13 Tips And Tricks For Smart Home Device Owners

Introduction

If you’re a smart home device owner, you’ve probably learned that they can be very useful—and also very invasive. And while there are plenty of guides out there on how to use your devices better, no one really talks about the downsides of being connected all the time. Here are 13 tips and tricks I’ve learned over the years as both a writer and user of smart home devices.

Make the most of your device’s native apps.

In addition to the smart home devices you’ve bought, there are also apps that come with them. These apps can be used in a variety of ways:

• To control your device. You can use the native app to control your device and its settings, such as scheduling lights and temperature adjustments.
• To get help with your device. If you have questions about how something works or want to troubleshoot an issue with one of your smart home devices, check out its native app first! The information provided by these apps is usually very helpful for getting started with new devices (and even veterans).
• For tips and tricks on using smart home gadgets effectively–and safely! These resources will help ensure that everyone in the family knows how best utilize all those fancy bells ‘n whistles so everyone stays happy at home for years to come

Use a smart wall switch or plug to control your lights.

A smart wall switch or plug is a good way to control your lights. You can buy a Philips Hue Smart Bulb and put it in any lamp, or use a WeMo Mini Smart Plug that you can connect with any lamp you already own.

Connect smart bulbs to your Amazon Echo or Google Home speaker.

If you have an Amazon Echo or Google Home speaker, then there’s a good chance that it’s already connected to your home’s Wi-Fi network. If not, it’s easy enough to set up–just follow the instructions on their respective websites and download the app if necessary. Once your speaker is connected to Wi-Fi, just say “Alexa” or “OK Google” followed by any command: “Turn off all lights,” for example (you can also use phrases like “dim living room lights”).

If you don’t have smart bulbs yet but want them throughout your house in order to control them with Alexa or Google Assistant voice commands, consider using a smart wall switch or plug instead of replacing each bulb individually with its own hub capability. This way all those switches will still work as usual when turned on manually instead of remotely via smartphone app; plus replacing one bulb takes less time than changing out every light fixture in an entire room!

If you already have some smart bulbs installed but are looking for ways to make better use of them beyond just turning them off/on remotely via smartphone app (which requires opening said app), consider using either 3rd party automation software like Stringify which includes native support for both Amazon Alexa & Google Assistant platforms so users can create custom scenes where multiple devices respond simultaneously (e.,g., dimming lights while lowering temperature by 5 degrees).

Set up routines or schedules for devices that you use frequently.

Routines are a great way to use smart devices to automate your home. Routines can be used to turn on lights at a certain time, or turn off devices after they have been idle for a certain amount of time. For example, if you want your living room lights to automatically turn on when the sun sets and then off again at sunrise each day, create an “automatic” routine that will run every evening at sunset (or whenever).

Adjust your smart thermostat’s temperature settings remotely.

• You can adjust your smart thermostat’s temperature settings remotely.
• From anywhere, you can turn on the heat or air conditioning with a few taps on your phone. This will help you save money because it means that there is no need for someone to be home in order for the heating and cooling system to turn on or off (and thus waste energy).
• You can set up a schedule for your thermostat so that it automatically turns itself off at night, which will also save money by reducing unnecessary use of electricity during hours when no one is home anyway.

Create custom scenes with dimmers and presets control multiple devices at once.

You can use scenes to control multiple devices at once. Scenes are preset configurations that you can set up for specific situations, such as when you’re going to bed or preparing for a party. For example, if your bedroom has a dimmer switch controlling the lights and another controlling its fan, creating a scene with both of these devices will allow them to turn on together without having to press any buttons other than the one used for setting up the scene (usually an app).

You can also create custom scenes by using presets control multiple devices at once–for example, if there’s an appliance like an air conditioner in one room but not another and you want both sets of controls linked together so turning something off turns everything else off as well; this is possible thanks to smart home devices’ ability to connect via Bluetooth or Wi-Fi networks which allows them all communicate with each other simultaneously.

Keep tabs on what’s going on in the house while you’re away.

If you’re going to be away from home for longer than a day, consider setting up a smart home monitoring system. That way, you can keep tabs on what’s going on in your house while you’re out of town — and get alerted when something happens. There are several options available: some involve installing cameras throughout the house; others use motion sensors or sound recognition software to detect movement; still others send notifications via smartphone app when certain events occur (like someone unlocking a door).

Some people also find that having an extra layer of security makes them feel more comfortable about leaving their homes unoccupied for extended periods of time. If this sounds like it might be helpful for you too, consider getting a smart security system instead! There are lots of different types out there — some come with built-in cameras that stream video feeds directly online; others require users set up their own surveillance system using external cameras and other devices such as doorbells or keypads; still others offer remote access via phone apps so homeowners can monitor their homes while traveling abroad without needing anyone else around while they’re gone (though we wouldn’t recommend doing this unless absolutely necessary).

Integrate all your smart devices into one app, like IFTTT or SmartThings Hub (for Samsung devices).

If you have a number of smart home devices, it can be helpful to integrate them into one app. This way, you can control all your devices from a single dashboard and see what’s happening with each one in real time.

If you’re looking for an app that will allow you to do this with ease, IFTTT (short for “if this then that”) is an excellent choice. It allows users to create automated actions between different apps or services–like turning on lights when motion is detected by your security camera, or syncing up music across multiple speakers in different rooms–with no programming experience required.

SmartThings Hub is another option worth considering if your home has Samsung products such as smart TVs or appliances; it allows users full access over their entire ecosystem via one interface (including voice commands) without having to download separate apps individually for each product category like Google Home does now with its own Assistant platform at launch day last year November 6th 2018.”

Turn off notifications from your devices when you don’t want them buzzing or beeping at you constantly.

You can turn off notifications from your devices, or you can set up a schedule for when you want them turned on and off. To do the latter, open the Alexa app and tap Settings > Notifications. Then select the device(s) whose notifications you want to change, tap “On” or “Off”, and then choose between Always On (the default), Never On, or Manual Control–which means that Alexa will only alert you when she thinks it’s necessary (such as when there’s an emergency).

Being an informed smart device owner can help you get more out of them!

Being an informed smart device owner can help you get more out of them!

• Know how to use the device’s native app. Each smart home device has its own app and they’re not all created equal. Some have more features than others, so it’s important that you know how to use yours effectively before getting started with any automation routines or schedules.
• Connect smart devices to a smart speaker. If you have an Alexa or Google Assistant-enabled speaker in your home then I highly recommend connecting all of your favorite smart devices so that they can be controlled without having to pick up another device like your phone or laptop (or even TV remote). You’ll find this especially helpful as part of a routine where certain lights turn on automatically when someone walks into a room–it makes things feel much more natural! Also consider using this sorta like “extra memory” when creating custom scenes…for example: Imagine being able to say “Alexa dim down my living room lights by 50{b49b303a7b364ea97526b80c05df49c778ed6cb5d57b8fb402e2f2bd6d1200d4}” instead of having two different commands (“Alexa turn off living room lights”) AND THEN another separate command (“Alexa dim down living room lights by 50{b49b303a7b364ea97526b80c05df49c778ed6cb5d57b8fb402e2f2bd6d1200d4}”).

Conclusion

Hopefully, this list has given you some new ideas for how to get more out of your smart home devices. If you’re looking to buy a new one, make sure to do some research first so that it will work well with your existing setup. And if you already own some devices but want to learn more about how they can be used–or just want some tips on how else they could improve your life–then check out our other articles on everything from security cameras and thermostats!