Apple Home Hub Setup Guide
The Apple home hub is the central component of the Apple Home (HomeKit) ecosystem. Once a home hub is set up, you can control your HomeKit and Matter accessories while away from home, share control of accessories with others, and have accessories perform actions automatically. A HomePod, HomePod mini, or Apple TV can all serve as a home hub. This article is compiled from Apple’s official support documentation (https://support.apple.com/zh-cn/102557).
Before you start
Section titled “Before you start”Before getting started, understand and confirm the following:
- To control HomeKit / Matter accessories while away from home, share control with others, or run automations, you need to set up a home hub first.
- Thread-based accessories require a Thread-capable home hub, such as an Apple TV 4K, HomePod (2nd generation), HomePod mini, or a compatible third-party Thread border router, in order to run automations, receive notifications, and control accessories while away.
- On your iPhone or iPad, sign in to iCloud with the same Apple account you used to set up your HomeKit and Matter accessories in the Home app.
- The device acting as the home hub must stay at home, be connected to your home Wi-Fi network, and remain powered on.
Setup steps
Section titled “Setup steps”Step 1: Set up a HomePod mini or HomePod as a home hub
Section titled “Step 1: Set up a HomePod mini or HomePod as a home hub”After you finish setting up a HomePod mini or HomePod, the device automatically becomes a home hub. Just make sure the following condition is met: on your iPhone or iPad, you are signed in to iCloud with the same Apple account you used to set up your HomeKit and Matter accessories in the Home app.
Step 2: Set up an Apple TV as a home hub
Section titled “Step 2: Set up an Apple TV as a home hub”An Apple TV automatically becomes a home hub after it is added to HomeKit. Here’s how:
- On the Apple TV, open Settings.
- Select “Users and Accounts”. Make sure your name is selected under “Default User”, and that you are signed in to iCloud with the same Apple account you used to set up your HomeKit and Matter accessories in the Home app.
- Go back to Settings on the Apple TV, then select “AirPlay and HomeKit”.
- Scroll down and select “Room”, then pick a room or add a new one.
If your home hub isn’t working properly, troubleshoot item by item using the table below:
| Problem | Solution |
|---|---|
| Home hub not working properly | Check that your HomePod, HomePod mini, Apple TV, or iPad has the latest software version installed. |
| Wrong hub identity / account | Make sure the user signed in to iCloud on your iPhone, iPad, or Apple TV is the primary user of the Home app, not an invited user. |
| Sync / sign-in issues | Turn on iCloud Keychain and Apple account (make sure the relevant services are enabled). |
| Hub offline / unreachable | Confirm that the device set up as the home hub stays at home, is connected to your home Wi-Fi network, and is powered on. |
Do more with the Home app
Section titled “Do more with the Home app”Once your home hub is set up, you can also:
- Create custom home automations in the Home app, or create personal automations in the Shortcuts app.
- Use the Home app on your iPhone, iPad, or Mac to manage and securely control your accessories.
- Invite others to control your home in the Home app.
Summary
Section titled “Summary”The key to setting up an Apple home hub is: use a HomePod / HomePod mini / Apple TV as the hub, and make sure they are signed in to iCloud with the same Apple account, stay at home, and remain online and powered on. HomePod devices automatically become hubs after setup; for Apple TV, verify the account and room under “Users and Accounts → AirPlay and HomeKit → Room”. Once done, you can control accessories remotely, share control, and run home automations.