How to use the Home app on Apple Watch

The Apple Watch is the ultimate remote control for your smart home devices. To take advantage of the convenient capabilities, you need to know how to use the Home app on the Apple Watch. With just a raise of your wrist and a few taps, you can secure your HomeKit door locks or set your favorite HomeKit scenes. You can also summon a HomeKit camera and even communicate with those within its view by speaking through your watch's microphone. Here's how to use the Home app on Apple Watch.

Requirements

Since apps on the Apple Watch are typically for quick interactions, your HomeKit accessories won't all appear on the home screen in the Home app. Instead, your watch will learn from your habits and present relevant accessories and scenes — such as your garage door or your Goodbye scene, throughout the day.

If you need to access an accessory that isn't on the home screen, you can navigate to it through the Rooms, Cameras, and Favorites areas within the Home app, just like you do on your iPhone.

How to review your HomeKit home status on Apple Watch

Upon launching the Home app, your watch will display

1. Launch the Home app on your Apple Watch.
2. Review your home Status at the top of the Home app.

3. Tap on an Accessory Type to review additional details and access further controls.

   Source: iMore

How to control HomeKit smart plugs, locks, garage doors, and sprinklers on Apple Watch

1. Launch the Home app on your Apple Watch.
2. Tap the name of the Room that your accessory is in if it isn't on the home screen of the Home app.

3. Tap the Accessory or the Ellipsis Icon (looks like three dots) for the Accessory you wish to control.

   • Tapping on an Accessory will toggle it off or on.
   • Tapping the Ellipsis Icon will display a slider icon that can be used to toggle it on or off by swiping.

   Source: iMore

How to control HomeKit lighting on Apple Watch

1. Launch the Home app on your Apple Watch.
2. Tap the name of the Room that your light is in if it isn't on the home screen of the Home app.

3. Tap the Accessory or the Ellipsis Icon (looks like three dots) for the Accessory you wish to control.

   • Tapping on an Accessory will toggle it off or on.
   • Tapping the Ellipsis Icon will display a slider icon that can be used to toggle it on or off by swiping.

   Source: iMore

4. Turn the digital crown or swipe up or down to adjust the brightness level.

5. Swipe left or right to display the color options if your HomeKit light supports colors.

6. Tap on a Color, then tap Done when you are satisfied with your changes.

   Source: iMore

How to control HomeKit thermostats on Apple Watch

1. Launch the Home app on your Apple Watch.
2. Tap the name of the Room that your thermostat is in if it isn't on the home screen of the Home app.

3. Tap the Ellipsis Icon (looks like three dots) for the thermostat you wish to control.

   Source: iMore

4. Turn the digital crown or swipe up or down to adjust the temperature set point.
5. Swipe left or right to display the thermostat modes.

6. Tap on Cool/Heat/Auto to change the current thermostat mode.

   Source: iMore

How to view and control your HomeKit cameras on Apple Watch

1. Launch the Home app on your Apple Watch.
2. Tap Cameras.

3. Tap the Camera thumbnail for the camera that you wish to view or control.

   Source: iMore

4. Turn the digital crown to adjust the volume for your camera's live view.
   • You can also adjust the volume by tapping on the Speaker Icon and then tapping on the +/- Icons.
5. Tap on the Microphone Icon to communicate through your camera's speaker.
   • You can mute your microphone by tapping on the Microphone Icon after toggling it on.

6. Tap the Back button when finished to return to the accessories list.

   Source: iMore

How to activate your favorite HomeKit scenes on your Apple Watch

1. Launch the Home app on your Apple Watch.
2. Tap Favorites if your scene isn't on the home screen of the Home app.

3. Tap the Scene Name that you wish to activate.

   Source: iMore

How to use Intercom on your Apple Watch

1. Launch the Home app on your Apple Watch.
2. Tap Intercom.

3. Speak your Message and then tap Done to send it.

   Source: iMore

Questions about how to use the Home app on Apple Watch?

Do you use the Apple Watch to control your HomeKit accessories and scenes? What's your favorite scene to activate from your wrist? Share your thoughts and troubleshooting questions in the comments below!

Updated September 2021: Updated for watchOS 8.