HomePod/HomeKit Turning On Wrong Lights In Automation

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Level 1

4 points

HomePod/HomeKit Turning On Wrong Lights In Automation

I'm running iOS 26.1. My Wemo smart plugs are not supported after January. To slowly convert to Thread and new devices I purchased and added a HomePod mini to my system. Now there is a problem with the previously set automations in HomeKit. For example, I have my living room/kitchen lights turn on at 5:30 AM. After adding the HomePod, the automation turns on my bedroom lights at 5:30 AM as well. Not good. It also turns lights off when they should not. I deleted the automations and started over, to no avail. I relabeled devices "Lamp" rather than "light" to see if that would help. I unplugged the HomePod. I am at a loss as to what to try next. Any ideas, anyone?

HomePod mini

Posted on Dec 11, 2025 10:40 AM

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Answer 1

Top-ranking reply

Vancouver22

Level 8

37,616 points

Dec 14, 2025 12:25 PM in response to Kron Dos

What were you using as the Home Hub prior to this? Please first update the new HomePod to 26.2 You can select the preferred Hub in the Home App Home settings.

Tap on the three dots … at the top - Home Settings - Hubs & Bridges - select the one you or ever or used prior. In my case I’m using an Apple TV. More instructions below, under the image

update all other Apple device software, including the new HomePod to 26.2

Restart each device after this.

Then delete these automations again and create new.

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Answer 2

Kron Dos Author

Level 1

4 points

Dec 14, 2025 12:46 PM in response to Vancouver22

Thanks, but that was not the issue. Apple HomeKit prioritizes the Matter/Thread HomePod over the TV’s when set to automatic in iOS 26.2. I isolated the problem to automation involving lights that were on a Lutron Caseta bridge. Using Chat GPT I tried several solutions, but at the end I had to delete my entire home from HomeKit and start over. That solution appears to have worked. There is a conflict between Luton and Apple that, according to Chat GPT, corrupts HomeKit, resulting in misread execution of automations. It happens when adding a Matter/Thread device to the system. I’m switching to Thread as I have numerous Wemo “smart” plugs that will no longer be supported in 2026. So, the first step was adding the HomePod which is Matter over Thread. Little did I know I was in for several hours of reconfiguration.

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