iOS 18: Set default home hub

In iOS 18, Apple has rolled out a new feature that lets you pick which device you want to use as your Home Hub for managing HomeKit accessories. Here’s a quick rundown of how it works:

Default Setup

By default, iOS 18 uses an "Automatic Selection" mode to choose your Home Hub. This means your system will automatically pick the best device, like your Apple TV or HomePod, to serve as the main hub without you having to do anything.

New Manual Selection Option

Now, with iOS 18, you can manually choose your preferred Home Hub. This gives you more control over which device takes charge of your smart home setup.

Why Choose a Default Hub?

Disabling automatic selection in iOS 18 can make your smart home devices work more smoothly. By picking a specific hub that has a strong connection and is ideally placed, you can improve reliability and speed. Sometimes, automatic selection might choose a less ideal hub, which can cause slower responses or connection issues. Manually selecting the best hub for your setup can prevent these issues and boost overall performance.

How to Set a Default Home Hub in iOS 18:

1. Open the Apple Home app on your iPhone, iPad, or Mac.

2. Tap the "..." button at the top of your screen.

3. Choose Home Settings.

4. Scroll down and tap Home Hubs & Bridges.

5. Turn off the Automatic Selection option.

6. Now, you can pick your preferred hub from the list of devices.

This gives you control over which hub (like your Apple TV or HomePod) will be the main one, and the others will only take over if your chosen hub becomes unavailable.

Just a quick note—make sure all your devices are updated to iOS 18 and tvOS 18 for this feature to work. Some users have mentioned needing to restart their devices or wait a bit after updates for the option to show up in the app.

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If however you haven't upgraded to iOS 18 on your devices there is a way to manually set the Default Hub.

How to Set a Default Home Hub for Your Smart Home (Before iOS 18):

1. Open the Home app on your iPhone or iPad.

2. Tap the Home icon in the top-left corner.

3. Go to Home Settings.

4. Scroll down to Hubs & Bridges.

5. Here, you'll see a list of your Home Hubs, like HomePods, Apple TVs, or iPads that act as hubs for your smart home.

6. The Default Hub will show as "Connected," while the others will be marked as "Standby."

7. If you want to change the default hub, turn off or unplug the current one (e.g., turn off your Apple TV or unplug your HomePod). iOS will automatically switch to another available hub.

There’s no direct option to manually pick a default hub in earlier iOS versions, but iOS automatically picks the most reliable one for you, unfortunately this is not a permanent solution as the default status can swap over to another hub on its own accord.

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