HomeKit: How to create rooms and zones in the Home app

Home Mac Room and Zone

If you’re just using the Home app for the first time on your iOS device or Mac, we have some great tips and how-tos for using it. One place you should definitely start is by setting up the rooms and zones you’re going to use. Once you do this, you can easily move onto grouping your accessories using those areas.

It only takes a few minutes, depending on how many you plan to set up. But remember, you can add rooms and zones to the Home app anytime and here’s how.

Create rooms and zones on iPhone or iPad

Open the Home app on your iPhone or iPad and then follow these steps to create a room.

1) Select the Rooms tab at the bottom.

2) Tap the menu button on the top left and pick Room Settings.

3) Tap Add Room and give your room a name. You can also select a wallpaper or use one of your own photos.

4) Tap Save.

Home iPhone Add Room

To add that room to a zone or create a zone, continue with the next steps.

Create zones and include rooms

Follow the instructions above to open the Room Settings for any room you want to include in a zone.

1) Tap None in the Zone section.

2) Tap Create New and give your zone a name.

3) Tap Done.

Home iPhone Add Zone

To add other rooms to zones, just access the Room Settings, pick an option in the Zone area, and tap Done.

Create rooms and zones on Mac

Open the Home app on your Mac and then get started by setting up a room.

1) Click Edit > Edit Room from the menu bar.

2) If you’re in a current room you have already set up, you’ll need to click the arrow on the top left to go back to the main Rooms window.

3) At the bottom, click Add Room.

Home Mac Add Room

4) Give your room a Name, optionally pick a Room Wallpaper, and click Save.

You’ll see your new room show up in the list and can click Done if you’re finished. If you would like to add that room to a zone, continue below.

Create zones and include rooms

If you haven’t set up any zones yet, go to a room and click Edit > Edit Room from the menu bar.

1) Click None next to Zone in the room’s window.

2) Click Create New.

Home Mac Add Zone

3) Enter the name you want to give the zone and hit Return.

That zone will automatically be applied to that room.

If you create more zones, like upstairs and downstairs, you can simply select one in the Zone section of Room Settings for any room. Click Done when you finish.

Wrapping it up

Once you get all of your rooms and zones set up, you’re ready to start controlling those smart accessories. And if you need to rename a room for your HomePod or would like to change the wallpaper in the Home app, we’ve got you covered.

Do you have any tips you’d like to share for using the Home app on either iOS or Mac? If so, feel free to comment below or message us on Twitter!