The SmartThings Blog

SmartThings unveils plans for future AI including ambient sensing technology and Gen AI  allowing users to customize their homes for a better life Samsung SmartThings has unveiled new AI technology at Unpacked, continuing the vision of “AI for All.” SmartThings aims to use this technology to simplify and enhance everyday life. The mission of SmartThings has always been to bridge the gap between cutting-edge technology and ease of use for consumers.  Our core tenets are security, ease of use, saving time and money, and care for your family. We understand that every household is unique, which is why we are introducing Home AI—a feature that gathers insights from everyday life to create personalized experiences to fit your needs, transforming your home into a smarter, more efficient space.  It’s about using technology to help you build your dream home, one that adapts to how you live and simplifies your daily routines. SmartThings Ambient Sensing SmartThings plans to use advanced sensor technology, like motion and sound sensor devices in your home, to recognize you and understand your daily activities like cooking, exercising, sleeping, etc. so your home can create the perfect environment for you.  This ambient sensing technology would enable your home to understand you and your surroundings to help you live a better life. It collects, integrates, and analyzes diverse data and securely stores it on your local home network.  These are a few examples of what this new technology can do : Human Detection and Activity Monitoring: SmartThings uses its sensors to detect activities like push-ups, sleeping, or even working at your desk. It can recommend better routines for your life, and build the best environment for the activity. Health Insight and Lifestyle Recommendations: SmartThings will provide real-time feedback to help you stay healthy. Been sitting too long? Expect a gentle reminder to get up and move. SmartThings aims to enhance your smart home experience by intelligently understanding and optimizing your routines. For example, when you’re exercising, SmartThings can detect which kind of exercise you’re doing, guide you on your form and provide the optimal exercise time for maximum results. After your workout, the sound and movement of drying your hair can be detected by sound sensing devices like the Music Frame, and will start the robot vacuum to clean up fallen hair from the floor. Or after a long day, all you might want to do is relax in your favorite chair. SmartThings makes it effortless. As you approach your favorite chair, SmartThings recognizes your presence, automatically dimming the lights, turning on your reading lamp, and adjusting the room to your perfect temperature. SmartThings’ new technology could even identify your miniature pinscher jumping onto the couch, activating the air purifier to remove allergens from the air.  Generative AI in Map View SmartThings will be equipped with Gen AI technology that enables a deeper understanding of your home’s unique layout and environment adding more personalization to your Map View.  Personalized Map View: You will be able to use your phone camera to capture images of objects like chairs, and other elements in your space so your Map View can match your style and space! Enhanced User Experience: This personalized map allows for more intuitive navigation and interaction within your smart home. For example, the system might adjust your lighting or temperature settings based on your proximity to certain areas or objects. The Foundation of Privacy and Performance Underpinning all these technologies is a revolutionary approach to data processing that ensures all information will be stored locally on your network. Unlike traditional cloud-dependent systems, this technology will offer privacy by keeping your data entirely within your home hub which lives within your favorite Samsung appliances and devices. None of your data will be stored in the cloud or accessible to third parties without your consent, giving you control over your personal information. Samsung SmartThings continues to redefine what it means to live in a smart home, blending cutting-edge technology with everyday convenience—all while keeping your data secure. These updates are planned to rollout throughout 2025 and 2026. Stay tuned to our blog and newsroom for updates. 

Do you want to be rewarded for living sustainably? Who wouldn’t? That’s why we partner with environmental pioneers like Leap to offer easy access to smart solutions through the SmartThings app. Leap connects smart energy devices to the grid, helping people and businesses earn money by saving energy while making the grid cleaner and more reliable. Together, we launched Flex Connect within SmartThings Energy, a program that helps users in New York, California, and Texas save energy and earn rewards for supporting the stability of our energy grids. Users can access insights about their consumption in SmartThings Energy, a comprehensive energy management solution in the SmartThings app. In our latest LinkedIn Q&A, we chatted with Leap to discuss our partnership, integration with SmartThings Energy, and more. Browse the highlights below or keep reading for the full conversation.  The Highlights SmartThings: For those who are new to your brand, what is Leap? Leap: Hey SmartThings! It’s great to be here. Leap is a software platform that connects smart energy technologies to grid programs, enabling energy users to contribute to reducing electricity consumption during periods of high demand. Through our innovative partnership with SmartThings, customers in California, New York and Texas can participate in the Samsung Flex Connect program and earn rewards when their qualifying smart devices save energy during energy events, contributing to a cleaner, more reliable energy system.  SmartThings: That’s great! Yes, let’s talk more about Flex Connect! This is a demand response program offered by Samsung that enables users to earn an immediate reward and additional Samsung Rewards for conserving energy when it matters most for the grid.  Available through SmartThings Energy in the app, under the Life tab, users can easily see if their zip code is eligible and sign up for Flex Connect. Once their eligible devices - like smart thermostats and Samsung appliances - are connected in SmartThings and set up for optimization, their devices will automatically participate when peak demand events are called. As a benefit, households typically see lower electricity bills by saving energy during expensive peak periods. Can you share how Flex Connect opens up the opportunity for SmartThings users to get even more insight into their home energy data? Leap: Yes, of course! The integration now allows eligible SmartThings users in New York, California and Texas to see their whole-home electricity usage data in the SmartThings app, enabling them to track their energy patterns throughout the day and week and understand usage spikes that might contribute to higher electricity bills. This empowers users to play a more active role in their home energy management! The Full Conversation SmartThings: Hey Leap! Thank you for joining us for a Q&A today. For those who are new to your brand, what is Leap? Leap: Hey SmartThings! It’s great to be here. Leap is a software platform that connects smart energy technologies to grid programs, enabling energy users to contribute to reducing electricity consumption during periods of high demand. Through our innovative partnership with SmartThings, customers in California, New York and Texas can participate in the Samsung Flex Connect program and earn rewards when their qualifying smart devices save energy during energy events, contributing to a cleaner, more reliable energy system.  SmartThings: That’s great! Yes, let’s talk more about Flex Connect! This is a demand response program offered by Samsung that enables users to earn an immediate reward and additional Samsung Rewards for conserving energy when it matters most for the grid.  