Smart home devices are extremely useful for your own home, but if your visitors have to use them, it gets a bit more difficult. Fortunately, you can also give your guests (temporary) access to your smart devices. In this tip you can read how it works.
Tip: This is how you give your guests access to your HomeKit devices
In principle, it is a good thing that not everyone can just use your smart devices. But it often happens that several people in the house have to use your smart home devices. Consider, for example, the babysitter or your visitors. Then it is possible to give them (temporary) access to HomeKit.
However, it is important that both you and your guest have an iPhone that has been updated to the latest iOS version. Also, both of you must be signed in to iCloud on your iPhone. In addition, it is important that you have enabled the Home app in your iCloud storage. To do this, go to Settings> Your name> iCloud. Make sure the slider behind ‘Home’ is green.
Once you’ve checked that, follow the steps below to give someone access to HomeKit:
- Open the Home app on your iPhone;
- Tap the house at the top left of the screen and choose ‘Home settings’;
- Tap ‘Invite others…’ in the screen that appears;
- Enter a name, email address or tap the plus sign to choose contacts to invite;
- Choose ‘Send invitation’ to give this person access to HomeKit;
- When you’re done, tap Done.
Restrict and stop access to HomeKit devices
The recipient of the invitation must of course accept it for a while. From now on, your home with smart devices will also be in their Home app. You can still set restrictions for this yourself. This works as follows:
- Once your invitation has been accepted, open the Home app;
- Tap the house at the top left of the screen and choose ‘Home settings’;
- Then tap the name of the person you want to set restrictions for;
- Select which features this person can use.
It is not possible to give your guests access to HomeKit before an agreed time. But you always keep the reins. If you want to stop sharing your HomeKit devices, that’s what happened. To do this, follow the next steps:
- Go to the Home settings;
- Tap the name of the person you want to remove;
- You will now see all sharing options. Scroll all the way down and choose ‘Delete person’.
More about smart living
Do you want to know more about HomeKit? Read all about Apple’s ecosystem in our handy HomeKit guide. You also read on iPhone how to control any ordinary lamp with your iPhone. In addition, we give you 5 tips for smarter operation of your smart home.
This month is all about (smart) living. Below you can read more articles about our monthly theme:
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Advice: Is it useful to buy a smart Action doorbell?
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HomeKit vs Google Home: this is how you choose the best option for your smart home
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Tip: This is how you control every lamp with your iPhone in the Home app
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Which smart doorbell works without a subscription? These are 4 good options
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Filming the public road with a smart doorbell: what is allowed and what is not?