Have you spent hours carefully crafting automations in the Home app to control your smart home devices, only to find the options limiting? The good news is you don’t have to start from scratch. With the Shortcuts app, you can easily convert your existing HomeKit automations into much more powerful shortcuts. In just a few taps, you’ll unlock a world of new possibilities to supercharge your smart home.
Homekit Automation Convert To Shortcut : This step-by-step guide will walk you through how to seamlessly transition your HomeKit automations into Shortcuts. You’ll learn how to convert individual actions like turning on lights or adjusting the thermostat into shortcuts, as well as convert entire multi-step automations. For each shortcut, you’ll have options to customize the commands, add conditional logic like location triggers, and incorporate third-party apps and web services. By the end, you’ll be wielding Shortcuts like a pro to take total control over your home automation setup. The future of your smart home starts today – let’s get started!
Homekit Automation Convert To Shortcut
Understanding HomeKit Automations vs Shortcuts
- HomeKit automations are actions triggered by events in the Home app like motion sensors detecting movement or a switch turning on. Shortcuts are customizable actions you build yourself using the Shortcuts app.
- To convert your HomeKit automations to Shortcuts, open the Home app and tap Automation. Select an automation and tap Convert to Shortcut. Give your shortcut a name and tap Done. Your new shortcut will appear in the Shortcuts app.
- Shortcuts offer more flexibility than HomeKit automations. For example, you can add conditions to run a shortcut only at certain times or when you’re in a specific location. You can also incorporate non-HomeKit actions like sending a text message or playing music.
- However, Shortcuts require user initiation and won’t run automatically like HomeKit automations. If you want a mix of automatic and custom actions, you may want to keep some HomeKit automations in place. You can then build Shortcuts that incorporate your HomeKit devices along with additional functionality.
- Converting automations to Shortcuts is easy to do, but the end result depends on your needs and level of customization. For simple on/off controls, HomeKit automations may work great. For more advanced routines with multiple steps, Shortcuts is the way to go. Why not start by converting one or two automations to Shortcuts and see how it goes? You can always change your mind and switch back to HomeKit automations if needed.
Why Convert HomeKit Automations to Shortcuts?
There are a few reasons why converting your HomeKit automations to Shortcuts is a good idea:
More Flexibility
Shortcuts gives you way more flexibility than the Home app. You can create multi-step automations, use conditional logic (if-then statements), integrate with hundreds of apps and services, and much more. HomeKit automations are very basic by comparison.
Access on All Your Devices
Shortcuts syncs across all your Apple devices, so you can access and trigger your automations anywhere. HomeKit automations are locked into the Home app and only function when you’re on your local Wi-Fi network.
Easier to Set Up
Creating automations in the Shortcuts app is super intuitive. You can easily drag and drop actions, add your own custom icons, and the gallery has tons of pre-made automations to get you started. HomeKit automations require fiddling with lots of drop-down menus and can be tedious to configure.
Continuous Improvements
Apple updates Shortcuts regularly, adding new actions, integrations and features. HomeKit automation has remained largely unchanged for years. By converting to Shortcuts, your automations will benefit from all the latest improvements and innovations.
Migrating your automations over to the Shortcuts app may require a little bit of work upfront, but the benefits of increased functionality, flexibility and continuous enhancement make it well worth the effort. Your smart home will become that much smarter. Time to make the switch!
How to Access Your HomeKit Automations
To access the HomeKit automations you’ve already set up, open the Home app on your iPhone or iPad.
Automations Tab
Tap the Automations tab at the bottom of the screen. This will show you a list of all your current automations. Tap any automation to edit or disable it.
You can also create new automations from this screen by tapping the + button in the top right corner. HomeKit supports automations for:
- Lights
- Switches
- Thermostats
- Locks
- Garage doors
- And more
Any HomeKit accessories you have set up in the Home app can potentially be controlled by an automation. Think of automations as programmed “if this, then that” triggers to conveniently handle home tasks for you.
