Can you share control of a home?

If you can't share control of a home. You and the people you invite need an iPhone, iPad, or iPod touch updated to the latest version of iOS or iPadOS or a Mac updated to the latest version of macOS. Make sure that you and the people you invite are signed into iCloud on an iPhone, iPad, iPod touch, or Mac. In iCloud settings, turn on Home.

What is remote access on Homekit?

Remote Access lets them control your ‌HomeKit‌ devices when they're away and not on your home Wi-Fi network . If you have a home hub, they can even control accessories by voice with Siri. If you don't have a home hub, they'll need to make any changes manually within the Home app. Toggling Allow Editing would provide them with more control ...

How to delete someone from Homekit?

If you need to delete someone from your People list, you just need to tap on Remove Person at the bottom of this screen to revoke their access to your ‌HomeKit‌ setup .

Why give permission to control HomeKit devices

Each and every one of the solutions that exist today for the control of the connected home have their own advantages and disadvantages. There is no better option than another and everything will ultimately depend on aspects such as the operating systems that the user uses, services, devices that they already have, etc.

How to share your connected home by HomeKit

We already know that the first essential requirement is to have an Apple device with the Home application installed. The second is that they are in the latest version of the system, because if they are not, the invitation that will allow them to take control may not reach them.

Set up remote access to HomeKit devices

So that both other users and yourself can control the connected home from outside the home, without having to be connected to the local network, you will need to configure a home control center.

Tips to take advantage of the connected home between several users

Finally, and despite this being something that also applies to any other type of teamwork or shared use, it is important that everyone is aware of the changes applied. Especially if you have permissions to edit existing devices or add new ones. Because if someone creates an automation or routine, it is good that the rest know which one and why.

Why give permission to control HomeKit devices

Each and every one of the solutions that exist today for the control of the connected home have their own advantages and disadvantages. There is no better option than another and everything will ultimately depend on aspects such as the operating systems that the user uses, services, devices that they already have, etc.

How to share your connected home by HomeKit

We already know that the first essential requirement is to have an Apple device with the Home application installed. The second is that they are in the latest version of the system, because if they are not, the invitation that will allow them to take control may not reach them.

Set up remote access to HomeKit devices

So that both other users and yourself can control the connected home from outside the home, without having to be connected to the local network, you will need to configure a home control center.

Tips to take advantage of the connected home between several users

Finally, and despite this being something that also applies to any other type of teamwork or shared use, it is important that everyone is aware of the changes applied. Especially if you have permissions to edit existing devices or add new ones. Because if someone creates an automation or routine, it is good that the rest know which one and why.

image
A B C D E F G H I J K L M N O P Q R S T U V W X Y Z 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9