Available through SmartThings Energy in the app, under the Life tab, users can easily see if their zip code is eligible and sign up for Flex Connect. Once their eligible devices - like smart thermostats and Samsung appliances - are connected in SmartThings and set up for optimization, their devices will automatically participate when peak demand events are called. As a benefit, households typically see lower electricity bills by saving energy during expensive peak periods. Leap: Yes, Flex Connect works as SmartThings’ very own virtual power plant! It’s good for the grid, good for the climate, and good for customer’s pocketbooks. And thanks to Leap’s seamless enrollment process on the backend, SmartThings users can get enrolled with just a few simple steps. SmartThings: Can you help explain what a peak demand event is? Leap: Sure! “Peak demand” refers to the point of highest electricity demand in a day (or another given period). When peak demand is higher than grid operators have planned for with their base power supply, they traditionally fire up more fossil fuels to make up the difference, but now they can call a peak demand event: this triggers a request to providers like Leap to signal participating devices to adjust their energy usage for a couple of hours in order to lower demand on the grid.  SmartThings: Exactly! So, how does the SmartThings and Leap partnership work during these events? Leap: When peak demand events are called, Leap sends a signal to SmartThings to modestly and automatically adjust their connected devices’ energy usage for participating customers for a couple of hours, without disrupting home comfort. The Flex Connect program is all about giving the customer control: users can adjust which devices participate at any time.  SmartThings: How does this impact the grid? Are there further impacts on the climate, too?  Leap: In short - the cleanest energy is the energy you don’t use! By lowering energy usage across many households in targeted areas, VPPs help boost grid stability and lower emissions.  And that’s especially important during extreme weather events like heat waves, when energy usage spikes and grid operators have traditionally had to fire up inefficient fossil fuel “peaker plants” to ensure there’s enough electricity to go around, making energy more expensive - and dirtier - for everyone.   Through programs like Flex Connect, we’re making the grid more resilient and more flexible, which also makes it easier for the grid to integrate more intermittent renewable resources like solar and wind by helping to solve the mismatch between electricity demand and renewable energy supply. This is the future of connected, sustainable living - where every household can play an active role in supporting grid resilience and lowering emissions.  SmartThings: AND, where every consumer can be made more aware of how their energy devices are operating and how their home is impacting the grid. That’s huge!  Can you share how Flex Connect opens up the opportunity for SmartThings users to get even more insight into their home energy data? Leap: Yes, of course! The integration now allows eligible SmartThings users in New York and California to see their whole-home electricity usage data in the SmartThings app, enabling them to track their energy patterns throughout the day and week and understand usage spikes that might contribute to higher electricity bills. This empowers users to play a more active role in their home energy management! SmartThings: Thanks, Leap, for explaining that. It’s a huge benefit for our customers, and it’s free and easy to access! We are so glad to be partnering with you to provide consumers with innovative data and tools to better their whole home energy management.  SmartThings: That was very informative. Thank you to our partners at Leap for chatting with us today! Want to know more? Learn about Flex Connect on the blog. #DoTheSmartThings Leap: Thank you for having us SmartThings! 

Now available in TX! Chances are, you’ve been experiencing some of the hottest weeks of the summer and are thinking about how to better manage your home’s energy use to save money on your utility bills. The good news is that SmartThings Energy offers many features that allow you to take advantage of automation to become a more efficient energy consumer. Flex Connect, available in California and New York, is one example of how SmartThings Energy’s AI Energy Mode feature automates user devices to help them save energy.  With Flex Connect, Earn a Reward for Helping Out the Grid The recently released Flex Connect program, a demand response initiative powered by SmartThings Energy, offers residents in New York, California and Texas a smarter way to save energy. By signing up for the Flex Connect program and connecting your smart home devices to the SmartThings app, you can earn a reward for helping the energy grid. All it takes is entering your zip code to see if you qualify to get started. How SmartThings Flex Connect Works SmartThings offers functionality that enables eligible users to connect Samsung home appliances, TVs, and other compatible devices through Flex Connect. During peak energy demand periods, these devices automatically reduce their energy usage. For example, when electricity demand surges due to extreme weather, your eligible smart home devices will consume less energy during these peak times.  This reduced strain on the grid helps balance the supply and demand of energy. Residents of California and New York now have even more ways to save energy while earning rewards effortlessly with Flex Connect. Click here to check your eligibility and enroll. How All SmartThings Users Can Take Advantage of SmartThings Energy Energy savings and the ability to earn rewards aren’t just available for New York and California residents. If you have Samsung home appliances, TVs1, and other compatible devices connected to SmartThings, you can take advantage of SmartThings Energy features available today, such as automation and energy usage data. Automations built into SmartThings Energy elevate energy-saving features to a whole new level. For instance, AI Energy Mode is an exciting feature that learns your routines and adjusts your device’s energy usage in real-time. It uses machine learning to detect when your energy use exceeds the targets you’ve set in SmartThings Energy and provides insights into why this happens, so you don’t have to lift a finger (and likely won’t notice the difference). With SmartThings Energy, you can also view energy usage data for all of your paired devices and learn how to optimize energy use in your home. For example, if you forget to turn off a light when you leave for work, you can be notified and turn it off right from the app. Thanks to Electricity Maps’ partnership with SmartThings, you can even see how your energy usage translates to carbon emissions. All of this helps you take control of your energy management.  Even More Ways to Have Fun and Save Energy With SmartThings Built into the latest release, you can now enjoy gamification elements, including earning Energy Stamps, for taking steps towards saving energy with the SmartThings AI Energy Mode feature. Once you’ve leveraged your supported devices in the app, you can earn one Energy Stamp per day for every 400Wh of electricity saved using AI Energy Mode. Each Energy Stamp can be converted into 20 Samsung Rewards Points. You can earn up to one Energy Stamp per day, totaling 365 stamps over the course of a year, which can accumulate to 7,300 Samsung Rewards Points. These points can be used to purchase products on Samsung.com. This is all just scratching the surface of what SmartThings Energy can do for you. #DoTheSmartThings and download the SmartThings app in the Google Play or Apple Store. Activate SmartThings Energy and start living a more sustainable life.

