Whether you are seeing a No Response error can’t add an accessory to the Home app or the Home app is not working on iPhone after iOS 17 update, here’s the troubleshooting guide to fix the issue.
The Apple Home app lets you control HomeKit accessories from an iPhone (or iPad). HomeKit accessories are things such as lights, thermostats, and locks that you deploy around your home. Apple’s HomeKit software framework enables you to connect, manage, and automate these HomeKit accessories from the Home app. If Home app is not working on your iPhone after iOS 17 update, check out the troubleshooting steps below to fix the issue.
Before you start troubleshooting
- Make sure bluetooth is turned on. Go to Settings > Bluetooth.
- Make sure that your iPhone previously added accessories, and home hubs are on the same Wi-Fi network.
- Make sure that your iPhone is signed into your iCloud account. You can do this by simply going into the Settings app and checking to see if your name is at the top.
14 Ways to Fix Home App Not Working in iOS 17 on iPhone
1. Make Sure Your Accessory Supports HomeKit
If you are trying to use home automation accessory, first make sure it has “Works with Apple HomeKit” badge. This indicates that you can connect and control the accessory with your Home app. Devices that work with HomeKit include speakers, lights, switches, outlets, thermostats, windows, fans, air conditioners, humidifiers, air purifiers, sensors, security devices, locks, cameras, doorbells, garage doors, and sprinklers, among others.
Some devices require an additional bridge in order to work with HomeKit. For example, to connect and control the widely available and popular Philips Hue lights, you need the Philips Hue Bridge. The bridge connects to your network with an Ethernet cable and accepts HomeKit commands, which it then relays to connect Philips Hue devices.
In some cases, you use a manufacturer’s app to add an accessory. Once you’ve added a Hue light bulb in the Hue app, for example, the app syncs information about the light with the Home app.
Check the accessory’s manual to see if it needs additional hardware to work with HomeKit.
2. Close And Reopen The Home App
Sometimes small glitches with the Home app can prevent it from connecting to the internet, and when that happens, it won’t work at all. The first thing to try is to close the Home app and open it again.
To close the Home app, double-click the Home Button on your iPhone to open the app switcher. If your iPhone doesn’t have a Home button, swipe up from the very bottom to the center of the screen. Hold your finger in the center of the screen until the app switcher opens.
You can swipe back and forth to see all the apps that are open on your iPhone. When you find Home, use your finger to swipe it off the top of the screen. It’s not a bad idea to close all of the apps, just in case a different one has crashed.
3. Make sure that your accessory is powered on and nearby
If you are trying to add an accessory to the Home app on your iPhone, make sure that your accessory is powered on and nearby.
To add a device, open your Home app and tap in the upper right corner, then tap Add accessory. Point your iPhone (or iPad) camera at the HomeKit setup code, which is typically either on the accessory, on the accessory’s box, or on included documentation.
4. Restart Your iPhone and Accessory
If the Home app is still not working after trying the above step, the next thing to do is restart your iPhone and accessory, which can occasionally resolve minor software glitches or bugs. To restart your iPhone, press and hold the power button (also known as the Sleep / Wake button) until the power slider shows up on the screen.
If your iPhone has Face ID, simultaneously press and hold the side button and either volume button. Release both buttons when “slide to power off” shows up on the screen.
Drag the power icon from left to right to shut down your iPhone.
Wait about 20 seconds, then press and hold the power or side button again until the Apple logo shows up on the center of the screen.
If your accessory won’t pair, just give it a nice reboot, sometimes nothing works better than a good ol’ power cycle. Most accessories will detail the reset process.
Rebooting a HomeKit accessory usually requires unplugging it from the wall or removing its batteries. You can also use the associated app if it is connected to your home network and if the app can see it.
Rebooting an Apple TV requires unplugging it, using the on-device menus, or using a combination of buttons on the Siri remote.
For the HomePod, you can simply unplug it from the power sourse.
5. Check Apple’s System Status Page
It’s possible the Home app isn’t working in iOS 17 on iPhone because of an issue with Apple’s servers. Check out Apple’s System Status page and make sure the dots are green, particularly the one next to Home.
If this dot or many others aren’t green, Apple is experiencing some issues and there’s nothing wrong with your iPhone. Apple usually resolves these issues pretty quickly, so your best bet is to be patient and try using the Home app later.
6. Turn Wi-Fi Off And Back On
Sometimes, the Home app may stop working because of an issue with your iPhone’s connection to Wi-Fi. Just like restarting your iPhone, turning Wi-Fi off and back on can sometimes fix minor connectivity bugs or glitches.
To turn Wi-Fi off, start the Settings app on your iPhone and tap Wi-Fi, then tap the switch next to Wi-Fi. You’ll know Wi-Fi is off when the switch is gray. To turn Wi-Fi back on, tap the switch again — you’ll know it’s on when it’s green!
