Twinkly smart holiday lights gain HomeKit support via new firmware update

Twinkly is beginning to roll out a new update that brings long-awaited HomeKit support to select smart holiday light models. First spotted by u/Mattyd1986 on Reddit — and confirmed via a support document and our own testing, HomeKit support comes via firmware version 2.8.3, which is available now through the Twinkly iOS app.

Remote control Twinkly using your Home app. Home is an iOS app available on the AppStore of your iPhone and iPad. Connecting the lights to Home via HomeKit allows you to manage Twinkly using your iPhone/iPad or via Apple Tv and Apple Home Pod.

According to Twinkly, HomeKit support is available for Gen II and Plus models, including classic string lights, curtains, clusters, and icicles in sets that feature varying amounts of LEDs. After updating to the latest firmware, a new HomeKit option will appear in the device menu for compatible Twinkly models, and all it takes is a few taps to get everything up and running.

Once added to HomeKit, Twinkly lights function just like other smart lights in the Home app with color controls, automation, and scene capabilities available. Users can also control Twinkly lights hands-free via Siri voice commands, and in our brief testing, color changes and toggling power states all take effect pretty much instantly.

If a dynamic scene or custom colors are in-use, toggling Twinkly lights on through Siri or the Home app will restore the previous state. However, the Twinkly app will still be required to switch between the built-in effects as they do not appear to be available through the Home app at this time.

Twinkly lights are available through various retailers such as Amazon and Best Buy, with prices starting as low as $70 for a 100 LED string light set. Firmware version 2.8.3 with HomeKit support is rolling out now for free through the Twinkly iOS app.