Light up your home with SmartThings and YouTube Music The smart lighting industry is evolving beyond simple controls, bringing more joy to the user experience. With the introduction of synchronization features, home entertainment has become more immersive than ever. Users can now match their lighting to gaming environments or favorite movie scenes, creating the perfect ambiance for home parties, relaxation, or even workouts. Now, SmartThings is taking these experiences a step further by collaborating with YouTube Music, a key partner in the Galaxy ecosystem. This partnership enables SmartThings to tailor the Music Sync experience more effectively to users’ needs, no matter the setting or time of day. This includes new buttons that align with familiar YouTube Music settings like Relax, Party, and Workout, creating a seamless connection between Music Sync and the YouTube Music App. With this integration, YouTube Music Premium users can enjoy perfect light synchronization with Philips Hue bulbs while listening to their favorite songs. For instance, when users press the Party button on Music Sync, their party playlist on YouTube Music will start playing, and the lighting will shift to a color pattern preset that perfectly matches the vibe. Why Music Sync Hits All the Right Notes When Music Sync was first launched in 2022, it was built on three core elements: the Music app, SmartThings, and our lighting partners. We initially teamed up with Philips Hue, a leading name in light synchronization. Their SDK was seamlessly integrated into the SmartThings app, allowing Philips Hue lights to sync harmoniously with the music users wanted to enjoy, thereby creating an enhanced home experience. What truly sets SmartThings Music Sync apart is its ability to integrate seamlessly with various music apps. Unlike other platforms that rely on microphones or have limited access to music sources, Music Sync allows for accurate content synchronization across any music app within the Galaxy ecosystem. This ensures users can enjoy a truly synchronized experience without limitations. Create A Soundtrack for Every Occasion SmartThings Music Sync transforms your home into the ultimate entertainment center, where routines are designed to complement your lifestyle. Everything—from connecting a Bluetooth speaker to closing blinds and turning off the TV—can now be optimized and automated, making smart home living more seamless, convenient, and fun. Whether hosting a party at home, creating a daily workout with hues that get you in the zone, or letting your kids dance along to a playlist with their favorite songs and colors, the possibilities are endless. More Exciting Features on the Horizon As we look to the future, we remain committed to expanding our ecosystem and incorporating user feedback to enhance the Music Sync experience even further. Later this year, SmartThings will announce additional partner companies to enrich the Music Sync experience. To learn how to integrate your products and devices with SmartThings Music Sync, visit https://partners.smartthings.com/music-sync.

Living a sustainable lifestyle can often be tricky. That’s why we partner with eco-focused innovators like Electricity Maps to provide you with simple solutions right at your fingertips through the SmartThings app. Electricity Maps’ mission is to enable a data-driven decarbonization of electricity. By organizing and mapping real-time and forecasted electricity data, they provide individuals and businesses with the insights they need to make more intelligent decisions about their electricity consumption and reduce their carbon footprint. Users can access insights about their consumption in SmartThings Energy, a comprehensive energy management solution in the SmartThings app. In our latest LinkedIn Q&A, we chatted with Electricity Maps to discuss our partnership, how their solutions work with SmartThings Energy, and more. Browse the highlights below or keep reading for the full conversation.  The Highlights SmartThings: For those who are new to your brand, what is Electricity Maps?  Electricity Maps: Hey, SmartThings! Electricity Maps provides real-time and predictive electricity signals that unlock smarter electricity use for consumers to save carbon and cut energy costs. For example, the carbon footprint of the electricity a consumer receives in their power plug changes a lot during the day, depending on whether there is a lot of wind or solar power available.  Many devices have flexibility in when they consume electricity. Instead of having these devices charge or run at random times, we enable them to optimize their electricity usage to consume when the grid is powered by clean electricity. By sharing these insights with consumers, we help them understand the impact of their electricity use so they can make more sustainable choices.  That’s where the Electricity Maps API integration with SmartThings comes in! SmartThings: That’s right! We partnered with you to empower our SmartThings users with this insightful data in the SmartThings app!  The Electricity Maps API, integrated in 2023, connects seamlessly with SmartThings Energy to deliver real-time data to users on their carbon intensity levels. This allows SmartThings Energy users to make their home devices "carbon-intelligent," meaning their devices can automatically run at optimal times to lower carbon emissions. For example, Samsung devices, like the Jet Bot robot vacuum or the dishwasher, can be set to operate when renewable energy is more abundant on the local grid. Users can see these real-time insights on carbon intensity on a dashboard within the application to understand the impact of their green energy use and learn valuable tips to inform their energy management. SmartThings: Electricity Maps, can you explain how carbon intensity varies during the day? Electricity Maps: With more renewables being added to global electricity grids, there is more volatility in emissions, so much so that the carbon intensity of electricity varies more and more. How clean the electricity is at a given time depends on the availability of renewable energy and is often connected to the weather. Wind turbines can only operate with wind, and solar panels only work when the sun shines. This means that, for example, on a sunny day in California, the emissions of an EV charge can triple depending on when the car is charged. Our full conversation with Electricity Maps SmartThings: Hey, Electricity Maps! Thank you for joining us for a Q&A today. We’re excited to discuss SmartThings Energy, Carbon Intensity Data, and more with you. For those who are new to your brand, what is Electricity Maps? Electricity Maps: Hey, SmartThings! Electricity Maps provides real-time and predictive electricity signals that unlock smarter electricity use for consumers to save carbon and cut energy costs. For example, the carbon footprint of the electricity a consumer receives in their power plug changes a lot during the day, depending on whether there is a lot of wind or solar power available.  Many devices have flexibility in when they consume electricity. Instead of having these devices charge or run at random times, we enable them to optimize their electricity usage to consume when the grid is powered by clean electricity. By sharing these insights with consumers, we help them understand the impact of their electricity use so they can make more sustainable choices.  That’s where the Electricity Maps API integration with SmartThings comes in! SmartThings: That’s right! We partnered with you to empower our SmartThings users with this insightful data in the SmartThings app!  