Thanks to the macOS Mojave update, it is now possible to control HomeKit devices from your Mac. That’s how Apple’s Home app works in Mojave.
Apple adds Home app in macOS Mojave
The Home app that controls HomeKit devices has been available for iOS devices for some time and is also included in tvOS for Apple TV. HomeKit is an ecosystem for centrally controlling all smart devices in your home with your Apple device.
You can think of your lamps, locks, cameras, doors and switches. Now that macOS Mojave is out, you can easily control all products linked to the HomeKit from your Mac.
This is how the Home app works in macOS Mojave
Before you can control devices from your Mac, you must first give the Home app access to iCloud. Then all your devices will appear in the list. You can switch a lamp or switch on or off simply by clicking on the icon. White stands for on, gray for off.
Right-click to get to the ‘Settings’ and ‘Show controls’ menus. In Settings you can change the name of a device, which room it is in and you can also indicate whether it should be displayed in Favorites.
‘Show controls’ is the place where you can, for example, adjust the color and brightness of lamps or the temperature of your thermostat. You can go back to the main screen via the back button at the top left.
Automate devices in the Home app
If you not only want to operate devices but also set up routines for them, you can easily arrange this from your Mac. Go to the ‘Automation’ menu and select ‘Add automation’. Several options appear here to set as an automatic routine.
From here you can, for example, set a motion sensor in the driveway to detect that you are coming home, after which the lights in the hallway and living room switch on. Or set your thermostat to turn on at specific times so that it is lower at night and it is always warm when you get home.
You choose one or more smart devices for which you want to set an automatic routine. Indicate what needs to be done when and test the automation. When the routine is the way you want it, click ‘Done’.
The Mac app for HomeKit is not a solution to control devices from a location other than home. Automations only work when your iPhone or iPad, Mac and HomeKit devices are active on the same WiFi network. In other words, the routines only work when you are at home. When you’re away from home and want to control products, you need a third-generation Apple TV or newer. The Apple TV then acts as a hub.
Mac app has flaws
The Home app for macOS is slightly less extensive than the one for iOS. It is not possible to add new smart devices such as a lamp or doorbell from your app. This can only be set from an iOS device.
In addition, the Mac app cannot yet detect when you are at home, but in the beta version Mojave 10.14.1 this has already been resolved. So there is a reasonable chance that these flaws of the Home app for macOS will be addressed in future updates.
Learn more about macOS Mojave
- Taking screenshots on your Mac (Book): this is how you do it (26-3)
- Make your Mac boot faster: this is how you disable startup programs (14-3)
- Apple releases macOS Mojave update to fix hibernation bug (8/2/2019)
- watchOS 5.3 and updates for macOS, tvOS and HomePod are rolling out (7/22/2019)
- Bluetooth vulnerability in iOS and macOS allows people tracking (7/18/2019)