Jordan and his wife had been using SmartThings to gain peace of mind and to make their lives more convenient. Then one day while Jordan was at lunch, he got a notification that caused him to panic. (more…)

Samsung SmartThings Family Care is a feature that lets a caregiver track a care recipient's daily activity, medication schedules, and location, all from the SmartThings app. Now Brief is a personalized daily briefing service on Galaxy phones that pulls together home, health, and family status into one screen. In its most recent update, SmartThings added new features to Family Care: Care on Call, a pop-up that shows a care recipient's recent activity and local weather before a caregiver's call connects and stays visible during the call; and Safety Patrol, which sends a camera-equipped robot vacuum to check on a care recipient after a period of inactivity. This article covers how each of the two works. For the base version of Family Care, including its global availability and role-based design, see our companion article, What Is SmartThings Family Care and How It Works. SmartThings Family Care Features at a Glance FeatureWhat It DoesPrimary UseCare on CallShows recent activity and weather before a callRemote check-insSafety PatrolSends a camera-equipped device, such as a robot vacuum, to check the homeChecking prolonged inactivityNow BriefConsolidates Family Care and smart-home informationDaily overview Why Does This Update Matter for Caregivers? One in three adults in the United States provide some form of care to a loved one, according to the Mayo Clinic. Many are also raising children or holding a full-time job at the same time, leaving little spare attention for anything beyond the basics. For this group, the biggest caregiving cost often isn't money, it's attention: the mental habit of checking in “just in case,” even when nothing is wrong. This update targets that cost directly, replacing routine check-in calls with passive, ongoing awareness. How Can I Check on My Elderly Parent Without Calling Every Hour? Care on Call is built for exactly this. When a caregiver calls a care recipient through the SmartThings-linked phone, a pop-up appears before the call connects and stays on screen while the caregiver is talking, not only in the moment before it connects. It shows the time of the care recipient's first activity that day, their most recent activity, and the local weather. SmartThings gives the caregiver context for the call instead of starting cold, cutting down on the routine “just checking in” calls that make up so much caregiving overhead. Care on Call requires a Galaxy smartphone running One UI 8.5 or later. The feature activates on a standard cellular call between two linked SmartThings accounts, not a VoIP call placed through a messaging app. How Do You Set Up Care on Call? A caregiver sets up Care on Call the same way they set up the rest of Family Care: by linking a care recipient's account through the SmartThings app's Life tab, then confirming the caregiver's device runs One UI 8.5 or later. Once linked, the caregiver turns on Care on Call one time from the Activity tab, below Care Insight — after that, the pop-up appears automatically before any qualifying call, with no need to toggle it on again per call. How Can SmartThings Help Check on an Elderly Parent Who Isn't Responding? This is what Safety Patrol is for, though the mechanism is worth spelling out. If SmartThings detects no activity from the care recipient for a set period, it notifies the caregiver. The caregiver can then remotely send a compatible robot vacuum, such as Samsung's Bespoke AI Jet Bot Steam Ultra, to patrol the house. (The newest Jet Bot Steam Ultra model is currently available in Korea; earlier Jet Bot models remain available in the US.) Beyond routine cleaning, the Jet Bot Steam Ultra carries a front-facing camera, a speaker, and a microphone. That's what turns it into a mobile check-in tool rather than only a cleaning appliance: the camera lets the caregiver look for a person who may be incapacitated, and the speaker and microphone allow two-way talk, unlike a fixed security camera that only watches one spot. Remote control only works if the caregiver has already been set up with remote-control permissions for that device. Does SmartThings' Family Care Feature Include Fall Detection? No, not in the sense of a dedicated fall sensor or wearable. Family Care detects prolonged inactivity and lets the caregiver dispatch a robot vacuum with a camera to check visually. It can't distinguish “fell and needs help” from “napping” or “stepped out,” which is why the visual check step exists. Caregivers who need immediate fall-impact detection should treat this as a complement to, not a replacement for, a dedicated fall-detection wearable. What Tools Help Caregivers Monitor Medication Adherence Remotely? Family Care sends notifications for medication schedules and hospital or appointment visits, along with location-based alerts when a care recipient arrives at or leaves a set place like a pharmacy. Together, a caregiver gets two layers of information instead of one: a same-day reminder that a dose is due, and through Care on Call, a same-call summary of what's happened since the last check-in. Which Samsung TVs and Refrigerators Support Now Brief? Now Brief is expanding from Galaxy phones to Samsung TVs launched in 2024 or later and Family Hub refrigerators launched in 2021 or later, rolling out in phases. On those screens, Now Brief opens automatically when a user approaches the TV or touches or opens the Family Hub refrigerator, if they've set that up in advance. With the Galaxy S26 series, Now Brief adds Home Security, Family Care, and Pet Care information to its existing Home Insight, Energy, and Sleep Environment Report sections. How Does Family Care Compare to Manual Caregiving Habits? Caregiving TaskManual ApproachFamily Care Approach (April 2026)Checking a parent is awake and activeCall or text every morningPassive activity notification, reviewed in Care on Call before and during any callConfirming a parent took medicationAsk directly, or trust a pillboxScheduled reminderChecking on a parent who isn't answeringDrive over or call a neighborSafety Patrol dispatches a camera-equipped robot vacuum Does SmartThings Support Two-Way Audio for Checking In Remotely? Yes, but with some conditions. Live Talk through the Safety Patrol robot vacuum only activates when its camera finds a person, upright or fallen; if no one is found, the robot returns to its station without offering Live Talk. When it does activate, the built-in speaker and microphone let a caregiver talk to and hear the