Does Ring Work With Apple HomeKit?
Ring Video Doorbells have become a global hit, with the ability to boost home security for a relatively affordable price. Ring doorbells, along with other Ring devices, can be connected to Alexa and Google Home, but where does Apple HomeKit fit? Can you connect Ring to Apple HomeKit, and if so, how is it done?
Can Ring and Apple HomeKit Work Together?
Unfortunately, Ring does not support Apple HomeKit. Over the past few years, Ring has announced plans to add HomeKit support to its popular doorbells multiple times. But currently, there is no compatibility. There is a high demand for Ring-HomeKit integration. In the Ring Community hub, there are endless posts from users requesting this feature, but it still hasn't been released.
This means that linking HomeKit to Ring through Ring's native app is not possible. Though this may have been the easiest and most desired option by HomeKit users, there is an alternative way to connect one to the other.
To do this, you'll need to use an integration platform.
How to Connect Ring to Apple HomeKit
Smart home integration platforms (also known as smart home bridges) can prove invaluable when the provider of one smart device doesn't support another natively. After all, a smart home relies on interconnectivity, so having two or more devices that can't communicate can put up frustrating barriers. You may have already heard of or own the Philips Hue Bridge, and Homebridge and Scrypt work quite similarly.
To link Ring to Apple HomeKit, consider using Homebridge or Scrypted. Both of these platforms allow you to connect your HomeKit devices to your Ring doorbell, be it to access the app, use the two-way talk feature, or get snapshots of footage. You can also use one of these two platforms to link HomeKit to your Ring motion sensor, floodlight switch, and other devices.
Homebridge is generally the most popular option, and is entirely free to use. So long as one of your HomeKit or Ring devices can connect to Homebridge, you'll be able to use it to integrate one with the other.
You'll need to install the Homebridge server software on your computer to set it up with your Ring and HomeKit devices. You can also install Homebridge on your Raspberry Pi. However, you'll have to ensure your computer is always on for round-the-clock connectivity, which can waste a lot of electricity. The same goes for Scrypted.
Alternatively, you could try using the HOOBS plug-and-play hub. This device works similarly to Homebridge or Scrypted, but comes in hardware form, and is a hub rather than a bridge. In fact, HOOBS stands for Homebridge Out of the Box, and allows you to use the Homebridge software quickly and easily, without long set up times. This device doesn't take up much power, so is a less energy-dense option to running the Homebridge or Scrypted software.
Though Homebridge and Scrypted are free, the requirement to be run around the clock on a computer will likely result in you forking out more on your energy bill. What's more, keeping your computer on all the time can lead to overheating, degraded components, and a shorter lifespan overall.
You'll need to buy the HOOBS device in order to use it as a smart home hub, whereas Homebridge and Scrypted are software-based and therefore don't need a whole new device for use.
Regardless of which method you use, you'll need to install the Ring plugin to connect your Ring devices to Apple HomeKit. The process of doing so varies depending on your chosen method, but it is nonetheless an essential step.
You Can Connect Ring to Apple HomeKit
Though Ring doesn't offer native HomeKit integration, you can still use a hardware- or software-based smart home bridge or hub to achieve your goal of linking the two together. This way, you won't have to search for HomeKit or Ring alternatives to achieve the integrated smart home you desire.
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