Apple will kill off the old HomeKit device tomorrow

If you haven’t updated to the new Apple Home yet, your smart home devices may not work in the Home app on your iPhone, iPad, Mac, or Apple Watch starting tomorrow. And on February 10, 2026, Apple will do just that Ending support for the native HomeKit architecture.

Anyone still using the iPad as their device will feel the biggest impact of the change Apple Home Center (Which allows you to control devices remotely and create automations).

In the new Apple Home, iPads are no longer supported as hubs. You’ll need a HomePod or Apple TV for this role. The new build also requires your phone and any devices connected to your home to be running iOS 16.2 or later (or macOS 13.1/watchOS 9.2 or later).

The new Apple Home architecture It was fully launched with iOS 16.4 In 2023, it was a comprehensive rebuild of the platform. It brings more performance and reliability, according to Apple, along with support for Matter, the new smart home standard that Apple helped develop and which HomeKit contributed as a foundation.

The upgrade has been optional since the launch of the new platform, but Apple announced last year that it would phase out the old HomeKit architecture by the end of 2025. That deadline was It was later pushed backBut it has arrived now.