care recipient, on top of the camera feed. If the caregiver has turned the microphone off, Speaker and Record still run silently — a toast notification appears, but no audio plays or records. Does SmartThings Offer a Caregiver or Family-Sharing Mode? Yes. Family Care is built around a caregiver role and a care-recipient role from the ground up, not added on top of a single shared account. The caregiver side gets monitoring, alerts, and remote controls like Safety Patrol; the care-recipient side controls what gets shared. Our companion article, What Is SmartThings Family Care and How It Works, covers how the two roles are set up in full. Is SmartThings Family Care Available Outside of Korea and the USA? Family Care is available in more than 200 countries; see our companion article, What Is SmartThings Family Care and How It Works, and how it applies to these new features. What Does Samsung Say About This Update? Jaeyeon Jung, Executive Vice President and Head of the SmartThings Team at Samsung's AI Platform Center, said the update is meant to extend SmartThings' role in connecting customers' daily lives with AI, according to Samsung's official announcement. Samsung is building this around long-distance caregiving as part of a wider push to weave AI across its television, appliance, and mobile lines, rather than as a standalone product. These updates apply that strategy specifically to caregiving, an area that is continuing to grow globally. For ongoing company announcements beyond this feature, please visit the Samsung Newsroom. Where Is Family Care Headed After This Update? Reading the two additions together, a pattern emerges: each one replaces a manual caregiving habit with a passive one. Care on Call replaces the cold check-in call with a pre-loaded summary. Safety Patrol gives caregivers a way to investigate prolonged inactivity remotely. Neither requires the care recipient to do anything different day to day.  SmartThings Family Care: Compatibility and Limitations Care on Call device requirements. Care on Call requires the caregiver's device to be a Galaxy smartphone running One UI 8.5 or later. It works over a standard cellular call between two linked SmartThings accounts, not an internet or VoIP call, and Samsung's source material doesn't describe a way to enable it for calls placed through a messaging app. Regional and model-year availability. Now Brief's expansion to Samsung TVs and Family Hub refrigerators requires a 2024-or-later TV or a 2021-or-later Family Hub refrigerator. Samsung hasn't given exact regional rollout dates for that expansion. Family Care itself has been available in more than 200 countries since September 2025. Now Brief device compatibility. The expanded version of Now Brief, including Home Security, Family Care, and Pet Care content, arrives with the Galaxy S26 series. This feature will be rolled out to TVs, Refrigerators and Appliances in 2026.  Want the fuller picture? Read our companion article about how Family Care works day to day, then open the Life tab in the SmartThings app to set it up. Do the SmartThings for the people you're looking out for.

SmartThings Now leads a redesigned Home tab experience by delivering personalized information and controls at the right time Local control keeps connected devices responsive, even during network disruptions SEOUL, Korea – Oct. 6, 2026 – Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd. today announced the latest update to SmartThings, its global connected living platform now serving 470 million registered users and supporting 430+ Works with SmartThings (WWST)-certified brands worldwide. The update introduces SmartThings Now at the top of the Home tab, refreshes the app’s Home tab experience, and expands local control capabilities — helping users access relevant information, take action more easily, and manage connected devices with greater reliability. “This update marks another step in SmartThings’ ongoing efforts to move beyond a home experience where users search for and launch features,” said Jaeyeon Jung, Executive Vice President and Head of the SmartThings Team, AI Platform Center, Samsung Electronics. “By delivering relevant information and controls at the right time, SmartThings is pushing the boundaries of more intelligent home experiences and empowering users to manage their everyday lives more naturally.” A Redesigned Home Tab Experience, Led by SmartThings Now SmartThings Now appears as cards at the top of the Home tab, building on Home Insight to offer greater personalization by combining relevant information with actions users can take right away. It suggests the right information and immediately actionable controls based on the user’s current situation, delivering an experience that is easier and more intuitive. If a Family Care member, such as an older parent, shows no device activity for an extended period, SmartThings Now surfaces a care card for the caregiver with options to check in or call. When the user arrives near a home location pre-registered in the SmartThings app, SmartThings Now suggests turning on lights and air purifiers in advance. Once the user acts, it prompts them to create a routine so the same actions can run automatically going forward. This is all part of an experience designed to naturally guide users to the next relevant step based on their choices and context, making it easier to discover and use the features they need. SmartThings Now also supports personalized optimization based on usage patterns. It analyzes the past week's activity to suggest updates to Home tab Favorites, including devices, services, and routines. For example, it may recommend removing an air conditioner card as usage drops heading into cooler months, or adding an AirDresser card as the user’s air dresser becomes more frequently used during the change of seasons. Users can manage their routines through the Routine Insight card in SmartThings Now,[1] as well, by navigating to a detailed view of their routine activity over the past week to review and delete routines they no longer need. The updated Home tab reorganizes key information into a more streamlined view, covering dashboards, device cards, and service cards, with each type displayed in a format optimized for easier browsing.