The Electricity Maps API, integrated in 2023, connects seamlessly with SmartThings Energy to deliver real-time data on the carbon intensity of local grids. This allows SmartThings Energy users to make their home devices "carbon-intelligent," meaning their devices can automatically run at optimal times to lower carbon emissions. For example, Samsung devices, like the Jet Bot robot vacuum or the dishwasher, can be set to operate when renewable energy is more abundant on the local grid. Users can see these real-time insights on carbon intensity on a dashboard within the application to understand the impact of their green energy use and learn valuable tips to inform their energy management. Electricity Maps, can you explain how carbon intensity varies during the day? Electricity Maps: With more renewables being added to global electricity grids, there is more volatility in emissions, so much so that the carbon intensity of electricity varies more and more. How clean the electricity is at a given time depends on the availability of renewable energy and is often connected to the weather. Wind turbines can only operate with wind, and solar panels only work when the sun shines. This means that, for example, on a sunny day in California, the emissions of an EV charge can triple depending on when the car is charged (explore carbon intensity variations in California). Can you explain where users can find Carbon Intensity data in the SmartThings App? SmartThings: Of course! Once a user downloads SmartThings Energy in the app and connects their smart energy devices, they can start seeing a cumulative report of their carbon emissions data. In SmartThings, getting to the carbon emissions aware content is as simple as clicking on the Life tab at the bottom of the main SmartThings app screen and navigating to SmartThings Energy, where users can scroll down to the ‘carbon emissions aware’ card. There, they can access and explore carbon emissions and carbon intensity data. These features can help users save emissions in their daily lives and save on their utility bills, too. Want to help break this down for us, Electricity Maps? Electricity Maps: Yes! Energy consumption in the home is a significant contributor to personal carbon emissions as well as household costs. By using more renewable energy and reducing carbon intensity, consumers can lower their environmental impact and save on energy bills at the same time. This is because renewable energy, which is low in carbon emissions, also tends to be cheaper.  We know SmartThings Energy has lots of cool features to help consumers manage their energy usage and automate their energy management, setting a new, elevated standard in the smart home and IoT space.  Can you tell us more about what SmartThings Energy is and what it can do for users? SmartThings: For sure. With SmartThings Energy, users get detailed data and insights on their home energy usage, analytics reports for daily energy usage patterns, and more, revealing energy savings opportunities. Cool features like AI Energy Mode take energy savings even further, allowing users to automate energy savings by selecting devices to participate in AI Energy Mode. Users can choose at which level the devices participate at and adjust their preferences at any time. Furthermore, users can earn energy stamps to save energy automatically, which can be converted to Samsung Rewards and spent on Samsung products! We’re so excited about this partnership. At SmartThings, we want our users to feel engaged and educated to create meaningful smart home experiences. The features within SmartThings Energy, including the carbon aware page, are another way we’re providing our users with education to better their way of life. Nowadays, SmartThings users can regularly engage with these insights into their carbon emissions.  Can you share what larger impact this can have? Electricity Maps: That’s awesome! Yes, at Electricity Maps, we envision a world where all electrical devices contribute to decarbonization by only consuming low-carbon electricity. SmartThings Energy features powered by this partnership allow users to save emissions each day. The collective impact of millions of SmartThings users optimizing their home devices this way is a great step in decarbonizing global electricity grids. SmartThings: That was very informative. Thank you to our partners at Electricity Maps for chatting with us today!  Electricity Maps: Thank you for having us, SmartThings!

Earlier this year, SmartThings announced a new program called Certification by Similarity (CbS) within its Works with SmartThings (WWST) partner program. This program is designed for Smart Home OEM’s to certify portfolios of products, rather than certifying each product one by one.  Additionally, we released a new developer feature called Product Cloning, which allows partners to input the details of one product and copy for all similar products.  Many of our device manufacturing partners have a portfolio of devices with the same smart technology on the inside but come in many different shapes, colors, and other variations. We are making it easier and more cost-efficient than ever to certify the entire portfolio.  Upon releasing this new certification option, we have heard excellent reviews from our partners. Read on to discover how to take advantage of this new offering.  “We love SmartThings’ new Developer Center and used the Certification Console to quickly certify our entire portfolio of devices.” Antonin Carre, Product Manager Partnerships & Integrations for WiZ at Signify   Product Cloning SmartThings Product Cloning allows you to enter information for one product and clone it to generate multiple entries for all similar products. The similar products include all the critical information — all you need to do is update the unique identifiers, like the Matter Product ID and Model Number. Easily copy product details and enter whole product lines Save time and get certified faster  Get Started  How to clone a product:  Visit the SmartThings Certification Console.  Navigate to the Products page (second icon from the top on the left). Enter your product details for one product and save it.  Navigate back to the Products page. Under the Actions menu on the product, you have an option to create multiple products at once with Product Cloning.  You can add up to 10 clones with the option to enter the unique identifiers. Once created, the clones appear in your Products list; you can open them up and modify any of the details before submitting for Works with SmartThings Certification.  WWST Certification by Similarity Certification by Similarity (CbS) allows you to reduce your WWST certification time and cost by identifying related products with similar core functionality but with different model numbers and minor differences like colors, shapes, or regional variations.  Example Certification by Similarity use case with a portfolio of RGBW, RGB, and white balance light bulbs: Start by submitting a primary product for certification that is a superset of all the portfolio features — such as one of the RGBW light bulbs. Once the primary product testing is complete, the similar devices — such as the RGB and white balance light bulbs — can get fast-tracked through certification, for free. Additional devices can be either submitted at the same time as the primary product or at a later date. All you need to do is submit the product information and link it with the primary product. We verify that the features are the same as your primary product and grant you certification.  Devices that Can be Considered for CbS  The following criteria must be met for the devices to be considered for CbS: Note: Cloud Connected Devices may have different Device Profiles and still be considered for Certification by Similarity. This is possible only if the Capabilities for similar products are a subset of the primary product. If a similar device has additional Capabilities, partial testing is required.  Learn more about CbS in the Developer Documentation and Certification Console. Get Started  How to submit similar products for WWST:  Visit the SmartThings Certification Console. Navigate to the Certifications page.  Submit your primary product for certification.  Navigate back to the Certifications page and select the target similar product to certify. You now have the option to link this submission with the primary product. Select the associated primary product and submit your product for certification. Certification by Similarity FAQs How is the primary product determined? → The primary product has all the Capabilities of other devices in the group.  In this example, Product 4 or Product 5 could be the primary.   How can we guarantee CbS will be approved before submitting for WWST certification?  → We recommend following the guidelines in the Developer Documentation. The WWST team makes the final decision after reviewing your submission.   Should I submit the primary product and wait for it to be fully certified before submitting secondary devices to be considered for CbS, or can all of the products be submitted together? → When submitting products, you do not need to wait.  You can submit the primary product and similar products at the same time.   I have multiple brands, including some that have the same hardware and firmware. Can CbS be extended to these multiple brands?  → In order to be considered for CbS, products must contain the same brand.  View our documentation to review the CbS program requirements.  How does the publication / timing work for CbS devices compared to the primary product? → See our Publish Your Device guide on publication/timing.  Want to integrate your device(s) with SmartThings? Visit our Developer Center to get started and access Product Cloning and Certification by Similarity tools.  Or if you wish to talk to someone on our team about integrating your products. Fill out this form to learn more.

