Apple Outlines What to Do If You Have Issues Accessing a Home in iOS 16.2

Apple today published a support document designed to help those who are having issues with HomeKit, outlining what to do if you can't access a home or accept an invitation in the Home app.

homekit showdown 2 thumb
Apple says that on an iPhone or iPad running iOS 16.2 or iPadOS 16.2, users should use the Remove Home option on any listed homes that don't have accessories. If the invited user has a home with accessories, Apple support must instead be contacted for help.

If there is a home with no accessories listed, after it is removed from the Home app, the invited user and home owner's devices need to be restarted, as do all Apple TV and HomePod devices in the home.

From there, the home owner will need to remove any pending invitations to the invited user, and then re-invite the user to share control of the home. An invited user must accept an invitation to access a home within three hours or the invitation will expire.


Apple's instructions come just a day after the new Home architecture that was introduced in iOS 16.2 was pulled. At the current time, Apple is not allowing users to upgrade to the architecture, likely due to multiple bugs that users have reported with the update.

Issues with the architecture update include ‌‌HomeKit‌‌ devices stuck in an "updating" or "configuring" status, devices going missing, HomeKit Secure Video not working, and invitations to share the Home with other users failing, which is what the support document addresses.

In a separate support document, Apple says that the new Home architecture will be reintroduced at a later date, and that it has been temporarily removed.

Related Forum: iOS 16

Popular Stories

apple watch ultra yellow

What's Next for the Apple Watch Ultra 3 and Apple Watch SE 3

Friday April 25, 2025 2:44 pm PDT by
This week marks the 10th anniversary of the Apple Watch, which launched on April 24, 2015. Yesterday, we recapped features rumored for the Apple Watch Series 11, but since 2015, the Apple Watch has also branched out into the Apple Watch Ultra and the Apple Watch SE, so we thought we'd take a look at what's next for those product lines, too. 2025 Apple Watch Ultra 3 Apple didn't update the...
iPhone 17 Air Pastel Feature

iPhone 17 Air Launching Later This Year With These 16 New Features

Thursday April 24, 2025 8:24 am PDT by
While the so-called "iPhone 17 Air" is not expected to launch until September, there are already plenty of rumors about the ultra-thin device. Overall, the iPhone 17 Air sounds like a mixed bag. While the device is expected to have an impressively thin and light design, rumors indicate it will have some compromises compared to iPhone 17 Pro models, including only a single rear camera, a...
iPhone 17 Pro Blue Feature Tighter Crop

iPhone 17 Pro Launching Later This Year With These 13 New Features

Wednesday April 23, 2025 8:31 am PDT by
While the iPhone 17 Pro and iPhone 17 Pro Max are not expected to launch until September, there are already plenty of rumors about the devices. Below, we recap key changes rumored for the iPhone 17 Pro models as of April 2025: Aluminum frame: iPhone 17 Pro models are rumored to have an aluminum frame, whereas the iPhone 15 Pro and iPhone 16 Pro models have a titanium frame, and the iPhone ...
top stories 2025 04 26

Top Stories: iPhone 17 Air Rumors, Apple Watch Turns 10, and More

Saturday April 26, 2025 6:00 am PDT by
We've known for quite some time about Apple's plans for a thinner "iPhone 17 Air" coming later this year, but wow, the latest dummy models give us our best look yet at just how thin this phone is going to be. Other Apple news and rumors this week included another iOS 18.5 beta, the 10th anniversary of the Apple Watch launch, and more management reshuffling in Apple's Siri division, so read...
AirPods Pro 3 Mock Feature

AirPods Pro 3 Just Months Away – Here's What We Know

Friday April 18, 2025 5:16 am PDT by
Despite being more than two years old, Apple's AirPods Pro 2 still dominate the premium wireless‑earbud space, thanks to a potent mix of top‑tier audio, class‑leading noise cancellation, and Apple's habit of delivering major new features through software updates. With AirPods Pro 3 widely expected to arrive in 2025, prospective buyers now face a familiar dilemma: snap up the proven...
Beyond iPhone 13 Better Blue