[2] Service cards use a more space-efficient design to clearly display more services on a single screen and present information like device status and numerical readings. Additionally, Live Wallpaper changes naturally throughout the day, adding a more dynamic visual touch to the experience. The update also introduces a Floating Bar that places frequently used features within easier reach at the bottom of the screen, improving one-handed use on larger smartphones and reflecting the latest One UI design direction. Enhanced Local Control Helps Keep Devices Responsive, Even When Offline SmartThings is now introducing local control technology that helps users continue to operate connected devices more reliably when there are changes to the home network environment or disruptions to external internet service.[3] When a mobile device and a SmartThings Hub are connected to the same Wi-Fi network, the mobile device can communicate directly with the hub rather than routing controls through the cloud. Compared to cloud-based control, local control can improve response times by approximately 30%. This helps enable continued control of connected devices during temporary network fluctuations.[4] SmartThings automatically switches between local and cloud-based remote control based on whether the user’s mobile device is at home or away. The updated Offline Device Diagnostics page helps users restore devices that have gone offline by updating new network information across all registered devices at once. Samsung has also added support for Matter 1.6, the latest smart home connectivity standard from the Connectivity Standards Alliance (CSA), enhancing stability and Group Control performance. The update adds support for four new device categories, as well: Energy Meters for real-time power monitoring Closures for specialized door and gate types Irrigation devices such as sprinkler systems Soil Sensors for measuring ground conditions. ### About Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd. Samsung inspires the world and shapes the future with transformative ideas and technologies. The company is redefining the worlds of TVs, digital signage, smartphones, wearables, tablets, home appliances and network systems, as well as memory, system LSI and foundry. Samsung is also advancing medical imaging technologies, HVAC solutions and robotics, while creating innovative automotive and audio products through Harman. With its SmartThings ecosystem, open collaboration with partners, and integration of AI across its portfolio, Samsung delivers a seamless and intelligent connected experience. For the latest news, please visit the Samsung Newsroom at news.samsung.com.

SmartThings Family Care is a caregiving feature within the SmartThings app that helps caregivers remotely monitor a care recipient's activity, location, medication schedules, and appointments. It connects information from compatible Samsung and SmartThings devices and lets the care recipient control what gets shared. Family Care works in more than 200 countries. For the newest additions to this feature, see our companion article, SmartThings Family Care Adds Care on Call and Now Brief, covering the April 2026 update. SmartThings Family Care at a Glance CapabilityWhat It DoesPrimary UseActivity notificationsFlags when a care recipient starts their dayPassive daily check-inMedication and appointment remindersDisplays scheduled reminders on Galaxy phones or Samsung TVsAdherence trackingLocation-based alertsNotifies a caregiver on arrival at or departure from a set placeConfirming errands or appointmentsSamsung Health integrationPulls in wake-up times and  step countsHealth-driven activity pictureRole-based sharingLets a care recipient choose what data is sharedPrivacy and autonomy Who Is SmartThings Family Care Built For? One in three adults in the United States provide some form of care to a loved one, according to the Mayo Clinic. Family Care targets that group directly: caregivers managing a parent's medication schedule, checking in during the day, or coordinating doctor visits from a distance. The Mayo Clinic's research on caregiver stress also links unmanaged caregiving to higher rates of burnout, sleep disruption, and anxiety among caregivers themselves. That's part of the reason why SmartThings built Family Care to support the caregiver's peace of mind, not just the care recipient's safety. How Does SmartThings Family Care Protect a Care Recipient's Privacy? Family Care runs in two modes. A caregiver can monitor device activity, get alerts, track location, and manage reminders, but only for what the care recipient has chosen to share. Activities, locations, and events live in separate tabs, so sharing is granular rather than all-or-nothing. A fully independent parent might share only appointment reminders, while a parent in early cognitive decline might share a fuller activity picture. Family Care doesn't force every user into the same level of disclosure, and control stays with the care recipient, whether that's an aging parent or another loved one. How Do You Set Up Family Care for Someone Who Isn't Comfortable With Apps? The caregiver sends a single invitation link with guided onboarding. That link works even if the care recipient has never used a smart home app before. How Does Family Care Help Check on Aging Parents Remotely? Family Care watches for activity signals, like a TV or appliance turning on, and lets a caregiver set custom inactivity thresholds. The April 2026 update added Safety Patrol, which can dispatch a camera-equipped robot vacuum to check the home; see our companion article, SmartThings Family Care Adds Care on Call and Now Brief, for how that works. Family Care also has an optional integration with Samsung Health, adding wake-up times,  and step counts on top of the activity signal Family Care already picks up from everyday phone and appliance use, like unlocking a Galaxy phone or moving around the house. Connecting Samsung Health isn't required to see basic activity; it simply adds more precise step count and sleep data. Combining appliance-based activity signals with phone-based activity means a caregiver isn't relying on a single signal type: a parent who's active on their phone but hasn't opened the refrigerator by mid-morning presents a different picture than one where both signals are quiet. Why Combine Health Data With Home-Device Data? Either signal alone has a weakness. Home-device activity alone can miss a parent who's awake and fine but simply had a quiet morning at home. Phone-based activity alone can miss a parent who's moving around the house but left their phone charging in another room. Family Care combines both signals to answer that weakness directly. A caregiver gets a fuller picture by cross-referencing appliance use with phone-based activity signals, rather than trusting either source alone. Connecting Samsung Health adds even more precise step count and sleep data on top of that, though it isn't required for the basic picture. What Tools Help Caregivers Monitor