This FAQ provides essential information about the SmartThings Hub Groups and Hub Backup features, including compatibility, functionality, and troubleshooting. For more detailed insights, visit our blog here. Which Samsung/SmartThings hubs support Hub Groups and Hub Backup? Aeotec Smart Home Hub, Samsung SmartThings Hub 2018 (Hub v3), SmartThings Station, Samsung Smart TVs*, Family Hub refrigerators*, Samsung Smart Monitors*, Samsung Soundbar * Hub Groups and Hub Backup currently only support models with Thread/Zigbee radios built-in. Models that require Zigbee/Thread radio dongles are not supported, even if a dongle is installed. What happens if a primary hub is more capable than the secondary hub, specifically if the primary hub supports Z-Wave devices and the secondary “backup” hub does not? If “Auto Hub Backup” is enabled in Hub Manager, and SmartThings determines that the best available secondary hub is one that is less capable than the primary hub, the devices and routines will still be automatically transferred to the secondary hub, and Z-Wave devices will be offline. If “Auto Hub Backup” is disabled when the primary hub goes offline, the user will be prompted and given a choice to change their primary hub selection to one of the secondary hubs. They will be told about the limitations of the candidate secondary hub before they confirm the change. If they choose to proceed, then the Z-Wave devices will be offline. If a less-capable secondary hub is made into a primary hub, and the original primary hub comes online (now secondary), will it automatically reclaim its primary status, and if not, will its capabilities enhance the Hub Group as a secondary hub? If "Auto Hub Backup" and "Preferred Hub" were both set prior to the original primary hub going offline, then it will reclaim primary status automatically when it comes back online, and all previous device connections will be restored. If "Preferred Hub" was not enabled, then the original primary hub will not automatically reclaim its primary status when it comes back online. The user would need to manually make the original primary hub the primary hub again using Hub Manager. Until the user makes the change manually, the hub will remain secondary. As a secondary hub, its advanced capabilities will not enhance the Hub Group, as connectivity and device capacity of a Hub Group are determined by the primary hub’s capabilities. To regain the original primary hub’s capabilities, the user would need to manually make their original primary hub the primary hub again, and their Z-Wave devices would be restored. The user always has control over which hub is their primary hub with Hub Manager. How soon after the primary hub goes offline will the transfer of devices and routines to the backup hub take place? At initial launch, the transfer will take place ten minutes after the primary hub goes offline. We may continue to optimize this number in future releases. Does this Hub Backup feature replace the “Hub Replace” feature, or affect it in any way? Hub Backup will not replace the Hub Replace feature or change it. Hub Replace is intended to help users permanently transfer their devices and routines to a new hub when the user wants to upgrade their hub or their hub no longer functions. Hub Backup is a feature that is limited to hubs in a Hub Group, while Hub Replace can be used with hubs that are not part of a Hub Group. If I have multiple secondary hubs, is there a way for me to choose the best hub that can be promoted as a primary? How can I make that determination? The user cannot choose which secondary hub will become primary if the primary hub goes offline. The best possible secondary hub is determined automatically based on device/protocol support and other technical considerations. Is there anything that is permanently changed when the user allows a hub change via Hub Backup? Nothing is permanently changed or lost. Records of hub state are preserved across primary hub transitions. How many Hub Groups can be in one location? A location can only have one Hub Group at a time.

Latest SmartThings Hub updates include a new hub manager, backup capabilities, and hub group support As the smart home becomes an integral part of modern living – just as essential as utilities like power and water – its reliability must be equally paramount. At SmartThings, we’ve always believed local connectivity is the key to reliability in connected living. Our hub-based platform was designed so users could connect, control, and automate devices locally, reliably, and securely. Our Hub Everywhere strategy has empowered more users to establish and expand their local smart home infrastructure. Now, we’re excited to introduce new ways for users to harness these hubs to further enhance the performance and reliability of their smart devices. Expanding Smart Living with New SmartThings Hub Features Last year, we introduced two significant features: Hub Groups and Hub Replace. Hub Groups enable users to extend their Thread and Zigbee networks across multiple SmartThings hubs, creating a more robust mesh network. Hub Replace allows users to upgrade their hubs seamlessly without the need to individually add each device again, ensuring their smart living infrastructure can evolve with their needs. Now, we’re thrilled to announce the extension and enhancement of our smart living capabilities with two new features in the SmartThings app - Hub Manager and Hub Backup.  Introducing Hub Manager, Hub Backup, and Expanded Hub Group Support The new Hub Manager is a central management interface designed to streamline the configuration of smart home infrastructures. Users can now create, edit, and delete Hub Groups to better organize their network. This enhances the ability to manage multiple hubs, including the SmartThings 2018 (V3) hub, Aeotec Smart Home Hub (V3), SmartThings Station, Samsung Smart TV, Smart Monitor, Family Hub refrigerator, and Samsung soundbar hubs. They can also easily manage their Hub Groups by editing existing ones or deleting them as needed.  Hub Backup increases resiliency by allowing secondary hubs to act as backups if the primary hub goes offline. In such cases, users receive a notification about the disconnection and assistance with diagnosing the issue. If reconnection is not possible, users can select another hub within their Hub Group to become the new primary hub. The Hub Manager then guides users through the process of transferring all devices and routines to the new primary hub, ensuring seamless continuity. If a user does not take action within ten minutes of the primary hub going offline, transfer to an available secondary hub will happen automatically.  