In summary:
- Apple is mandating users upgrade to its new Home architecture by February 10, 2026, or risk losing control of HomeKit-connected smart devices and automations.
- PCWorld reports the updated system no longer supports iPads as home hubs, requiring an Apple TV 4K ($129+) or HomePod ($99) instead.
- Despite initial rollout problems in 2022, the re-released architecture since iOS 16.4 promises improved reliability and efficiency for smart home management.
Well, this is it: After a series of delays, Apple is finally nixing support for its old Home architecture, meaning those still relying on the previous version of Apple’s Home framework have some decisions to make—quickly.
The moment of truth arrives February 10, 2026, less than a week away.
If you don’t update, you face “interruptions with your accessories and automations,” Apple warns in a support article. In other words, you may lose control of your Apple HomeKit-connected smart devices.
Up until now, the new Home architecture has remained optional, meaning that Apple Home users who were either still using an iPad as their home hub or simply leery of making the switch could stick with the old framework.
But Apple announced last year that it would finally pull the plug on the old Apple Home app, first giving a fall 2025 deadline before settling on the new cutoff date of February 10, 2026. If you don’t jump ship on the legacy Home architecture, you’ll be locked out of your smart home.
So if you’re still using the old Apple Home app, here’s what you need to do before Apple finally drops support.
Make a home hub decision
Still using your iPad as a home hub? As I previously mentioned, the new Apple Home architecture only allows an Apple TV 4K or a HomePod (either the full-sized HomePod or a HomePod mini) to act as a home hub. That means you’ll need to make some tough decisions.
One option is simply to not use a home hub in your Apple Home setup. You’d still be able to control your HomeKit devices while you’re at home, but without a home hub, you’ll lose out-of-home control, and you also won’t be able to share Apple Home control with others or set up Home automations.
The other option is to cough up for a new home hub device. The cheapest way to go is a HomePod mini, which retails for $99 (discounts are relatively rare, but you can occasionally find one in the $80 ballpark). The full-size HomePod costs a lofty $299 but offers upgraded audio performance.
Meanwhile, a new Apple TV 4K starts at $129 for 64GB of storage, while a $149 model doubles the storage to 128GB while adding an ethernet port.
Update your Apple devices
Next, you’ll need to update your iPhone, iPad, Mac, Apple TV, HomePod, and Apple Watch to at least iOS 16.2. Any apple devices that aren’t updated to iOS 16.2 or better will lose access to an Apple Home environment that’s using the new architecture.
Also, keep in mind that anyone else who wants access to your Apple Home devices will need to update their devices, too.
Update the Apple Home app
Finally, the last step. Open the Home app, tap the More button in the top-right corner (it’s the small circular one with three dots in the middle), tap Home Settings, then Software Update.
Follow the prompts, and voilà—you’ve updated the Home app, meaning you Apple Home is now running on the new architecture. Congrats, and good luck.
The 411 on the Apple Home upgrade
Apple’s move to ditch its old Home app has been a long time in coming. The new Apple Home architecture made its debut back in December 2022, bringing with it the promise of “more reliable and efficient” operation of HomeKit-compatible smart home products.
The new Home architecture also landed with a key change—namely, that you could no longer use an iPad as your “home hub.” Instead, you had to switch either to an Apple TV 4K or a HomePod. That’s a key reason why many Apple Home users never switched to the new Home architecture.
Another reason many Home users hesitated to switch was that the transition to the “new” Home architecture was a rocky one. As soon as the revamped architecture arrived as part of iOS 16.2, Home users began reporting a variety of problems, including frozen home hubs and HomeKit devices stuck in an “Updating status” loop.
Apple ultimately pulled the new Home architecture for retooling, before finally reintroducing it in February 2023 with the release of iOS 16.4. I’ve been using the new architecture since its re-release and haven’t had any serious issues.
This news story is part of TechHive’s in-depth coverage of the best smart speakers.
Author: Ben Patterson, Senior Writer, PCWorld
Ben has been writing about consumer technology for more than 20 years, and now focuses his reporting on AI as it relates to the basic human experience. His coverage of artificial intelligence interrogates the latest LLMs, and how they can be used at work and at home to be best prepared for the AI revolution. “AI is going to change our lives sooner than we think,” Ben writes. “Our best way to adapt is by using it every day.” Ben has been a PCWorld author since 2014, and has covered everything from laptops to security cameras before launching PCWorld’s AI beat. Ben's articles have also appeared in PC Magazine, TIME, Wired, CNET, Men's Fitness, Mobile Magazine, and more. Ben holds a master's degree in English literature.