Apple smart home users need to upgrade their iPhone today
Summary created by Smart Answers AI
In summary:
- Macworld reports that Apple is ending support for its original HomeKit architecture today, requiring users to update their Home app and devices to iOS 16.2 or later.
- The new architecture offers improved performance, guest access and activity history, but iPads can no longer serve as home hubs.
- Users who fail to update will lose access to their smart home controls, making the HomePod or Apple TV essential for the hub’s functionality.
Attention Apple Home users: today (February 10, 2026) is the last day Apple will support its original HomeKit architecture. Starting Wednesday, Apple will roll out a new version of Home for your smart home devices.
According to Apple, “Any device connected to an updated Home that is not using iOS 16.2, iPadOS 16.2, macOS 13.1, tvOS 16.2, or watchOS 9.2 or later will lose access to the Updated Home until you update the device. This includes people you invite to control your home.” A HomePod or Apple TV hardware must be set up as a Home Hub if you want to share control of your home or receive Home notifications. An iPad can no longer be used as a home hub.
Apple switched to the new architecture of the Home app, which is visually identical but offers better performance and some new features, such as guest access, support for robot vacuums and activity history, already in iOS 16.2, but rolled back the changes after initial problems. Since then, the app has been issuing warnings to users who are still using the old version of the app, but starting today, it will no longer work at all.
How to update the Home app:
- Open the Home app.
- Press/click the “…” button.
- Select Home Settings. If you have several houses, choose one.
- Select Software update.
- Tap/click Update now and follow the instructions.
- When finished, a message will indicate that the Home app and accessories are up to date.
About a year ago, reports indicated that Apple was planning to force users to upgrade to the new Home architecture with the release of iOS 18.4, but that was delayed until this year.
