HomeKit broken after iOS18 update

Since updating my AppleTV's, HomePods (and minis) and iOS devices to iOS18, I get an error saying none of my hubs will connect, and thus HomeKit is essentially dead and useless. I've tried removing the hubs and re-adding them, but now I get errors on my iPhone or iPad saying the devices couldn't be setup.

I went so far as to setup a separate network with a different router and started a new home, and trying to add a factory reset HomePod mini, and I'm getting a failed setup error. I genuinely don't know what else to try, as this pretty much checks off all of Apple's support issues. (Restarting iPhones/iPads used for setup, rebooting routers, starting from scratch, etc etc...)

Any other suggestions out there?

Posted on Sep 23, 2024 5:56 AM

Top-ranking reply

requiem240sx

Level 1

8 points

Posted on Jan 6, 2025 10:25 PM

I've had a very reliable setup for several years, noticed many issues around the time updated iOS 18.

1) ATV via Ethernet has always been the best standard for a reliable thread network on HomeKit. 18 released the ability to prefer a hub, but prior to this I had my HomePods on smart switches power cycling nightly to insure they were ALWAYS on and ethernet Apple TV's. the Apple TV has a much more powerful CPU, and that seems to be required with larger or more complex setups. I suspect when people unplug the Ethernet (or plug it in) it is simply loosing the hub and causing it to rebuild the thread network from scratch which resolves any issues.

2) I've noticed that the iOS version and updates are very temperamental after updating to 18. If ANY device is outdated (iPhone, mac, Apple TV, iPad, HomePod etc..) then I've noticed constant issues. Another thing I've seen is that the hub will prefer (if on auto select hub) the latest updated hub over any other hub. This also explains why people are getting a new phone, Mac, Apple TV etc... and it "fixes" it, I'm guessing it simply received the latest update. I don't know why they can't have different versions, but this has fixed it for me 3 times now, then rebuild the thread network and I'm back until the next update.

2 things I to try that should recover the your thread network.

1) update all your devices

2) In home app > home settings > home hubs & bridges, change the hub to different hub (or power cycle the current hub) to trigger a rebuild of the thread network. Give it 10 min, but can be up to a full hr to complete. For anything not responding after 1hr, you power cycle that specific device(s) they should all add back in fine.

PS, for those with Nanoleaf products. I've done extensive research. They are complete crap now, my old thread only bulbs still work great but any of the new "matter" devices are awful and can even mess up OTHER devices on my your thread network. A few tips for Nanoleaf stuff...

You can use them in the Nanoleaf app (without matter integration) OR you can add in home app and not complete the setup in Nanoleaf app. But if you try to let both home app AND Nanoleaf app have full control of the bulbs at the same time, they will wreck your network. So either choose limited features home app, or choose Nanoleaf and loose the ability to use voice commands/automations app control.
If you can't adopt, you may need to hard reset them. Turn them on/off 5 times for bulbs, hold power for light strips etc.. should blink several times red and reset. If you see device is already there, the ID is 3 characters and likely matches an existing IS, turning off the other bulb or device with the same ID while setting it up will work, but note those devices will likely get lose and mixed up.

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36 replies

Dec 18, 2024 5:09 PM in response to Jaae

We updated one phone to iOS 18 and left the other one iOS 17. On the iOS 17 device everything was fine but the iOS 18 device has some of the HomeKit items disappear. I fixed it by turning off the “Automatic Selection” for the active home, which was one of our HomePod minis and simply switched it to a different HomePod mini manually, and everything showed back up

Oct 11, 2024 7:49 AM in response to ramesesfromcoral gables

In my case I had to deal with Apple support directly and they fixed something on their end.

Dwwme

Level 1

8 points

Mar 20, 2025 9:35 PM in response to Questionable Sanity

Simple fix is to add new room and re-add devices, then delete original room. No idea why, though. Some issue with the update?

Nov 6, 2024 3:16 PM in response to Questionable Sanity

Well, something is deeply wrong with HomeKit after the 18/18.1 update. I have been fighting for days to add new HomePods and Nanoleaf bulbs, but the Home app simply won’t properly update and control anything. Rebooted every device and reset WiFi, bulbs, pods, etc.

The one certain bug I found is that HomePods will not join WiFi networks with a ”-“ in their names.

