Create scenes and automations with the Home app

With the Home app, you can automate your accessories and create scenes to do what you want, when you want.

Here's what you need

Create a scene

With scenes, you can control multiple accessories at the same time. Create a scene called "Good Night" that turns off all of the lights and locks the front door – all at once. Or set a “Morning” scene that plays your favourite playlist on your HomePod, Apple TV1 or AirPlay-enabled speaker.

Use a suggested scene

  1. In the Home app, tap or click the Add buttonNo alt supplied for Image, then select Add SceneNo alt supplied for Image.

  2. Choose a suggested scene.

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  3. To adjust the settings for an accessory, tap or click it. To change which accessories are included in the scene, tap or click Add or Remove Accessories. To preview the scene, tap or click Test This Scene.

  4. Tap or click Done.

Create a custom scene

  1. In the Home app, tap or click the Add buttonNo alt supplied for Image, then select Add SceneNo alt supplied for Image.

  2. Tap or click Custom.

  3. Give your scene a name, then tap or click Add Accessories.

  4. Choose the accessories you want to add, then tap or click Done.

  5. To adjust the settings for an accessory, tap or click it. To change which accessories are included in the scene, tap or click Add Accessories. To preview the scene, tap or click Test This Scene.

  6. Tap or click Done.

New scene named Goodnight on iPhone

To edit a scene on your iPhone or iPad, touch and hold it, then tap Edit Scene. On your Mac, double-click a scene.

To turn on a scene, tap or click it. Or ask Siri. If you set up a home hub, you can also automate a scene.

Create an automation

If you set up a home hub, you can trigger an accessory or scene based on the time of day, your location, sensor detection and more. Create an automation that triggers your "I'm Here" scene when someone in your family arrives home. Or set all of the lights in a room to turn on when a motion sensor detects movement.

Create an automation based on an accessory's action

When an accessory turns on, turns off or detects something, you can automate other accessories and scenes to react and perform actions.

  1. In the Home app, tap or click the Add buttonNo alt supplied for Image, then select Add AutomationNo alt supplied for Image.

  2. To start an automation when an accessory turns on or off, choose An Accessory is Controlled. Or choose A Sensor Detects Something.

  3. Select the accessory that starts the automation, then tap or click Next.

  4. Choose the action that triggers the automation, such as if the accessory turns on or opens, then tap or click Next.

  5. Select scenes and accessories that react to the action, then tap or click Next.

  6. To adjust an accessory on your iPhone or iPad, touch and hold it. On Mac, click the accessory.

  7. Tap or click Done.

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Want to get an alert when an accessory detects something? Find out how to set up notifications for your accessories.

Create an automation based on who's at home

Automate your accessories and scenes to turn on or off when you or a shared user arrives at or leaves your home.

To create an automation triggered by location, you and the people you invite to control your home need to turn on Share My Location for the primary iPhone or iPad2 used to control your home. Go to Settings > [your name] > Find My and turn on Share My Location. Make sure "This Device" is selected next to My Location.

  1. In the Home app, tap or click the Add buttonNo alt supplied for Image, then select Add AutomationNo alt supplied for Image.

  2. Choose if you want the automation to occur when People Arrive or when People Leave your home.

  3. To choose a specific person to start the automation, tap or click InformationNo alt supplied for Image. You can also choose a location3 and time for the automation. Then tap or click Next.

  4. Select scenes and accessories to automate, then tap or click Next.

  5. To adjust an accessory on your iPhone or iPad, touch and hold it. On Mac, click the accessory. To preview the automation, tap or click Test This Automation.

  6. Tap or click Done.

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Automate accessories at a certain time

Create an automation that runs at a specific time, on certain days and based on who's at home.

  1. In the Home app, tap or click the Add buttonNo alt supplied for Image, then select Add AutomationNo alt supplied for Image.

  2. Choose A Time of Day Occurs, then choose a time and day. Tap or click People to set the automation to occur at a certain time when someone is at home. Tap or click Next.

  3. Select scenes and accessories to automate, then tap or click Next.

  4. To adjust an accessory on your iPhone or iPad, touch and hold it. On Mac, click the accessory. To preview the automation, tap or click Test This Automation.

  5. Tap or click Done.

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Turn off or delete an automation

To enable or disable an automation:

  1. Open the Home app on your iPhone, iPad or Mac and go to the Automation tab.

  2. Tap or click the automation.

  3. Turn Enable This Automation on or off.

Tap or click Turn Off to choose an amount of time to turn off accessories in an automation. For example, if you create an automation that turns on the lights when you arrive home, you can set the lights to turn off after an hour.

To delete an automation, tap or click the automation, then scroll to the bottom and tap or click Delete Automation. On your iPhone or iPad, you can also swipe left over the automation and tap Delete.

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Do more with the Home app

1. HomePod and Apple TV aren’t available in all countries and regions.

2. You can’t use a Mac to trigger a location-based automation.

3. If you choose a location other than your home, then only you can trigger the automation and other users that you’ve invited to control your home will be removed from the automation.

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