Medication Adherence Remotely? SmartThings Family Care lets caregivers schedule reminders for medications and appointments, with room to add a note for things like a blood pressure or glucose check Reminders display directly on Galaxy smartphones or Samsung TVs, so nothing important gets missed. Family Care also sends location-based alerts when a care recipient arrives at or leaves a specific place, like a doctor's office or pharmacy, so a caregiver can confirm an appointment happened without a phone call. A newer "Not Present at Time" notification also alerts a caregiver if a care recipient hasn't arrived at a scheduled location by a set time, catching a missed appointment rather than just confirming a completed one. Is SmartThings Family Care Available Outside of the USA? Yes. Since 2025, Family Care has expanded to more than 200 countries. It isn't limited to the United States, which matters for families where the caregiver and care recipient live in different states, a pattern that's grown more common as adult children increasingly move away from aging parents. (Because a caregiver and care recipient must share the same Samsung Account region, this pairing works across states within a country, not across countries.) How Can Caregivers Reduce Burnout While Managing a Busy Household? Family Care can reduce some of the manual checking caregiving requires by consolidating activity, medication, location, and reminder information in one place. Instead of relying on memory or separate check-ins across medication, safety, and daily contact, caregivers get a single set of notifications and can check a recipient's status at a glance rather than relying only on incoming alerts, cutting down on the mental load of tracking several things at once. This reduces the constant checking rather than adding another task to a caregiver's list. How Do You Set Up SmartThings Family Care? The setup takes a caregiver only a few minutes and front-loads the technical steps onto the caregiver rather than the care recipient: The caregiver opens the SmartThings app and goes to the Life tab, where Family Care lives alongside other lifestyle services. The caregiver creates an invitation link for the care recipient and selects their role (care recipient) at this step. The care recipient opens the link on their own phone, which walks them through guided setup. If they don't already have the SmartThings app, the link takes them straight to download it, which is simpler than a typical app-store search, and if they don't have a Samsung Account, as is often the case for iPhone users, a quick account-creation step is included. Most Galaxy users skip both steps entirely, since they already meet the requirements. Once linked, the care recipient chooses what activity, location, and health data to share, and the caregiver's app populates with whatever's enabled. From this point on, the caregiver can add shared reminders for medications, appointments, and family events, which the care recipient can view on their own device. Notification timing varies by feature. Activity notifications, like a loved one starting their day, and location-based alerts arrive immediately. Longer-term trend comparisons are also available; see our companion article on that update for how they work. Can IKEA Matter Sensors Work With SmartThings Family Care? Yes. Family Care can also draw activity signals from compatible third-party Matter devices, not just Samsung hardware. Compatible devices include mobile phones and tablets; Samsung TVs, water purifiers, robot vacuums, refrigerators, washers, dryers, cooktops, and ovens; and multipurpose, contact, motion, and door lock sensors, including IKEA versions of those sensors where they're available in SmartThings. For example, an IKEA door sensor attached to a frequently used door can flag when a care recipient starts their day; see our companion article on IKEA's Matter-over-Thread devices and SmartThings for the full list of compatible sensors. What Everyday Tools Are Inside Family Care? Alongside the features already described, Family Care includes a few standing tools built for daily use rather than a single crisis moment: Activity notifications that flag when a loved one starts their day, using signals like a Galaxy phone unlock, without a constant check-in call. Medication and appointment reminders that display directly on Galaxy smartphones or Samsung TVs. Location-based alerts that notify a caregiver when a care recipient arrives at, leaves, or fails to arrive at a specific place by a set time, such as a doctor's office or pharmacy. Reminders for family gatherings, special events, and routine check-ins that the caregiver can set and both sides can see. How Do Family Care's Two Roles Compare? CapabilityCaregiver ViewCare Recipient ViewActivity monitoringCan see shared activity signalsChooses what activity data is sharedLocation trackingCan see shared location and alertsChooses whether to share location dataRemindersCan set medication and appointment remindersReceives reminders on their own deviceData controlSees only what's been sharedControls what gets shared with caregivers Family Care is available for download through the Life tab in the SmartThings app. This is a great way to integrate technology so that it supports, not replaces, the human connection at the center of caregiving.  Can SmartThings Family Care Replace a Medical Alert System? No. SmartThings Family Care is designed for caregiving awareness and remote monitoring, not as a replacement for emergency medical monitoring. A traditional medical alert system is typically a standalone wearable built around a single emergency button or fall sensor. Family Care instead layers activity, location, health, and reminder data across devices a family may already own. SmartThings Family Care: Compatibility and Limitations Account and hub requirements. Family Care is a free feature inside the SmartThings app, available from the app's Life tab. It doesn't require a separate hub purchase to use its core reminder and notification features, though a hub can extend which devices' activity it draws on. Data sharing controls. See the privacy section above for how sharing is structured. Non-Samsung phone limitation. Family Care is available across both Android and iOS operating systems, opening the opportunity to all families, though feature precision can vary by device: activity detection is most precise on a Galaxy phone, so some alerts may be limited on other phones. Curious to see it in action? Open the Life tab in the SmartThings app and give Family Care a try. That's how you “Do the SmartThings” for the people who matter most.

