Maximizing Your Apple Home Experience

Smart home platforms like Apple Home offer a wide range of features to automate every device in your home, but unlocking their full potential requires some knowledge of their inner workings. In this article, we’ll explore 10 hidden features that will help you get the most out of your Apple Home setup.

1. Enable Critical Alerts to Break Through Do Not Disturb Modes

Apple’s critical alerts feature allows a limited number of emergency notifications to break through Silent and Do Not Disturb modes, ensuring you stay informed about potential safety or security risks. To enable critical alerts, go to Settings > Notifications > Home and toggle the Critical Alerts switch on. You may also need to configure critical alert permissions in the device’s app.

For non-critical notifications, such as person detection on your cameras, you can customize your Focus modes to ensure you receive the alerts that matter most.

2. Customize Your Control Center

The Control Center is a convenient way to access your most frequently used Home scenes and accessories. While Apple does a good job of selecting the most used scenes, you can also customize the ones you want most. From the Control Center, long-press and tap the Home control. Toggle off Use Recommended and choose Add New Item to select from your Apple Home scenes and accessories.

You can also tap Add a Control to pin additional automations on the Home-specific Control Center screen.

3. Break Device Sensors into Multiple Tiles

Some smart home devices, like thermostats and motion detectors, contain multiple sensors, but they’re often bundled together under the main device tile. By breaking them into separate tiles, you can view and manage them as independent devices, allowing you to create more targeted automations.

To split your device sensors into multiple tiles, long-press on the device and tap Accessory Settings. If multiple sensors are available, you’ll see the option to Show as Separate Tiles.

4. Enable Built-in Countdown Timers

Apple Home allows you to program smart bulbs to turn off after a set amount of time, even if the sensor is still activated. This feature ensures that no one needs to worry about forgetting to turn off lights, and you don’t need a separate automation to run the behavior.

To set up a countdown timer, go to the Home app, tap the plus sign > Add Automation > A Sensor Detects Something. Then select the sensor and select Opens > Next. On the following screen, select the device you want to turn on and tap Next. Make sure the tile for the device is set to On. At the bottom of the screen, tap Turn Off and select your desired timeout.

5. Use Shortcuts to Create Weather-Based Automations

Shortcuts can be used to create weather-based automations that respond to local weather conditions and behave differently if it’s sunny or cloudy at your house. For example, you can lower your smart shades in the afternoon if it’s sunny or keep them open if it’s cloudy or raining.

To set up a weather-based automation, go to the Home app, tap the plus sign > Add Automation > A Time of Day Occurs and set the time that your room gets the most sun. Tap Next. On the following screen, scroll down and hit Convert to Shortcut. Clear the default action, enter Weather in the search bar, and select Get Current Weather.

6. Program Smart Bulbs to Act as Silent Intercoms

Shortcuts can be used to program smart bulbs to flash off and on to get family members’ attention instead of yelling across the house. For example, you could use the pattern as a silent dinner bell.

To set up a silent intercom, go to the Home app, tap the plus sign > Add Automation > An Accessory is Controlled (for a smart switch or light) or A Sensor Detects Something (such as motion in the kitchen) > Next. Scroll down and hit Convert to Shortcut. Clear the default action, enter Home in the search bar, and select Control Home.

7. Use Motion Sensors to Transition Audio Between Speakers

Shortcuts can be used to switch streaming audio from one speaker to another in response to a trigger event, such as motion detection when you leave one room and enter another. This allows your playlist or podcast to follow you around your house so you don’t miss anything.

To set up audio transition, go to the Home app, tap the plus sign > Add Automation > A Sensor Detects Something and choose the motion sensor you want to initiate the action. Select Closes > Next. Tap Convert to Shortcut, then search for and select Hand Off Playback under the Media library.

8. Set Up Double-Tap Actions to Get Multiple Automations Out of a Single Switch

Your smart switches don’t have to be limited to just one function—with an inexpensive smart plug and a few shortcuts, you can have a single press run one automation and a double tap another.

To set up double-tap actions, go to the Home app, tap the plus sign > Add Accessory and add a spare plug to your Home devices. Then, program your lighting scene and set up two shortcuts: one to have the smart plug turn on when your switch is turned on with a five-second timeout, and another to run the second scene if you press the switch again while the dummy switch is still on.

9. Use Virtual Dummy Switches to Prevent Repetitive Automation Loops

Virtual dummy switches can be used to prevent one-time automations from running over and over if the sensor is triggered multiple times. For example, you can use a dummy switch to prevent your HomePod from repeating announcements each time someone enters a given room.

To set up a virtual dummy switch, go to the Home app, tap the plus sign > Add Accessory and add a virtual switch to your Home devices. Then, program your lighting scene and set up a shortcut to run the second scene if you press the switch again while the dummy switch is still on.

10. Program a Smart Plug to Reset Your Motion

Smart plugs can be used to reset your motion, allowing you to create more targeted automations. For example, you can use a smart plug to turn off your lights after a set amount of time, even if the sensor is still activated.

To set up a smart plug to reset your motion, go to the Home app, tap the plus sign > Add Accessory and add a smart plug to your Home devices. Then, program your lighting scene and set up a shortcut to turn off the lights after a set amount of time.