How to Create a SmartThings Hub Group A Hub Group is made up of a primary hub and one or more secondary hubs working together to extend the range of Zigbee and Thread networks. If you have a Hub Group, devices that are far away from the primary hub can still connect to its network via a nearby secondary hub.  Routines will also work faster without needing an internet connection when devices are connected to the same Hub Group. When you add a new eligible hub to a location with one or more existing eligible hub(s), a new Hub Group will be automatically created if none exist. If a Hub Group already exists, the new hub will be automatically added to the Hub Group as a secondary hub1.  You can also manually create and manage a Hub Group. When you create a new Hub Group, there must be at least one hub that has no devices connected to it. There are two ways to create a new Hub Group:  Starting in the “Favorites” page, select (⋮) More Options and tap “Manage Hubs”. If a Hub Group is eligible to be formed, there will be a button titled “Create a Hub Group”.  You can also click on one of your hub icons from the favorites screen or the devices screen where the hub is located. The hub’s device card will open, and if a Hub Group is eligible to be formed, there will be a “Hub Group” section with a button titled “Create a Hub Group”.  Note: If you have a hub that supports Z-Wave devices (such as the SmartThings V3 hub), it's recommended that you set it as the primary hub in your Hub Group. Z-Wave devices cannot connect to a Hub Group if the primary hub doesn't support Z-Wave. How to Edit SmartThings Hub Groups In Hub Manager you can also change the primary hub for a Hub Group, and add or remove secondary hubs from a Hub Group. There are several ways to access the Hub Manager when a Hub Group already exists:  Select (⋮) More Options in the “Favorites” page and select “Manage Hubs”. Then select (⋮) More Options again and tap “Edit a Hub Group”.  You can also click on one of the hub icons from the favorites screen or the devices screen where the hub is located. The hub’s device card will open, and there will be a “Hub Group” section showing all of the hubs in the current Hub Group. Click the Settings wheel in the upper right corner of this section to open the Hub Manager. In the Hub Manager, you can change a secondary hub to a primary hub, remove a selected secondary hub from a Hub Group, or add another secondary hub.  How to Enable Hub Backup and Set Preferred Hub The Hub Backup feature is enabled by default when a Hub Group is created, in “Auto Hub Backup” mode, and does not need to be enabled by the user: When a primary hub goes offline, the user will receive a notification that the hub is offline, and will be able to perform diagnostics.  If the primary hub is still offline after ten minutes, and a secondary “backup” hub is online, devices and automations will automatically move to a “backup” hub with no intervention needed from the user.  A user can disable Auto Hub Backup if they do not want devices and automations to automatically move to a backup hub when their primary hub is offline for more than ten minutes. If Auto Hub Backup is disabled, Hub Backup becomes “user-guided”, and the user has the ability to accept or reject the transfer to the secondary hub when they are notified. Users can do this from the Hub Manager:  Select (⋮) More Options from the “Manage Hubs” screen. Then select “Auto Hub Backup” and toggle to “Off”. This will make Hub Backup user-guided.  The “preferred hub” is the hub that will become the primary hub anytime it comes online and “Auto Hub Backup” is enabled, such as after a secondary hub has taken over primary hub duty. A user can change their preferred hub by first manually changing their primary hub, and making sure that “Preferred hub” is enabled in Hub Manager. To select “Preferred Hub”:   Select (⋮) More Options from the “Manage Hubs” screen. Then select “Preferred hub”.  Note: the Hub Backup feature refers to transferring devices and routines to backup hubs and does not refer to the process of periodically backing up hub and device data to the SmartThings Cloud. Periodically backing up hub and device data to the SmartThings cloud occurs automatically and does not require that a hub be part of a Hub Group.  How to Permanently Replace A Hub Announced in 2023, the Hub Replace feature allows you to replace or upgrade your existing hub with another hub. When you replace a hub, all devices and routines on your original hub will be transferred to the replacement hub. The Hub Replace feature is similar to changing primary and secondary hubs with the Hub Backup feature, but there are some differences. Hub Replace removes the original hub from the location after replacement, and if possible, factory resets the original hub.  Hub Replace is separate from Hub Groups and Hub Backup and cannot be used with hubs that are part of a Hub Group. To replace a hub that is in a Hub Group, the original and destination hubs should be removed from the Hub Group.  Hub Replace provides an upgrade path for some older hubs that are not supported by Hub Groups, such as Samsung Connect Home, SmartThings Wi-Fi, and Samsung SmartThings Hub 2015 (Hub v2).  Hub Replace can be initiated a couple of ways. To replace a hub, you need another hub in the same location that has no devices connected to it and is not part of a Hub Group. From the Manage Hubs screen, select (⋮) More Options and tap “Replace Hub”.  You can also click on one of the hub icons from the favorites screen or the devices screen where the hub is located. The hub’s device card will open. select (⋮) More Options and tap “Replace Hub”.  Building for the Future At SmartThings, we are committed to continually enhancing our platform’s key features, providing users with greater reliability, performance, and confidence in their smart home systems. Our goal is to support users in starting, growing, and enjoying their smart homes from day one and well into the future. Ready to take your smart home to the next level and unlock the full potential of your SmartThings ecosystem? Thanks to Hub Everywhere, you can start creating your Hub Group today.  For more information, read SmartThings Hub Groups and Hub Backup FAQs here. 