SmartThings Safe Premium is powered by Arlo, a third-party partner that operates the professional monitoring center and coordinates emergency dispatch on our behalf. Feeling safe, whether at home or on the go, shouldn’t take more than a tap. With SmartThings Safe Premium, users can instantly send help requests, from inside the SmartThings app, to Arlo-powered emergency response providers who can send police, fire, or medical help to their exact location. SmartThings Safe includes a Basic plan at no cost; the Premium plan adds 24/7 professional emergency dispatch through Arlo. How It Works When you press the Safe button, a 10-second countdown starts. After 10 seconds, a help request is automatically sent to a professional monitoring center. An Arlo monitoring agent will immediately call and text you to confirm what type of help (fire, police, or medical) is needed.  If they can’t reach you, they’ll request that local emergency responders (police by default) be dispatched to your current GPS location. At the same time, just like the basic plan, your Location Members will receive a push notification with a map of your location and options to call or text you directly. You can cancel your request at any time during the 10-second countdown. Once the alert is created, you can still cancel the request by responding to the monitoring center’s call or text. Setting Up SmartThings Safe Premium  Getting started takes just a few steps: Open the SmartThings app on your mobile device. Tap the Menu icon at the bottom right of the SmartThings app. Select Safe and complete setup, including agreeing to the terms agreement and completing identity verification. Go to My Plan and select Upgrade to Premium Plan. Follow the Samsung Checkout steps to activate your limited-time free access to SmartThings Safe Premium. Once activated, you’ll see your Safe button appear in the app, ready whenever you need it.  Share alerts with the people who matter. Add family or friends to any SmartThings location — home, office, wherever — and they'll stay in the loop automatically.  From the Home tab, tap the three-dot menu in the upper-right corner. Select Location Settings > Invite Members. Enter the Samsung account email addresses of the people you want to add. Added members will need the following to receive Safe alerts: Have the SmartThings app downloaded. Set up their own Samsung account. Tap the Menu icon at the bottom right of the SmartThings app. Tap the Safe icon and follow the prompts to get started. Review and agree to the Terms & Conditions and complete two-factor authentication.  Have notifications turned on to receive Safe alerts. These members will then become emergency contacts for dispatchers and the monitoring center. For even faster access, you can add the Safe button to your Galaxy home screen or Quick Panel by selecting Settings > Add to Home Screen from the device card. Make Sure Location Services Are On To share your real-time GPS location with the monitoring center and your added members using the Safe Premium plan, you’ll need to enable Location Services on your phone.  On Galaxy and Android devices: Go to Settings > Location > App permissions > SmartThings > Allow all the time. On iOS: Go to Settings > Privacy & Security > Location Services > SmartThings > Always and turn on Precise Location. Safe Premium is designed to work when your mobile device has a signal. The service is currently available in the U.S. for supported Galaxy, Android, and iOS devices. Both the Basic and Premium plans of SmartThings Safe are designed for manual, user-triggered help requests, making them a great complement to built-in SOS features on smartphones. While Safe Premium does not currently support automations, routines, or smartwatch-triggered requests, users can receive Safe notifications on Galaxy Watches and Apple Watches. Whether you’re checking in with loved ones or reaching out for help, SmartThings makes it simple to stay safe, connected, and in control. Activate your *limited-time free access to SmartThings Safe Premium in the SmartThings app today.  *SmartThings Safe Premium is currently available as a beta service. Free access may be changed or discontinued without notice.

