How to Use HomeKit and Control Your Smart Home with Mac OS Mojave

Posted on 19th June 2023

Mac OS Mojave and HomeKit

If you have a Mac running OS Mojave, you can now use Apple’s HomeKit framework to control compatible smart home devices. HomeKit is Apple’s platform for home automation, and with Mojave it’s finally available on the Mac. Here’s how to get started.

Enabling HomeKit on Your Mac

Before you can start using HomeKit, you need to enable it on your Mac. Here’s how:

1. Open the System Preferences app.
2. Click on Security & Privacy.
3. Click on the Privacy tab.
4. Scroll down to the HomeKit section and check the box next to Enable HomeKit.

You’ll be prompted to enter your administrator password. Once you do, HomeKit will be enabled on your Mac.

Adding HomeKit-Compatible Devices

Once you’ve enabled HomeKit on your Mac, you can start adding compatible devices. To do this, you’ll need to use the Home app. The Home app is Apple’s official app for managing HomeKit-compatible devices, and it’s pre-installed on Mojave.

To add a new device:

1. Open the Home app.
2. Click on the + button in the top-right corner of the window.
3. Click on Add Accessory.
4. Follow the on-screen instructions to add your device.

Once you’ve added a device, you can start controlling it with the Home app. This includes turning it on or off, changing its settings, and more.

Creating Automations

One of the most powerful features of HomeKit is automations. Automations allow you to automate tasks based on certain conditions. For example, you could create an automation that turns on the lights when you arrive home, or that raises the blinds when the sun rises.

To create an automation:

1. Open the Home app.
2. Click on the Automation tab.
3. Click on the + button in the top-right corner of the window.
4. Follow the on-screen instructions to create your automation.

Once you’ve created an automation, it will start working automatically. You can edit or delete an automation at any time by clicking on it and then clicking the Edit or Delete button.

Controlling Your Smart Home with Siri

In addition to the Home app, you can also control your smart home with Siri. Siri is Apple’s virtual assistant, and it’s built into every Mac running Mojave. To use Siri to control your smart home, just say something like “Hey Siri, turn on the lights” or “Hey Siri, set the thermostat to 68 degrees.”

Siri can also be used to create automations. Just say something like “Hey Siri, when I get home, turn on the lights.” Siri will then create an automation that turns on the lights when your iPhone arrives home.

Sharing Access to Your Home

If you have family or friends who also use HomeKit, you can share access to your home with them. This allows them to control your devices, create automations, and more. To share access to your home:

1. Open the Home app.
2. Click on the People tab.
3. Click on the + button in the top-right corner of the window.
4. Follow the on-screen instructions to add a person.

Once you’ve added a person, they’ll be able to access your home from their own devices. You can stop sharing access to your home at any time by clicking on the person and then clicking the Remove button.

Conclusion

HomeKit is a powerful platform for home automation, and with Mojave it’s finally available on the Mac. With HomeKit, you can control your smart home devices with the Home app or Siri, and you can even automate tasks with automations. If you have family or friends who also use HomeKit, you can share access to your home with them. So if you’re looking to get started with home automation, be sure to check out HomeKit on Mojave.

In order to use HomeKit and control your smart home with Mac OS Mojave, you’ll need to have the following:

A HomeKit-enabled device.

An iPhone or iPad running iOS 10 or later.

A Mac running macOS Sierra or later.

The latest version of the Apple TV software.

To get started, you’ll need to set up your HomeKit-enabled devices in the Home app on your iOS device. Once you’ve done that, you can use the Home app on your Mac to control your devices.

In the Home app on your Mac, you can view a list of all your HomeKit-enabled devices and their current status. You can also control individual devices or groups of devices. To do this, just click on the device or group you want to control and then use the controls that appear.

You can also use Siri on your Mac to control your HomeKit-enabled devices. Just activate Siri by saying “Hey Siri” or by clicking on the Siri icon in the menu bar. Then, you can ask Siri to turn on or off a specific light, adjust the temperature, or perform other actions.

If you have an Apple TV, you can use it to control your HomeKit-enabled devices when you’re away from home. To do this, you’ll need to set up Home Sharing in the Home app on your iOS device. Once you’ve done that, you can use the Remote app on your Apple TV to control your devices.

You can also use the Home app on your Apple TV to control your HomeKit-enabled devices. Just open the app and you’ll see a list of all your devices. You can then use the Siri Remote to control individual devices or groups of devices.

