How to set up HomeKit notifications for your accessories

iPhone Door Unlocked Notification

There are certain smart home accessories that do more than turn off or change color. Devices like door locks and motion sensors are used to keep you safe and in control of your home. So it’s with good reason that accessories like these come with notifications.

If you’d like to receive an alert when your door locks or motion is detected, as examples, here’s how to set up notifications for your HomeKit devices.

Notifications for Home accessories

When you create a notification for one of your accessories, that notification only applies to the device where you created it. So if you set up the alert on iPhone, you’ll only receive it on iPhone. With this in mind, you may want to create HomeKit notifications for your accessories on more than one Apple device.

Customizable notifications

Before you set up your notifications, it’s good to know about the customization options you’re going to see.

When you set up a notification, you have the option to use Time and People settings. Neither are required but can be convenient depending on our household.

Notifications for Time

By default, the notification Time will be set to Any time. But you can select from During the day, At night, or Specific times that you can pick.

Notifications for People

By default, the People option is set to Off. But you can select from When somebody is home, When I am home, When nobody is home, or When I am not home.

iPhone Home Notifications Time People

Keep these Time and People options in mind as you follow the steps below to set up your notifications in case they are settings you’d like to use.

Set up notifications on iPhone and iPad

Open the Home app on your iPhone or iPad and then do the following to create the device notification.

Notifications for multiple devices

If you have more than one accessory that can use notifications, here is the easiest way to create the alerts.

1) With Home open, click tap the Home tab and then the Home icon on the top left.

2) Under Notifications, you’ll see the connected devices capable of using notifications. Tap one to begin.

3) On the next screen under Allow Notifications From, tap the device again.

4) Enable the toggle for Notifications on This iPhone/iPad. Optionally, customize the notifications by Time or People.

5) When you finish, tap the arrow on the top left to go back two times and then tap Done.

iPhone Edit Home Notifications

Notifications for individual devices

You can also set up notifications in the individual device’s settings on iPhone and iPad.

1) Locate your device in the Home app. It may be a favorite on the Home screen or in a specific Room.

2) Tap and hold the device icon and select Settings (gear icon).

3) Pick Status and Notifications.

4) Enable the toggle for Notifications on This iPhone/iPad. Optionally, customize the notifications by Time or People here as well.

5) Tap the arrow to go back and the X to close the device settings.

iPhone Home Individual Notifications On

Set up notifications on Mac

Open the Home app on your Mac and follow one of these sets of steps to create an accessory notification.

Notifications for multiple devices

Like on iOS, if you have more than one accessory with the notification ability, this is the simplest way to create the alerts.

1) With Home open, click Edit > Edit Home from the menu bar.

2) Under Notifications, you’ll see the connected accessories that can use notifications. Select one to begin.

Mac Edit Home Notifications

3) On the next screen under Allow Notifications From, select the device once more.

4) Enable the toggle for Notifications on This Mac. Optionally, customize the notifications by Time or People.

Mac Home Multiple Notifications On

5) When you finish, click the arrow on the top left to go back two times and then click Done.

Notifications for individual devices

You can also set up notifications in the individual device’s settings on Mac.

1) Locate your device in the Home app. It may be a favorite on the Home screen or in a specific Room.

2) Right-click or hold Control and click the device icon and select Settings.

3) Click Status and Notifications.

Mac Home Status and Notifications

4) Enable the toggle for Notifications on This Mac. Optionally, customize the notifications by Time or People here as well.

Mac Home Individual Notifications On

5) Click the arrow to go back and the X to close the device settings.

Wrapping it up

Having notifications for certain smart home accessories is really handy and can give you peace of mind. Remember, not all devices you connect to HomeKit support alerts.

Are you going to set up notifications for your HomeKit accessories? If so, do you plan to use the Time and People settings? Let us know!