Upcoming Changes to the SmartThings API  Over the last several years, the SmartThings platform has grown into one of the most robust orchestration layers in the smart home industry, with over 460M+ registered users and hundreds of WWST partner brands — and our API is the gateway that connects third party apps and platforms to the SmartThings ecosystem.  Today, our commercial partners use it to power everything from short-term rental platforms and energy management systems to API aggregators and custom smart home dashboards, while our developer community uses our API to optimize their personal smart homes. To ensure the SmartThings API remains capable, reliable, and secure at this scale, we are evolving our infrastructure. In the upcoming months, we will introduce dedicated, paid commercial API tiers as well as a $4.99 a month plan for non-commercial, individual developers. To note, this update does not affect the millions of SmartThings users who use the SmartThings App with thousands of WWST partner devices.   Why are we evolving the SmartThings API?  As our commercial partners and developer community continue to build integrations, they are asking and expecting more from our infrastructure. To support the next generation of smart home innovation at scale, we are transitioning to a structured API model. This evolution allows us to invest heavily in the enterprise-grade features our partners and users have been asking for: Platform Stability: Upgrading our platform to enhance our enterprise-grade reliability required for high-volume, commercial deployments. Optimized Integrations: Building upon our infrastructure to further support scalable integrations.   Expanded Capabilities: Continuing access to Samsung devices such as TVs, smart refrigerators, and more with device states, controls, and health parameters as well as future functionality to build richer integrations. Powering the Next Generation of Smart Home Services:  We’re building on the SmartThings platform, shaped by your feedback, to deliver even more powerful tools for creating premium IoT experiences. The SmartThings API offers different tiers that can support a high rate limit, gives access to our multi-protocol ecosystem (Matter, Cloud-to-Cloud, Zigbee, Z-Wave), and contains deep Samsung integration required to scale your business on our backend and power a variety of use cases, including: Short-Term Rentals, Hospitality, and Property Tech: Automate access control, optimize climate, and enable seamless property management across thousands of units at scale. Telecommunications: Enhance broadband and 5G subscriber apps with premium family care and security solutions. Security: Power smart alarms, access systems, and remote monitoring with our ecosystem of devices and consistent, real-time API data like device states. Senior Care: Enable non-intrusive wellness tracking, activity insights, and automated routines to safely support independent living and aging in place. Family Care: Deliver peace of mind with real-time sensor data, keeping families connected and homes running smoothly. Insurance: Leverage real-time home state data and predictive analytics to proactively prevent damage, reduce risk, and lower claim costs. Energy Management: Build advanced tracking algorithms and cost-saving utility dashboards. With many more use cases and verticals.  New Tools:  Upgraded Developer Experience: We will deliver a new Developer Center experience and refreshed documentation for API users to make the API as easy to use and implement as possible. The API Usage Dashboard: In the new Developer Center, we will be launching a new API Dashboard. This dashboard will allow partners and individual developers to track API call volume with flexible time-series data. The dashboard will give you current usage and data points to optimize your code and determine which pricing tier fits your needs. These updates will make onboarding faster and API management more intuitive.  Next Steps & Timeline: We are targeting availability for the new commercial tiers and personal plan offering in October 2026 – stay tuned for additional details.  Please note: Your current API usage will not be interrupted today. We are announcing this now to give our API users ample time to prepare for the transition.  Free access will remain available through Q3. We will not begin applying the new usage limits or phasing out free access until October 2026. For Current Commercial Partners: Please reach out to us at partners@smartthings.com to ensure a seamless transition.   For Current Personal Users: We will share more information detailing the full timeline, transition guidelines, and paid plan.  New to the SmartThings API? Are you evaluating SmartThings as the backend for your business? We are currently onboarding new partners to discuss SmartThings API capabilities, pricing, and scalability. Please fill out our form to learn more. Thank you for building with SmartThings. Our investment in our API and transition to a paid model are efforts to provide an incredible service that will continue to support your needs.     — The Samsung SmartThings Team

Samsung Wallet, Aliro Locks, and SmartThings turn a simple tap into total home control What if getting into your home didn’t require fumbling for keys, digging through bags, or wondering whether you locked the door on your way out? With the Samsung Wallet, SmartThings, and Aliro-certified smart locks from trusted brands like Aqara, Nuki, ULTRALOQ, and Schlage, your Galaxy phone can become your new door key, unlocking a smarter, safer, and more convenient home experience. Now available on Samsung.com, Aliro-certified locks integrate with SmartThings and Samsung Wallet, giving you tap-to-unlock access, remote control, and powerful home automations that start the moment you walk through the door. Tap to Unlock. Walk Right In. Ever arrive home from a run with nowhere to stash your keys? Instead of slowing down, soon you can simply tap your Galaxy phone on your smart lock. The door unlocks instantly, no physical keys required. Samsung Wallet securely stores your digital keys, while SmartThings keeps everything connected behind the scenes. It’s a simple gesture that makes everyday routines feel effortless. Unlocking your door can trigger far more than just entry. When paired with SmartThings and a compatible