Ring and Apple HomeKit: The Definitive Guide
If you're an Apple user, you're likely familiar with HomeKit, Apple's seamless and secure smart home platform. It allows you to control all your compatible devices from the Home app on your iPhone, iPad, or Mac. So, when you buy a popular device like a Ring Video Doorbell, it's natural to assume you can add it to your HomeKit setup. Unfortunately, you'll quickly discover that this is not the case.
This guide will explain why Ring and HomeKit don't work together natively, explore the popular and reliable workarounds that can bridge the gap, and discuss the future possibilities with new standards like Matter.
Why Doesn't Ring Officially Support Apple HomeKit?
The short answer is: business strategy.
Ring is owned by Amazon, a direct competitor to Apple in the smart home space with its own ecosystem built around Alexa. By keeping Ring products integrated tightly with Alexa, Amazon encourages users to invest further in its own platform. Adding native HomeKit support would mean giving up a competitive advantage and directing users towards a rival's system.
Therefore, Ring has never built the required software and hardware certification into its devices to allow them to communicate directly with HomeKit.
Workarounds: Connecting Ring to HomeKit Unofficially
While there's no official support, the dedicated smart home community has developed powerful solutions to make your Ring devices appear and function within Apple's Home app. The most common methods involve using a 'bridge' server.
1. Using Homebridge
Homebridge is free, open-source software that emulates the HomeKit API. In simple terms, it's a piece of software that pretends to be a certified Apple device. You install 'plugins' for devices that don't normally support HomeKit, like Ring cameras. Homebridge then exposes these devices to your network in a way that the Apple Home app can see and control them.
- What You Need: Homebridge needs to run 24/7 on an always-on device on your network. This is typically a small, low-power computer like a Raspberry Pi, but it can also be a Windows, macOS, or Linux computer.
- How It Works: You install Homebridge, then you install the "Ring" plugin. After configuring the plugin with your Ring account details, all your cameras and doorbells will magically appear in your Apple Home app, ready to be added.
- Pros: Highly customisable, powerful, free software.
- Cons: Requires some technical comfort with command-line interfaces and setting up a device like a Raspberry Pi.
2. Using HOOBS (Homebridge Out of the Box)
For those who are less technically inclined, HOOBS is the perfect solution. HOOBS is essentially a user-friendly, pre-packaged version of Homebridge. It comes with a simple web interface that allows you to install and configure plugins with just a few clicks, eliminating the need for any command-line work.
- What You Need: You can buy a dedicated HOOBS hardware box, or you can install the HOOBS software on your own device, like a Raspberry Pi.
- How It Works: You access the HOOBS interface from your web browser, search for the Ring plugin in its marketplace, and click "Install." You then enter your credentials, and you're done.
- Pros: Extremely easy to set up and manage, no coding or command-line knowledge required.
- Cons: The dedicated hardware or software licence has a cost.
What About the 'Matter' Smart Home Standard?
Matter is a new, universal smart home standard designed to make devices from different companies work together. Both Apple and Amazon (Ring's parent company) are members of the alliance that created Matter. In theory, if Ring were to update its devices to support Matter, they would then become compatible with HomeKit.
However, as of now, Ring has not announced any plans to bring Matter support to its existing cameras and doorbells. While some future devices may support it, it is not a solution for integrating your current Ring products into HomeKit.
For now, Homebridge and HOOBS remain the best and only reliable ways to bring your Ring devices into the Apple Home ecosystem, allowing you to use Siri, create automations, and view your camera feeds alongside your other HomeKit accessories.