Works with HomeKit: native, Matter and bridges

Native HomeKit, Matter and bridges

A device reaches HomeKit by one of three routes. It can be a native HomeKit accessory, a Matter device, or a device that a bridge exposes to HomeKit. The route decides what else the device needs, such as a hub, a Thread border router or an extra box on the shelf.[2][4]

• Native HomeKit accessory: the device speaks Apple's own accessory protocol and pairs straight into the Home app.[1]
• Matter: the device is certified to the Matter standard from the Connectivity Standards Alliance, and the Home app adds it like any other Matter accessory.[3][4]
• Bridge: a separate box, such as a vendor hub or a Homebridge server, makes devices that cannot pair to HomeKit themselves appear in the Home app.[5][6]

Reading a box or spec page

Apple's Works with the Home app badge is the clearest mark on a box. Apple says it shows that a Matter-certified accessory is compatible with the Home app and Siri. Eligibility requires Matter certification and interoperability testing, and the badge may be used only on that accessory's packaging and communications.[1]

The spec page carries the detail the badge leaves out. Wording such as "Matter over Wi-Fi" or "Matter over Thread" names the Matter route, and the transport decides whether a Thread border router is needed. A line that says "works with HomeKit" without the word Matter can mean the native route or a bridge, and the maker's setup article settles which one.[1][3]

The Connectivity Standards Alliance also publishes a certified-product database of Matter devices. A Matter claim can be checked there by maker and model. Honeywell's X2S thermostat has Matter certification, and Honeywell lists HomeKit on its product page.[7][8]

Matter devices in HomeKit

Matter devices pair with an iPhone and need no maker bridge. The Kasa KP125M, a Wi-Fi plug with energy monitoring for North America, was announced in April 2023 as Kasa's first Matter-certified plug with energy monitoring. It works with HomeKit through Matter.[9]

Matter over Thread follows the same pairing, with a Thread border router added. Aqara's Dimmer Switch H2 (WS-K05E) is listed with native Matter over Thread. Apple states that Thread accessories need a Thread-enabled home hub such as an Apple TV 4K or HomePod, although a Thread-enabled iPhone can pair them locally. On iOS 18, Matter accessories can be added without a home hub, and Apple still recommends one.[4][10]

Matter over Wi-Fi covers thermostats too. Honeywell Home's X2S lists HomeKit, Alexa and Google Assistant on its product page and has Matter certification.[7][8]

Native HomeKit accessories

Some devices pair to HomeKit without Matter. ecobee documents HomeKit setup for its thermostats in its own support articles. Eve's Outdoor Cam records with HomeKit Secure Video.[11][12]

Level's earlier Bolt (Wi-Fi) is another example. Level lists it as HomeKit-enabled, with a HomePod, HomePod mini or Apple TV home hub for remote control. Level states that the existing Bolt cannot be updated to Matter, so it remains a native HomeKit accessory.[13][14]

A native accessory depends on the maker's firmware and on the Home app rather than on the Matter standard. A home hub is still the usual route for remote access, automations and sharing control, and Apple describes a HomePod or Apple TV as that hub.[2]

The home hub

Apple's home hub is a separate question from the route. A HomePod, HomePod mini or Apple TV set up as a home hub lets the owner control accessories away from home, share control with other people and run automations, and that holds whether or not an accessory uses Matter. On iOS 18, Matter accessories can be added and controlled without a hub, though Apple recommends one for the best experience.[2][4]

Thread accessories add one requirement. They need a Thread-enabled home hub such as an Apple TV 4K or HomePod, and Apple says an iPhone 15 Pro or later can control them without a hub.[4]

Bridges and hubs

A bridge covers products that cannot pair on their own. The Philips Hue Bridge, a Zigbee hub, has been updated to support Matter, so Hue lights and accessories support it as well. The Hue Bridge product page describes it as running up to 50 lights and 12 accessories.[5][15]

Aqara's Hub M3 bridges Aqara Zigbee devices to Matter, and tado sells HomeKit-enabled Internet Bridges for its V3+ products, which tado lists as compatible with HomeKit. In each case the bridge is an extra box that stays in the home, and the devices behind it reach the Home app through it.[16][17]

Homebridge and Home Assistant

Homebridge is a Node.js server that runs on the home network and emulates the HomeKit Accessory Protocol. It lists installation on a Raspberry Pi, Linux, macOS, Windows, Docker and Synology DSM. Devices behind it appear in the Home app as if they were HomeKit accessories.[6]

Home Assistant's HomeKit Bridge integration does the same job for the entities Home Assistant already controls. Home Assistant says it makes them available in the Home app and to Siri even when the devices do not support HomeKit natively. Homebridge runs as software on a computer or a small server at home, and the device behind it keeps its own limits.[18]

Devices without a HomeKit listing

eufy names Alexa and Google Assistant as the platforms for its Video Doorbell E340, and not HomeKit. A Homebridge plugin or a Home Assistant bridge is a way to expose some such devices, but it is a home-built route and not the maker's.[6][19]