hub, Aliro-certified smart locks can become the starting point for your entire home: Lights turn on as you step inside Thermostat adjusts to your preferred temperature Security cameras shift modes Alarms disarm and re-arm automatically Heading out? Lock the door from your phone when you leave, and SmartThings takes care of the rest, shutting off lights or securing devices so you can leave with peace of mind. Designed for Real-Life Moments Technology should make life easier, especially in the moments that matter most. Active lifestyles: Going for a run or walking the dog? Leave your keys behind. Your Galaxy has you covered. Locked-out scares: Step outside to take out the trash and hear the door click shut? No panic required, tap your phone and get back in. Family members: Share secure digital keys with family members through Samsung Wallet, and use SmartThings to manage alarms and routines while they’re inside. Members added to SmartThings can use a designated PIN as well to use the features.  Built for What’s Next: Aliro-Certified Smart Locks Samsung’s tap-to-unlock experience is powered by Aliro Home Key certification, an industry standard created to make digital access to your home more secure, reliable, and interoperable across devices. Aliro-certified smart locks will work seamlessly with Galaxy phones through Samsung Wallet, delivering consistent tap-to-unlock access whether you’re coming home from work, heading out for a run, or letting in a guest remotely. And this ecosystem is growing. Samsung is partnering with a broad range of Aliro-certified lock makers, including Aqara, Nuki, and Allegion brands like Schlage, giving homeowners more flexibility and choice when upgrading their front door. That means confidence today and peace of mind that your home is ready for what comes next. How to Set Up an Aliro-Certified Lock with Galaxy Getting started is easier than you might think. Step 1: Install Your Aliro-Certified Lock Follow the manufacturer’s instructions to physically install your lock. Step 2: Add the Lock in the SmartThings App Open the SmartThings app. Tap Add device and follow the on-screen prompts to connect your lock. Step 3: Add Your Digital Key to Samsung Wallet Once connected, you’ll receive the option to add your home key to Samsung Wallet. Confirm and authenticate, your Galaxy phone is now your key. Step 4: Test Tap-to-Unlock Hold your Galaxy phone near the lock. Tap. Unlock. Done. Want a Routine to try? Try This! Routine Name: “I’m Home!” Trigger: When front door unlocks Actions: Turn on entryway and living room lights Adjust thermostat to comfort setting Disarm security system Turn on Samsung TV Plus automatically  Now your home responds automatically the moment you walk in. You can customize this routine for mornings, evenings, guests, or even specific users. Ready to upgrade? Shop the Aliro-compatible smart locks, Galaxy Devices, and SmartThings hubs now on Samsung.com and fully unlock your home’s potential.

Did you know your Samsung TV can double as a SmartThings Hub? Many 2024 and newer models come with the hub built in, which means no extra device is needed. With just a few steps, you can turn your TV into the heart of your smart home and instantly start connecting devices. Read on for a step-by-step guide to activate your SmartThings Hub.  How it Works There are two easy ways to activate the SmartThings Hub built into your TV: directly from your mobile phone using the SmartThings app, or through the SmartThings app on your TV. Both options follow a similar flow, connect your TV, enable the hub, and start adding devices, so you can choose whichever is most convenient for you. Activate the Hub Using Your Galaxy  If you already use SmartThings on your phone, this is often the fastest way to get started. Step 1: Turn On Your TV Make sure your Samsung TV is powered on and connected to Wi-Fi. Step 2: Open SmartThings on Your Phone Launch the SmartThings app on your mobile device.  Confirm you’re signed in with the same Samsung account used on your TV. Step 3: Find Your TV Tap Devices in the app.  Select your TV from the list. Step 4: Open Hub Settings Tap the Featured icon at the bottom SmartThings Hub shows up on the next screen  Step 5: Activate the Hub Follow the on-screen prompts to turn the hub On. Wait while SmartThings connects to your TV and completes setup. Once finished, your TV is officially activated as a SmartThings Hub. Activate the Hub Using Your TV You can also turn on the hub directly from your TV using the built-in SmartThings app. Step 1: Turn on Your TV Make sure your Samsung TV is powered on and connected to Wi-Fi. Step 2: Open the SmartThings App on Your TV Press the Home button on your remote. Scroll over to Connected Devices Navigate to and open the SmartThings app. Step 3: Access Settings Select the Settings icon (cog wheel) in the SmartThings app. This may also be featured already on the home page. Scroll down and choose SmartThings Hub. Step 4: Activate the Hub Toggle SmartThings Hub to On. The Hub is now active! Step 5: Add Devices Once your Hub is activated: In the SmartThings app, tap + Add device. Scan for Matter or other supported devices. Import them into SmartThings. That’s It! Your Samsung TV is now a fully functioning SmartThings Hub. From here, you can control smart lights, plugs, sensors, and more, all without additional hardware.  With the Hub activated, your TV becomes more than just a screen; it’s now the command center for your connected home. Whether you’re dimming lights for movie night, automating your thermostat when you leave home, or linking new Matter devices as they hit the market, SmartThings makes it seamless.  Need devices to start building out your smart home? Shop them now at https://www.samsung.com/us/smartthings/all-smartthings/ 