But I’ve now abandoned Home entirely, and reverted to Hue lights and the Hue app, which pretty much works normally.

Of course, I can’t add the Hue bridge to the HomeKit network, either.

Shame, Apple, for screwing up one of the best and most useful apps on the phone.

Dagwood

Level 1

4 points

Nov 22, 2024 11:40 AM in response to JoeKnowz

Try deleting your home and then add it back.

Oct 3, 2024 6:03 AM in response to thermatoga

@thermatoga If you have multiple hubs, (like a HomePod mini) try resetting one to factory settings, and re-adding it. If it fails during setup, see where it fails. If it's failing at iCloud setup, then reach out to apple for help, you may have an issue with your iCloud account.

Nov 12, 2024 6:21 AM in response to mrgool

I was in the exact same scenario. Woke up one morning and none of my Matter devices were responding. Rebooted devices, hubs, routers. I spent hours trying to troubleshoot and the solution was to start a new home from scratch and rebuild the whole thing. I haven't had another Matter problem yet, but I did have to reboot my Apple TV this morning because one non-Matter smart plug stopped responding.

jay920r

Level 1

14 points

Nov 28, 2024 1:48 AM in response to osmang

I had the same issue. I kept getting an error saying the accessory couldn’t be found when trying to add the hue bridge to HomeKit from the hue app. What worked for me was adding the bridge from the home app by scanning the code on the back of the bridge after pressing the round button on top of the bridge.

Hope this works for you too!

iOS—18

Level 1

14 points

Sep 28, 2024 2:49 AM in response to Questionable Sanity

This sounds like iOS 18 bug. My HomeKit works but is slow and constantly updating. I’d wait till they release 18.1 which will be in October, hopefully sooner than later. Fingers crossed it fixes all the HomeKit issues

Dec 15, 2024 8:53 PM in response to Questionable Sanity

i experienced a little of all of this or all of this - can’t keep track.

Updates took place (HomePod Minis, AppleTVs, iDevice Switches, Nanoleaf bulbs)

here we are at 18.2…

Things seem cool all around EXCEPT NANOLEAF

Current message is “device is already connected to a Home” so I deleted the devices and tried to reinstall

fail

downloaded Nanoleaf app and updated each of the four bulbs through their app.

tried again

failed again

same message

ATTEMPT:

created a new Home (Home 2), hoping to add bulbs to that Home (Home 2) before transferring them to my original Home.

nope! Fail again - same message: Already connected to a home.

ATTEMPT:

tried to delete them from the Nanoleaf app, to eliminate confusion.

nope! Failed again - same message.

still sitting on four Nanoleaf bulbs that WILL NOT CONNECT TO HOME.

Feb 26, 2025 3:49 PM in response to Steven Young2

I have the same problem. Rather than unplugging ethernet, I have removed the Apple TV from the Room it was assigned in HomeKit settings. I am on TVOS 18.4

Nov 12, 2024 8:54 AM in response to Questionable Sanity

**Update** I decided to get the iPhone 16 pro and replace my 15 Pro Max... after doing this, HomeKit was up a running as it had before. So... not sure what the issue was but it's very frustrating that as users, we can't get a fix from the Apple.

osmang

Level 1

18 points

Nov 13, 2024 11:20 AM in response to jamesclarked

I have the exact same issue with my hue bridge. I saw some people said the opposite lol. They connected ethernet to their apple tv and it worked. So I was using wifi, connected ethernet nothing changed. I am literally digging down every single post I can here and reddit and nothing works. I still cannot add it to my apple home. So frustrating.

Dec 21, 2024 8:26 PM in response to jpimentel82

Very much the same problem for me. Even after I got Nanoleaf products apparently recognized by HomeKit, within a day or two they disconnected and had to be re-scanned. I have to do this several times. I’ve simply removed them all.

Nanoleaf has got appallingly bad customer service: even when they do respond they plead ignorance to any problems. Finally, they will not process refunds even after acknowledging that you’ve asked for one. I’d really put them on the Junk list.

Oct 2, 2024 11:17 AM in response to iOS—18

I also have the same problem. I can control the devices by using “hey Siri” but buttons in HomeKit are useless. All say “updating” then eventually “no response”.

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HomeKit broken after iOS18 update