In addition to controlling your devices with the Home app and Siri, you can also use Automations to automate certain tasks. For example, you can create an Automation that turns on the lights when you arrive home. To do this, just open the Automation tab in the Home app and click on the “Create new Automation” button.

Then, you can select the trigger (such as arrival at a specific location) and the action (such as turning on the lights). You can also add conditions (such as only turning on the lights if it’s dark outside).

Once you’ve created an Automation, you can activate it by clicking on the “Run Automation” button.

You can also use the Home app on your Mac to access certain features of your HomeKit-enabled devices. For example, you can view a history of the events that have been recorded by your devices, or you can change the settings for a specific device.

To do this, just click on the device you want to access in the Home app and then click on the “Details” button.

From here, you can view the device’s event history, change its settings, or even remove the device from your home.

If you have multiple HomeKit-enabled devices, you can use the Home app on your Mac to control them all at once. To do this, just create a “Scene” in the Home app.

A Scene is a group of devices that you can control with a single command. For example, you could create a Scene that turns on the lights and starts the music when you arrive home.

To create a Scene, just open the Scene tab in the Home app and click on the “Create new Scene” button.

Then, you can give your Scene a name and add the devices that you want to include in it. Once you’ve done that, you can activate the Scene by clicking on the “Run Scene” button.

You can also use the Home app on your Mac to set up timers and alarms. To do this, just click on the “Timer” or “Alarm” tab in the Home app and then click on the “Create new Timer” or “Create new Alarm” button.

From here, you can set the time and date for the timer or alarm, as well as the action that you want it to perform (such as turning on the lights).

Once you’ve created a timer or alarm, you can activate it by clicking on the “Run Timer” or “Run Alarm” button.

You can also use the Home app on your Mac to control your HomeKit-enabled devices remotely. To do this, you’ll need to set up iCloud Keychain on your Mac and then sign in to the Home app with your Apple ID.

Once you’ve done that, you can click on the “Remote” tab in the Home app and then click on the “Enable Remote Access” button.

Once you’ve enabled remote access, you can use the Home app on your iOS device to control your HomeKit-enabled devices when you’re away from home.

You can also use the Home app on your Mac to control your HomeKit-enabled accessories. To do this, just click on the “Accessories” tab in the Home app and then click on the accessory you want to control.

From here, you can view the accessory’s information, such as its name, manufacturer, and model number. You can also view its current status, such as whether it’s turned on or off.

You can also use the Home app on your Mac to create “Zones” for your HomeKit-enabled accessories. A Zone is a group of accessories that you can control with a single command.

To create a Zone, just open the Zone tab in the Home app and click on the “Create new Zone” button.

Then, you can give your Zone a name and add the accessories that you want to include in it. Once you’ve done that, you can activate the Zone by clicking on the “Run Zone” button.

You can also use the Home app on your Mac to create “Rules” for your HomeKit-enabled accessories. A Rule is a set of conditions that, when met, will trigger an action.

To create a Rule, just open the Rule tab in the Home app and click on the “Create new Rule” button.

Then, you can give your Rule a name and add the conditions that you want it to trigger on. For example, you could create a Rule that turns on the lights when the sun goes down.

Once you’ve created a Rule, you can activate it by clicking on the “Enable Rule” button.

You can also use the Home app on your Mac to view the current status of your HomeKit-enabled accessories, as well as their battery levels. To do this, just click on the “Status” tab in the Home app.

From here, you can view a list of all your accessories and their current status. You can also view their battery levels and, if they’re low, you can click on the “Replace Batteries” button to get new batteries for them.

You can also use the Home app on your Mac to update the software on your HomeKit-enabled accessories. To do this, just click on the “Software Update” tab in the Home app.

From here, you can view a list of all the accessories that need to be updated. To update an accessory, just click on the “Update Accessory” button.

You can also use the Home app on your Mac to add new HomeKit-enabled accessories to your home. To do this, just click on the “Add Accessory” tab in the Home app.

From here, you can search for new accessories or, if you have an accessory that’s not currently HomeKit-enabled, you can click on the “Add Unsupported Accessory” button.

You can also use the Home app on your Mac to delete HomeKit-enabled accessories from your home. To do this, just click on the “Delete Accessory” tab in the Home app.

From here, you can view a list of all the accessories that are currently in your home. To delete an accessory, just click on the “Delete Accessory” button.