20th Anniversary iPhone Likely to Be Made in China Due to 'Extraordinarily Complex' Design

Monday April 28, 2025 4:29 am PDT by
Apple will likely manufacture its 20th anniversary iPhone models in China, despite broader efforts to shift production to India, according to Bloomberg's Mark Gurman. In 2027, Apple is planning a "major shake-up" for the iPhone lineup to mark two decades since the original model launched. Gurman's previous reporting indicates the company will introduce a foldable iPhone alongside a "bold"...
iphone 17 dummies sonny dickson

iPhone 17 Air Almost as Thin as Its Buttons, New Images Show

Thursday April 24, 2025 2:14 am PDT by
If you missed the video showing dummy models of Apple's all-new super thin iPhone 17 Air that's expected later this year, Sonny Dickson this morning shared some further images of the device in close alignment with the other dummy models in the iPhone 17 lineup, indicating just how thin it is likely to be in comparison. The iPhone 17 Air is expected to be around 5.5mm thick – with a thicker ...
iPhone 17 Air Pastel Feature

iPhone 17 Reaches Key Milestone Ahead of Mass Production

Monday April 28, 2025 8:44 am PDT by
Apple has completed Engineering Validation Testing (EVT) for at least one iPhone 17 model, according to a paywalled preview of an upcoming DigiTimes report. iPhone 17 Air mockup based on rumored design The EVT stage involves Apple testing iPhone 17 prototypes to ensure the hardware works as expected. There are still DVT (Design Validation Test) and PVT (Production Validation Test) stages to...

Top Rated Comments

TonyC28 Avatar
31 months ago
Tell me you give zero f—-s about a platform you’re hosting without telling me you give zero f—-s about a platform you’re hosting.

Good grief what a joke. It’s crystal clear HomeKit is a weekend hobby to them because it doesn’t generate revenue but come on, this is getting sad.
Score: 26 Votes (Like | Disagree)
airwalk331 Avatar
31 months ago
Apple lost their touch. You can't trust any OS update. It's all, literal, crap : (
Score: 22 Votes (Like | Disagree)
TonyC28 Avatar
31 months ago

And yet it is working just fine for me,
Is it possible… just hear me out…is it possible that even though things went well for you they may not have for others? Could there maybe be a reason Apple yanked the update and had to issue this? Just…is it possible…?
Score: 21 Votes (Like | Disagree)
haruhiko Avatar
31 months ago
Upgrading the architecture is an absolute mess. First the shared user disappeared and couldn’t accept the invitation, then after a few reboot of home hubs the user was finally added to the home with all sorts of problems. After that the HomeKit secure video failed to record anything, after another round of rebooting home hubs, the recording is still not back now.

I’m about to give up HomeKit. It’s an absolute garbage.
Score: 12 Votes (Like | Disagree)
Burger Thing Avatar
31 months ago

And yet it is working just fine for me, I installed from the beta. But hey, I did figure out that:
1) HomePods had to run completely new versions of software. As with all new versions I added them to home via a reset. I mean how else would you do that they had to be removed from other homes on old architecture first. So your HomePod is about to reset continue holding until you hear three beeps
2) only other accessories were appletvs they added just fine

So ok this is an oversimplified case as I have no other Matter accessories. But if I did, I would guess that they had to be updated and reset as well
No offense but this all seems like common sense. Of course I wish installation was more Apple like. This kind of reminded me of windows and why I ditched it
No offence, but I have the slight impression that with your few HomePods and one Apple TV as your only accessory, you have absolutely no idea how complex home automation can grow.

And with “complex” I mean also its maintenance, updates and troubleshooting of multiple hubs, accessories of different manufacturers.
Score: 12 Votes (Like | Disagree)
alexhardaker Avatar
31 months ago
Apple’s software quality has been going downhill ever since they fired Forstall 10 years ago
Score: 9 Votes (Like | Disagree)