Apple Home hub requirements: HomePod, Apple TV and Thread

What the hub does

Apple’s support page puts it plainly: a home hub lets you control smart home accessories when you are away from home, share control with others and automate accessories. Its HomePod, HomePod mini and Apple TV products can each be set up as a hub, and the iPhone alone cannot do that job because it leaves with you.

Which devices can be a hub

Apple’s help page says:

• HomePod and HomePod mini: once set up, they automatically become home hubs.
• Apple TV: becomes a hub once you add it to a room in the Home app (Settings, AirPlay and Apple Home, then Room).
• Thread: Thread-enabled Matter accessories need a Thread-enabled hub. Apple names HomePod mini and the Apple TV 4K (3rd generation) Wi-Fi + Ethernet as examples, or a supported third-party border router. If you already own an Apple TV from another generation, check whether it is Thread-enabled before relying on it for Thread accessories.

The device must be in your home, powered on and connected to your home Wi-Fi. HomePod, HomePod mini and Apple TV are not sold in every country or region.

Set one up in about ten minutes

1. Sign in as the home’s owner. Only the owner can add a HomePod or Apple TV as a hub. You can check who the owner is under Home Settings in the Home app.
2. Update the software on your iPhone and on the hub.
3. Turn on iCloud Keychain and two-factor authentication for your Apple Account. Apple recommends both for hubs.
4. Add the HomePod or Apple TV to a room.
5. Verify under Home Settings, then Home Hubs & Bridges. The active hub appears at the top.

If your Apple TV will not add, Apple says your name must be selected as the Default User under Settings, Users and Accounts.

Several hubs, and which one is active

Automatic Selection is on by default: the Home app chooses the active hub and you can turn that off to pick a preferred one. Two hubs add resilience if one is unplugged or offline, though Apple’s page does not detail how they share work. If you use a Thread network, two Thread-enabled hubs also give the mesh a second border router. For the concept, read Thread border routers explained.

Where to put the hub

• Keep it powered and on Wi-Fi at all times. A hub on a switched outlet or in a drawer stops your automations.
• Place a Thread-enabled hub centrally so Thread battery sensors can reach it directly or through a mains-powered Thread device.
• Prefer Ethernet when the hub supports it, so the hub is not tied to a congested Wi-Fi band.
• Think about travel: a hub that goes with you on a trip takes your automations with it.

Location automations need a phone setting

Apple’s automation page notes that arrive and leave triggers require Share My Location on the primary iPhone or iPad, and that a Mac cannot trigger location-based automations. Family members can be included in the automation, but a place other than your home can be triggered only by you. For a wider look, see geofencing for the smart home.

If you use more than one ecosystem

A hub does not lock you in. Matter accessories can be added to Apple Home and another ecosystem at the same time through multi-admin. See Matter multi-admin, and compare ecosystems in Apple Home vs Google Home.