7. Forget Your Wi-Fi Network, Then Reconnect
If Home app is still not working on your iPhone, it’s time to try a more in-depth Wi-Fi troubleshooting. Simply forget your Wi-Fi network, then reconnect your iPhone to it. When you connect to a Wi-Fi network for the very first time, your iPhone stores information about how to connect to that Wi-Fi network.
If any part of that process changes, it may affect your iPhone’s ability to connect to the Wi-Fi network. By forgetting the network and reconnecting, it’ll be like connecting your iPhone to the Wi-Fi network for the very first time.
To forget a Wi-Fi network, start the Settings app on your iPhone and go to Wi-Fi. Now tap the Information button (look for the blue i) next to the Wi-Fi network you want your iPhone to forget. Then, tap Forget This Network > Forget.
To reconnect to the Wi-Fi network, tap on it in the list of networks under Choose A Network… and enter the Wi-Fi password, if the network has one.
8. Update Your iPhone
Updating your iPhone could potentially fix a software issue preventing the Home app from working properly. Start the Settings app on your iPhone and tap General > Software Update. Tap Download and Install or Install Now if an update is available.
After updating your iPhone, open the Home app and see if the problem is fixed. Move onto the next step if the Home app is still not working.
9. Sign In With the Same Apple ID
To use and manage your home in the Home app on all of your devices, sign in to iCloud with your Apple ID on every device. Then turn on iCloud Keychain and Home in iCloud Settings.
10. Add the Accessory to Your Home Using the Accessory’s App
If you’re having trouble getting Apple’s Home app to add your accessory, try adding the accessory to your Home using the accessory’s app.
Often, you need to install the manufacturer’s app to get the most out of an accessory, since it typically offers additional data and/or controls. For example, in the Home app, the Eve Degree connected weather station device displays the current temperature and humidity. However, the Eve for HomeKit app tracks and displays temperature, humidity, and air pressure data over time. Similarly, the Philips Hue app offers several preset lighting configurations, as well as the ability to apply lighting settings to devices in a room quickly. The app also serves as a way to update Hue device firmware.
Third-party apps often sync data with the Home app. You can use the Hue app to add a new light and add that light to your "Living Room" setup. The app can sync those settings with your HomeKit configuration, so that the light appears in the correct Room and with the correct status in the Home app, as well.
11. Getting the ‘No Response HomeKit’ error on your iPhone?
Sometimes, a HomeKit accessory may show the No Response message even though it is connected to your home network. To narrow it down to either an accessory issue or a Home app issue, you can check the device-specific app for your accessory to see if you can control it from there. If you can, then you can turn your attention to troubleshooting HomeKit.
Suppose your accessory is available in another HomeKit app. In that case, you can check for firmware updates that may address the problem or refer to HomeKit-specific steps provided by the manufacturer.
when you are not home, you may need a HomeKit hub. HomeKit hubs bridge the gap between the accessory and the internet, allowing you to access your gear while out and about while also letting you create scenes and automation.
There are currently three HomeKit hubs available: the Apple TV (4th generation or later), HomePod, and HomePod mini. HomeKit hubs, even on standby, will handle all of the connections in the background automatically when you sign into your iCloud account during the setup process for the device.
If you already have one of these devices in your home, you can check their HomeKit status in the Home app on iOS. An active HomeKit hub will be displayed as Connected in the Home app, and if you have other hubs in the home, they will show as Standby.
If your hub isn’t showing Connected or displayed at all, you will have to enable it on that specific device.
12. Reset Network Settings
If the Home app is still not working on your iPhone after iOS 17 update, try resetting the network settings. If the issue is related to the network, resetting the network settings can get rid of it.
Start the Settings app on your iPhone and go to General > Transfer or Reset iPhone > Reset > Reset Network Settings and then confirm your action.
13. If an alert says that the accessory was already added
If an alert says that the accessory was already added to your home, or the accessory was previously used in another home, you may need to reset the accessory. When resetting an accessory, it will revert to the original settings, removing it from HomeKit and your home network. This process varies, but typical methods include holding a button on the device for a few seconds or removing it from the manufacturer’s app. Once reset, you will need to add it to your network.
14. Delete and Reinstall Home App
Yet to resolve the problem of Home app not working on iPhone after iOS 17 update? Fret not! Now, we will completely delete the Home app and re-install it. Once you delete an app, it removes the associated data, and after reinstalling, everything starts afresh. Since the Home app is not working on your iPhone, let us try this solution as well.
Press on the Home app icon from the Home screen and tap on Remove App > Delete App > Delete.
Now, press on the App Store icon, and tap on Search. Type ‘Home‘ and tap on the redownload icon.
Once the download completes, open the Home app and check if it’s working.
Fixed Home App Not Working in iOS 17 on iPhone Issue
You’ve successfully fixed Home app on your iPhone and you can now use the app to securely control and automate HomeKit and Matter-enabled accessories, such as lights, smart TVs, and thermostats. Next time Home app is not working on your iPhone after iOS update, make sure to come back to this article for the fix! If you have any other questions, feel free to leave them down below in the comments section.