Feature Request: iOS Control Center & Lock Screen Controls for Homey
Summary
Homey should support Apple’s modern iOS Control Center Controls and Lock Screen Controls, similar to Apple Home.
This would allow users to add Homey devices, favorites, flows, Advanced Flows, scenes and dashboards directly to the iOS Control Center and Lock Screen for instant access.
Why this matters
Homey is often the central smart home platform, but on iPhone it currently requires opening the Homey app before interacting with devices, flows or dashboards.
Apple Home offers a much faster and more convenient experience through Control Center and Lock Screen integration.
Adding native iOS controls would significantly improve accessibility, convenience and everyday usability.
For many users, quick access to frequently used automations is one of the most important aspects of a smart home system.
Control Center Integration
Users should be able to add Homey actions directly to the iOS Control Center.
Examples include:
- Individual devices
- Favorite devices
- Homey Flows
- Homey Advanced Flows
- Homey Scenes
- Alarm modes
- Homey Dashboards
Example actions:
- Open garage door
- Toggle alarm
- Activate night mode
- Turn off all lights
- Open gate
- Run arrival or departure flows
This would allow users to interact with their smart home in a much faster and more intuitive way.
Lock Screen Controls
Users should be able to place Homey actions directly on the iPhone Lock Screen.
Examples:
- Open a specific Homey Dashboard
- Open a security dashboard
- Open a camera overview
- Toggle alarm mode
- Activate a panic button
- Run predefined flows
This would provide instant access without unlocking the device and navigating through multiple screens.
Homey-Specific Opportunities
Unlike Apple Home, Homey has extremely powerful Flow and Advanced Flow capabilities.
Control Center and Lock Screen integration could therefore go beyond simple device control and allow users to:
- Run Flows
- Run Advanced Flows
- Activate Modes
- Trigger Security Actions
- Open specific Dashboards
- Execute custom automations
This would be a major differentiator compared to other smart home platforms.
Practical Examples
Security
- Arm alarm
- Disarm alarm
- Open camera dashboard
- Activate panic mode
Home Automation
- Activate night mode
- Activate away mode
- Turn off all lights
- Open garage door
Media
- Start entertainment scene
- Activate cinema mode
- Launch specific Homey flows
Dashboards
- Open home dashboard
- Open security dashboard
- Open energy dashboard
- Open camera dashboard
Technical Feasibility
Apple already provides the required APIs through:
- Control Center Controls
- Lock Screen Controls
- App Intents
- Action Button Integration
These APIs are already used by many third-party applications and appear to fit well with Homey’s architecture.
Expected Result
Homey users can access their most important automations, devices and dashboards directly from:
- iOS Control Center
- Lock Screen
- Action Button (where supported)
without having to open the Homey app first.
This would make Homey feel like a first-class smart home platform on iPhone and provide a significantly better user experience for iOS users.
Example Use Cases
A user arrives home and opens the garage door directly from Control Center.
A user arms or disarms the alarm system from the Lock Screen.
A user opens the Homey camera dashboard with a single tap.
A user runs an Advanced Flow without opening the Homey app.
All of these actions would become significantly faster, more accessible and more convenient through native iOS integration.