New enhancements powered by AI offer users a more personalized experiencethrough Home Insight SmartThings has introduced a new app home page, formerly known as Favorites, that is designed to adapt to users’ lifestyle, offering tailored features that simplify home management and improve automation. Whether controlling lights, managing appliances, or creating custom routines, these AI-driven enhancements will help families make the most of their smart home. “As Samsung continues to innovate, SmartThings will remain at the forefront of smart home technology, offering users the best in connected home management,” said Jaeyeon Jung, Executive Vice President and Head of SmartThings at Samsung Electronics. "These latest updates do more than signify our steadfast commitment to that goal — they represent the first step towards a new, AI-enabled smart home era.”  Personalized Home Insights for Better Living One of the most significant changes is the transformation of the Favorites tab into a Home tab, which now provides personalized Insight messages. Through the AI-enabled ‘Home Insight[1]’, powered by SmartThings, users can receive real-time summaries of their home’s status and suggestions for necessary actions. This is achieved by analyzing various data sources — such as user lifestyle patterns, device usage history, home and device status, daily weather, indoor temperature and more — to provide tailored insights. For instance, if a device is left on while no one is home, SmartThings will recommend turning it off to conserve energy. Another notification could include changes in indoor temperature or humidity that deviate from the usual levels, which will prompt suggestions to adjust devices for optimal comfort. By offering immediate and relevant information, these insights enable users to more efficiently manage their homes. (Image) SmartThings Home Insight Consistent Experiences and Seamless Connectivity Over Various Samsung Devices The SmartThings app on Samsung Galaxy devices, Smart TV, Family Hub™ and Galaxy Book has been enhanced to provide a consistent experience to users. For example, the expanded device card allows users to access key functions without navigating to the devices' detail page. This expanded functionality is available via the Device Control panel on Galaxy devices — as well as from the new Map View and the new SmartThings app on the Galaxy Tab S10— greatly enhancing usability. Additionally, for users building a multi-hub network containing SmartThings Hub-embedded Samsung products, such as a Samsung Smart TV, Smart Monitor, Sound Bar, Family Hub™ Refrigerator or SmartThings Station, the auto-hub backup feature ensures stable and uninterrupted connectivity by automatically switching to a secondary hub if the primary one goes offline. (Image) Consistent SmartThings Experiences and Seamless Connectivity Over Various Samsung Devices (Image) Expanded device control panel in SmartThings Map View Galaxy Tab S10 Transforms Into a Home Dashboard The Galaxy Tab S10 comes with immediate access to SmartThings via the Home Insight Widget. This will transform the tablet into a personalized home dashboard by giving users the ability to view real-time summaries of their home’s status along with suggestions for necessary actions, as well as a Map View that allows for easier device control. Enhanced SmartThings Experience on the New Galaxy Book5 Series With the newly launched Galaxy Book5 series, users can control their devices more quickly, without interrupting key tasks being handled on their PCs. Additionally, a significant update to the SmartThings UX on Windows brings a panel-style interface that enhances both accessibility and convenience. Key features include support for camera streaming and phone-finding functionality, and users can instantly control important functions such as temperature while receiving doorbell notifications with a live streaming view that allows them to see who's at the door. These features are supported on PCs running Windows OS 10 20 H1 and more recent models. Expanded Family Care for All-in-One Home Management Family Care has been expanded to support a wider range of devices that can sense activity, allowing users to monitor their loved ones’ daily routines through the usage history of various appliances, including TVs, refrigerators, washing machines, dryers, ovens and induction cooktops. Now, simple actions such as opening the refrigerator door or taking clothes out of the dryer can work alongside phone usage to notify users that their loved ones may be active on various devices. These enhancements enable users to seamlessly manage family care needs. The update also introduces child account support, enabling parents to monitor their children and ensure their well-being, creating safer, more customized smart home environments for kids and extending SmartThings’ services to all family members. In addition, the update integrates with events and location notifications to further streamline family management and daily routines.[2] Simplified Device Transfers With QR Codes Device access has also been made easier as users can simply scan a QR code to easily transfer device access to others. This is particularly useful for users who might find manual registration of a device challenging. Therefore, all household members can conveniently enjoy the benefits of smart home technology. [1] Supported devices are Galaxy Smartphones, tablets and Samsung Smart TVs, with plans for further expansion. As of October 2024, summary and suggestion features are currently available only in the U.S and South Korea but will gradually expand to other regions. [2] Currently available only in the U.S and South Korea, but will gradually expand to other regions by end of this year.

How can we make your life easier? That's the question driving the smart solutions that SmartThings and our partners, like Tuya, deliver every day. Tuya is a leading cloud platform service provider that works with and for developers to create the devices that make our lives smarter.  Users can control these Tuya-enabled devices seamlessly using the SmartThings app. In our latest LinkedIn Q&A, we chatted with Tuya to discuss our partnership, the future of AI technology, how their solutions work with SmartThings, and more. Browse the highlights below or keep reading for the full conversation.  The Highlights SmartThings: Why is our partnership so significant?  Tuya: Our collaboration stands out for several key reasons: Seamless Interoperability: Together, we're breaking down barriers with Matter protocol integration, offering a seamless smart home experience across Tuya and SmartThings ecosystems.  Expanded Consumer Choice: Customers can gain access to a wider range of smart home solutions, blending the SmartThings app with the versatility of Tuya-enabled devices. Simplified Control:  Customers experience the ultimate convenience with a single app to manage their entire smart home ecosystem.  But the most important aspect is that we both share a vision for a smarter tomorrow, where technology seamlessly enhances our lives. That is what we are working towards as we continue to deliver cutting-edge solutions for a more comfortable, convenient, and sustainable future. SmartThings: That’s very well said! We’re eager to see how our collaboration unfolds. Speaking of progress, congratulations are in order! It is Tuya’s 10th anniversary this year. Reflecting on the past 10 years, what are some of your most significant accomplishments?  Tuya: Reflecting on Tuya's decade of innovation, we've achieved important milestones in three key areas: Firstly, we've upgraded our developer platform, developed Cube AI & AI Energy Saving Dashboard, refreshed Smart Commercial SaaS, and introduced Home & Building Energy Management Systems. These endeavors have bolstered our portfolio and pushed the boundaries of smart technology. Secondly, our thriving developer community and global partnerships have accelerated smart industry growth. Integration with Matter applications, alongside collaborations like SmartThings, has enhanced user convenience and fostered intelligent, eco-friendly experiences. Thirdly, we’ve achieved quarterly profit in Q2 2023 and Non-GAAP profitability in Q1 of this year, which underscores our resilient growth and commitment to sustainable success. Looking ahead, we're integrating generative AI into our offerings to enable global developers, while revolutionizing user interactions. Confident in our leadership, we'll continue delivering value to clients and users. SmartThings: Tell us more about your developer solutions and how they work!  