Editing Automations
To edit an existing automation, just tap on it from the Automations list screen. This will allow you to:
- Change the name of the automation
- Adjust trigger conditions (when the automation activates)
- Add or remove scenes and accessories to control
- Disable the automation temporarily
- Delete the automation entirely
Be careful making changes to complex automations, as it may impact other automations or scenes relying on the same triggers or accessories. It’s a good idea to test any edits to ensure everything still works as intended.
The key to building useful HomeKit automations is starting simple. Don’t try to automate everything in your home at once. Pick a room or a task and build from there, one automation at a time. With regular use, HomeKit will get smarter by learning your habits and you’ll be enjoying an automated home in no time!
Step-by-Step Guide to Converting an Automation to a Shortcut
Converting your automations to Shortcuts is straightforward. Follow these steps:
- Open the Home app on your iPhone or iPad. Tap Automation at the bottom of the screen.
- Tap the automation you want to convert. This will show you the details of how it’s currently set up. Review the triggers and actions to make sure you understand exactly what it does before converting.
- Tap Convert to Shortcut. This option will appear at the top of the screen. Tap Convert to confirm.
- Your new Shortcut will open in the Shortcuts app. The triggers from your automation will appear as the first action. The rest of the actions will follow.
- (Optional) Make any changes to the Shortcut. You can add or remove actions, change the order, adjust triggers, etc. Get creative! The possibilities are endless with Shortcuts.
- Tap Done to save your new Shortcut. It will now appear in your Shortcuts library and can be run manually at any time or automatically based on the triggers you set.
- (Optional) To remove the original automation, open the Home app, tap Automation, then tap the three dots next to the automation you converted. Select Delete Automation.
That’s the basic process for converting a HomeKit automation into a Shortcut. The main benefits of Shortcuts are increased customization and flexibility. You have much more control over triggers, conditions and actions. Shortcuts can incorporate non-HomeKit apps and services as well for even more advanced functionality.
Converting your automations may seem daunting, but taking it step-by-step will help ensure your new Shortcuts work just the way you want. With some experimentation, you’ll be writing your own customized automations in no time! Let me know if you have any other questions.
Tips for Managing and Using Your New Shortcuts
Now that you’ve converted your HomeKit automations to Shortcuts, it’s time to start managing and using them. Here are some tips to help you get the most out of your new smart home superpowers.
Name Them Logically
Give your shortcuts names that make sense, like “Goodnight” to run your bedtime routine or “Leave Home” to activate security systems when you head out. Logical names will make the shortcuts easy to find and use.
Group Them Together
Organize your shortcuts into folders to keep things tidy. You might have folders for morning, evening, security, entertainment, etc. This makes it simple to find the shortcut you need at any given time.
Add Them to Siri
Enable the “Add to Siri” option so you can activate your shortcuts with just your voice. Say something like “Hey Siri, run my Goodnight shortcut” and your bedtime routine will start automatically.
Share Them with Family
If you have HomeKit users set up to control your home, you can share specific shortcuts with them so everyone stays on the same page. Share your “Leave Home” shortcut so the last person leaving will remember to activate the security systems.
Get Creative
Now that you have the power of Shortcuts at your disposal, get creative with the types of automations you build. Trigger shortcuts based on locations, build interactive menus, incorporate weather conditions, pull data from various apps and services—the possibilities are nearly endless. Let your imagination run wild!
The key is simply using your shortcuts regularly. The more you use them, the more useful they become. Keep building on them and tweaking as needed to create the perfect smart home customized to your needs. With time and practice, you’ll be automating like a pro in no time!
Conclusion
So there you have it, a straightforward process for converting your HomeKit automations to Shortcuts. With all the added functionality in iOS 12, Shortcuts is a much more powerful home automation platform. Don’t get left behind – make the switch today and take your smart home to the next level. The conversion only takes a few minutes, and you’ll be controlling your home with your voice and custom automations in no time. What are you waiting for? Dive in and unlock the real potential of your HomeKit devices with the power of Shortcuts. The future of home automation is here – go get it!
