Apple Gives Final Warning to Home App Users

In 2022, Apple introduced a new Apple Home architecture that is "more reliable and efficient," and the deadline to upgrade and avoid issues is fast approaching.

iOS 26 Home Feature
In an email this week, Apple gave customers a final reminder to upgrade their Home app by February 10, 2026. Apple says users who do not upgrade may experience issues with accessories and automations, or lose access to their smart home in the app entirely. In addition, users who do not upgrade will miss out on newer features like robot vacuum cleaner support, and they will not receive important security fixes and performance improvements.

Apple explains how to upgrade the Home app on the iPhone, iPad, or Mac:

  • Open the Home app
  • Tap or click on the three dots in the upper-right and navigate to Home Settings
  • Tap or click on Software Update
  • Tap or click Update Now, then follow the prompts. All of the homes that you own are updated at the same time.

If you see "This home and all accessories are up to date," then you are on the current version of the app and no further action is required.

Notably, the new version of Apple Home requires a minimum of iOS 16.2, iPadOS 16.2, macOS 13.1, tvOS 16.2, and watchOS 9.2.

Popular Stories

Aston Martin CarPlay Ultra Screen

Apple's CarPlay Ultra to Expand to These Vehicle Brands Later This Year

Sunday February 1, 2026 10:08 am PST by
Last year, Apple launched CarPlay Ultra, the long-awaited next-generation version of its CarPlay software system for vehicles. Nearly nine months later, CarPlay Ultra is still limited to Aston Martin's latest luxury vehicles, but that should change fairly soon. In May 2025, Apple said many other vehicle brands planned to offer CarPlay Ultra, including Hyundai, Kia, and Genesis. In his Powe...
Apple Logo Black

Apple Just Made Its Second-Biggest Acquisition Ever After Beats

Thursday January 29, 2026 10:07 am PST by
Apple today confirmed to Reuters that it has acquired Q.ai, an Israeli startup that is working on artificial intelligence technology for audio. Apple paid close to $2 billion for Q.ai, according to sources cited by the Financial Times. That would make this Apple's second-biggest acquisition ever, after it paid $3 billion for the popular headphone and audio brand Beats in 2014. Q.ai has...
Apple Logo Black

Apple's Next Launch is 'Imminent'

Sunday February 1, 2026 12:31 pm PST by
The calendar has turned to February, and a new report indicates that Apple's next product launch is "imminent," in the form of new MacBook Pro models. "All signs point to an imminent launch of next-generation MacBook Pros that retain the current form factor but deliver faster chips," Bloomberg's Mark Gurman said on Sunday. "I'm told the new models — code-named J714 and J716 — are slated...
14 inch MacBook Pro Keyboard

Apple Changes How You Order a Mac

Saturday January 31, 2026 10:51 am PST by
Apple recently updated its online store with a new ordering process for Macs, including the MacBook Air, MacBook Pro, iMac, Mac mini, Mac Studio, and Mac Pro. There used to be a handful of standard configurations available for each Mac, but now you must configure a Mac entirely from scratch on a feature-by-feature basis. In other words, ordering a new Mac now works much like ordering an...
Apple MacBook Pro M4 hero

New MacBook Pros Reportedly Launching Alongside macOS 26.3

Sunday February 1, 2026 5:42 am PST by
Apple is planning to launch new MacBook Pro models with M5 Pro and M5 Max chips alongside macOS 26.3, according to Bloomberg's Mark Gurman. "Apple's faster MacBook Pros are planned for the macOS 26.3 release cycle," wrote Gurman, in his Power On newsletter today. "I'm told the new models — code-named J714 and J716 — are slated for the macOS 26.3 software cycle, which runs from...

Top Rated Comments

BigBlur Avatar
4 hours ago at 09:40 am

Bro how has everyone not updated their home yet... And why can't it be automatic?
You've asked this before in a previous article and got answers. It's because it has breaking changes if you're using older Apple devices or software that don't support the new architecture.
Score: 9 Votes (Like | Disagree)
diego.caraballo Avatar
4 hours ago at 09:08 am
"...may experience issues with accessories and automations..."
Business as usual, Apple.
Score: 8 Votes (Like | Disagree)
k1121j Avatar
3 hours ago at 10:05 am

Apple sucks, my iPod touch cannot even use the home app…
My Model-T doesn’t have adaptive cruise control either.
Score: 5 Votes (Like | Disagree)
TFrank2 Avatar
4 hours ago at 08:58 am
Now if only Apple could release new home focused products…
Score: 5 Votes (Like | Disagree)
FreakinEurekan Avatar
4 hours ago at 09:23 am

Bro how has everyone not updated their home yet... And why can't it be automatic?
It is automatic, but some people have specifically avoided doing it.
Score: 5 Votes (Like | Disagree)
KENESS Avatar
4 hours ago at 09:23 am

I wonder if its because of the two home app architectures thats impacting it.
I doubt it. Devices and the underlying HomeKit architecture are two different things. The device doesn't "know" anything about HomeKit architecture v1 and v2, and which one it is running on. The underlying architecture this upgrade is referring to is more about how HomeKit queries devices for their status.

With the original architecture, the HomeKit client app (usually the Home app on your phone, or on your Mac, but can be any app that interacts with HomeKit) was in charge itself of maintain the current status of all devices when it was open or being interacted with. So when you opened it, or brought it to the foreground after a while, it needed to query the status from every single one of your HomeKit devices. Some are quicker to respond than others, and this could be rather slow sometimes, especially for larger homes. It could also get hung up significantly if there was a non-responding device.

The new architecture removed this from the Home app's responsibility and now a Home Hub (Home Pod, AppleTV) continuously maintains the current status of all devices itself, and when the Home app is opened or refreshed, it then only needs to look to that Home Hub and it sends the status for ALL devices in one big schwoomp.

That's really the bulk of what this "HomeKit upgrade" was all about. And although there were some kinks originally, it really was a MASSIVE improvement in speed and responsiveness and reliability.
Score: 4 Votes (Like | Disagree)