iPhone HomeKit light switching

[ForkHandles]

The iOS HomeKit App is a very complex app to write I’m sure but…..

The majority of users use it to control their lights so why oh why isn’t it possible to switch them on and off easily.

I have thirty lights organised in rooms, it used to be that a short press would toggle lights on and off, now ALL presses go into the light settings where you can configure.

I want to control ‘rooms’ Apple not every single light. Sort it out please!!!!

 

[SalisburySam]

If I understand your comments, you are trying to operate multiple devices at once based on the room to which you’ve assigned them. For me, the easiest way to do this is verbally using Siri: “Turn on Living Room” for example. You can also group individual buttons to create a new button that does basically the same thing. Perhaps one of those suggestions helps you.

After changing out my iPhone7 (max iOS v15.7.2) for an iPhone13mini (iOS v16+), I noticed the Home app appears and operates differently. For the new iPhone on my Home app, smartplugs and smart bulbs now appear as rectangles. Each rectangle includes an icon for its type, e.g., a light bulb, and its description. If you tap on the icon, it immediately turns the device on or off. If you tap elsewhere, it opens another screen that includes dimming (even though the switch/plug may not support that) and a settings gear. So, your actions depend upon where on the Home icon you tap. Nice feature actually, though if I’m honest it took me awhile to learn this and then only by accidentally tapping the icon instead of the rest of the button.

 

[adrianlondon]

The iOS HomeKit App is a very complex app to write I’m sure but…..

The majority of users use it to control their lights so why oh why isn’t it possible to switch them on and off easily.

I have thirty lights organised in rooms, it used to be that a short press would toggle lights on and off, now ALL presses go into the light settings where you can configure.

I want to control ‘rooms’ Apple not every single light. Sort it out please!!!!

You mean since iOS 16?

It's another one of Apple's stupid non-obvious UI changes.

Don't click randomly on the box, click on the bulb icon left or top-left. Voila! Toggles the light on and off.

 

[fatTribble]

Don't click randomly on the box, click on the bulb icon left or top-left. Voila! Toggles the light on and off.

oh great tip! 🥰

 

[fatTribble]

For what it’s worth, I use Siri like @SalisburySam suggests. I also write Shortcuts and then put them in the Today View for quick access. Hue lights provide Shortcut actions to turn on/off an entire room. So as an example I have a Shortcut for turning off the downstairs at night that basically uses the Hue action for the lights plus a couple of Eve outlets.