Tuya: We offer a cutting-edge cloud developer platform, with extensive development tools and support for swift, efficient smart device and application creation. Customers can leverage devices as connectivity nodes to create differentiated smart solutions to enhance products, optimize user experiences, and boost commercial success. For device connectivity, we support mainstream protocols across industries (e.g., Bluetooth, Wi-Fi, Zigbee, Matter) and mainstream ecosystem platforms especially Samsung SmartThings, enabling seamless integration. Moreover, we support more than 2,800 device categories, allowing developers to customize products for their business needs. For customers seeking all-in-one integrated solutions, we provide comprehensive support for various vertical application scenarios, facilitating one-stop deployment through software-hardware synergy. For those who prefer private deployment, our Cube Cloud solution caters to enterprise-level Cloud-edge-end privatization, enabling exclusive smart management systems tailored to client requirements.  Our full conversation with Tuya SmartThings: Hey, Tuya! Thank you for joining us for a Q&A today. For those who are new to your brand, what is Tuya?  Tuya: Hey, SmartThings! Thanks for having us. Tuya Inc. (NYSE: TUYA; HKEX: 2391) is a global leading cloud platform service provider with a mission to build a smart solutions developer ecosystem that enables everything to be smart.  Tuya has pioneered a purpose-built cloud developer platform with cloud and generative AI capabilities that delivers a full suite of offerings, including Platform-as-a-Service, or PaaS, Software-as-a-Service, or SaaS, and smart solutions for developers of smart device, commercial applications, and industries.  Through its cloud developer platform, Tuya has activated a vibrant global developer community of brands, OEMs, AI Agents, system integrators, and independent software vendors to collectively strive for a smart solutions ecosystem embodying the principles of green and low-carbon, security, high-efficiency, agility, and openness. SmartThings: Why is our partnership so significant?  Tuya: Our collaboration stands out for several key reasons: Seamless Interoperability: Together, we're breaking down barriers with Matter protocol integration, offering a seamless smart home experience across Tuya and SmartThings ecosystems.  Expanded Consumer Choice: Gain access to a wider range of smart home solutions, blending the SmartThings app with the versatility of Tuya-enabled devices. Simplified Control: Experience the ultimate convenience with a single app to manage the entire smart home ecosystem.  But the most important aspect is that we both share a vision for a smarter tomorrow, where technology seamlessly enhances our lives. That is what we are working towards as we continue to deliver cutting-edge solutions for a more comfortable, convenient, and sustainable future. SmartThings: That’s very well said! We’re eager to see how our collaboration unfolds. Speaking of progress, congratulations are in order! It is Tuya’s 10th anniversary this year. Reflecting on the past 10 years, what are some of the most significant accomplishments?  Tuya: Reflecting on Tuya's decade of innovation, we've achieved important milestones in three key areas: Firstly, we've upgraded our developer platform, developed Cube AI & AI Energy Saving Dashboard, refreshed Smart Commercial SaaS, and introduced Home & Building Energy Management Systems. These endeavors have bolstered our portfolio and pushed the boundaries of smart technology. Secondly, our thriving developer community and global partnerships have accelerated smart industry growth. Integration with Matter applications, alongside collaborations like SmartThings, have enhanced user convenience and fostered intelligent, eco-friendly experiences. Thirdly, we’ve achieved quarterly profit in Q2 2023 and Non-GAAP profitability in Q1 of this year, which underscores our resilient growth and commitment to sustainable success. Looking ahead, we're integrating generative AI into our offerings to enable global developers, while revolutionizing user interactions. Confident in our leadership, we'll continue delivering value to clients and users. SmartThings: Tell us more about your developer solutions and Tuya-enabled devices and how they work!  Tuya: We offer a cutting-edge cloud developer platform, with extensive development tools and support for swift, efficient smart device and application creation. Customers can leverage devices as connectivity nodes to create differentiated smart solutions to enhance products, optimize user experiences, and boost commercial success. For device connectivity, we support mainstream protocols across industries (e.g., Bluetooth, Wi-Fi, Zigbee, Matter) and mainstream ecosystem platforms especially Samsung SmartThings, enabling seamless integration. Moreover, we support more than 2,800 device categories, allowing developers to customize products for their business needs. For customers seeking all-in-one integrated solutions, we provide comprehensive support for various vertical application scenarios, facilitating one-stop deployment through software-hardware synergy. For those who prefer private deployment, our Cube Cloud solution caters to enterprise-level Cloud-edge-end privatization, enabling exclusive smart management systems tailored to client requirements.  Given this, why are developers so important for the IoT market?  SmartThings: Developers are essential to building and launching user-friendly IoT products that make life more enjoyable, productive, and sustainable for consumers and businesses. Helping developers build these products and bring them to market is very important, and we applaud the work Tuya has done for their IoT Developer community.   At SmartThings, we also work very closely with our developer community, as their partnership and feedback are vital to how SmartThings functions and how integrations work now and in the future.  Additionally, we’ve heavily invested in our Developer Center to help our diverse device partners succeed, integrate with SmartThings, and reach users worldwide. Our Developer Center offers a range of tools, including: A Getting Started Wizard, Documentation, and Code Samples.   A no-code Edge Driver builder and SmartThings Command Line Interface for development. A Certification Console featuring a new Test Suite and product management tools so developers can quickly submit their devices to integrate with SmartThings, such as Certification by Similarity and Product Cloning.  New post-certification analytics to track product usage and options for users to buy products directly from our partners. We are here to support our developers every step of the way and are grateful for our partnerships. SmartThings: How does/will AI play a role in the future? Tuya: AI will play a pivotal role in shaping the future by enhancing efficiency, driving innovation, improving decision-making, addressing global challenges, and transforming industries like healthcare, transportation, and education. For instance, in energy-saving scenarios, our Cube AI analyzes real-time consumption to generate optimal strategies, offering cutting-edge AI technology and product value. Its application potential spans diverse smart scenarios, addressing issues like energy conservation and management in industrial, commercial, and household settings. Additionally, we create AI development tools for global developers, including the AI Developer Kit integrating large language models and platforms for efficient development, operation, and commercialization. AI Analyst, a practical solution for brand customers, also provides valuable insights and assistance.  Looking ahead, we will continue to embrace AI and implement AI in different scenarios, expanding our offerings to cover safety, plant breeding, environmental management, healthcare, pet companionship, and more. SmartThings: That was very informative! Thank you to our partners at Tuya for chatting with us today! Want to know more? #DoTheSmartThings and drop a note in the comments.  Tuya: Thank you for having us, SmartThings!