Everything you need to integrate, test, and certify in one guided, streamlined experience.  We’re excited to announce the next evolution of the SmartThings Developer Center - a unified, streamlined experience designed to help partners build, test, and complete integrations faster than ever. As SmartThings expands to support more device categories and service integrations, along with existing integration types and protocols, we’ve redesigned the entire developer journey from the ground up. The result is a single, intuitive console that houses all the tools, workflows, and integrations in one place. Whether you have a device or service, regardless of integration type, the new Developer Center provides a guided path to get from idea → integration → certification → insights. What’s more, over the next few months, we will also be adding new enhancements for Service Integrations.   “You just made it too intuitive. Compared to other ecosystems, this is the easiest one ever.” - Chasen Tolbert, Strategic Partnerships, FireAvert What’s New: A Guided, Intuitive Experience The new Developer Center introduces a redesigned journey from end to-end. Here’s what you can expect: One Console for Every Integration  Device, service, and future integration paths will now live together in one unified console. It is the single, self-serve path to SmartThings.  A Step-by-Step Guided Workflow Every integration includes a clearly defined path with progress indicators and required steps.Partners told us this was one of the most helpful additions. “From an understanding perspective as a brand new user, this is more simplified.  It’s broken down into pieces, and I can see the progress.” – Harsh Khera, Senior Engineering Manager, Kwikset Real-Time Status & Next Steps Every section, including device profiles, setup & support profiles, and test results, is visible in one summary view, updated in real time. Streamlined Product Creation & Certification We reworked the entire product creation flow to make it simpler, guide users through each step, and avoid common blockers. Why It Matters: Faster, Easier, More Scalable Our new Developer Center enhancements are designed to: Reduce your certification time A more guided flow minimizes errors and back-and-forth, giving you a faster path to Works with SmartThings (WWST) approval. Enhance self-serve integrations Our tools make it easier for developers and partners to use the Developer Center. For example, Test Suite has self-testing options for Hub and Cloud Connected devices, which allows partners to self-test for WWST certification without sending devices to a lab for most device types.  Support more integration types Whether your device connects locally via Matter, Zigbee, or Z-Wave using the SmartThings Hub, authenticates using a SmartThings Schema app, or connects directly with the SmartThings Cloud using the SmartThings Device SDK, you’ll find all the tools and guidance you need in one place. Coming soon, SmartThings Find devices will join this same simplified integration journey.  For partners building a service integration, stay tuned for full support of SmartThings API Access Apps, allowing third-party web or mobile applications to securely access devices, scenes, and locations through the SmartThings API. Improve collaboration across teams A single, unified console lets product, engineering, QA, and business stakeholders collaborate on integrations with full visibility. “There are various people doing different things. It’s important for others to pick up in the same place.” - Charlie Dougherty, Sr Product Manager, Kwikset Adding to Your Integration with Partner Analytics The updated Developer Center includes SmartThings Partner Analytics, offering insight into how customers use your products, while maintaining user privacy: Devices most often used with yours in routines  Top sources of your product sales  Most-used features and SmartThings capabilities Get actionable insights with SmartThings Analytics.   Explore Analytics in the Developer Center or read our blog to learn more.   Expand Your Brand with Shareable Routines We recently rolled out Shareable Routines, which allows WWST-certified partners to create SmartThings routines that showcase your products alongside other partner devices. SmartThings users can easily import these routines into the SmartThings app.  For example, users can receive a ready-made routine that opens the smart blinds or turns on the lights each morning.  Shareable Routines help increase product discovery and drive ongoing engagement within the SmartThings platform. If a user does not have a compatible product, SmartThings shows your recommended devices  with “Buy” links, helping new customers find and purchase your products directly in the SmartThings app. Stay tuned for our additional announcements on Shareable Routines.   Together, our Developer Center, Partner Analytics, and Shareable Routines give you an easier way to integrate with SmartThings, product usage insights to optimize your products and roadmap, and a new way to share your products with users.  Start Building With the New Developer Center Try the new experience: Visit the Developer Center Explore the new guided journeys Thank you for your partnership!

From real-time temperature insights to automated blinds, the SmartThings Sleep Environment report helps you begin your journey to better sleep.   Sleep is one of the most important parts of your health and well-being. Yet so many of us struggle with it, tossing and turning, waking up groggy, or dealing with little ones who just won’t stay down for the night. The truth is, your environment plays a huge role in how well you rest. The SmartThings Sleep Environment Report gives you a clearer picture of what’s happening in your bedroom while you rest, so you can make small changes that add up to better nights and brighter mornings. With the Aeotec Smart Home Hub 2 and the Eve Weather Connected Weather Station, you’ll have everything you need to get started.   How to get started with better sleep The Aeotec Smart Home Hub 2 is the brain of your smart home, connecting your devices and automations in one place. Pair it with Eve Weather and you unlock powerful new insights into your sleep environment, making this duo the perfect starting point for a smarter, healthier home. Both devices are Matter-certified for simple setup, work with both Android and iOS, and are designed to make your home more responsive from day one. Smarter Insights with the Sleep Environment Report The SmartThings Sleep Environment Report collects and analyzes data from connected devices in your home to help you understand what’s impacting your rest. It highlights patterns and potential disturbances like changes in temperature, humidity, or air quality, and shows when devices were active during the night.  When paired with Eve Weather, SmartThings gains precise temperature and humidity readings from your bedroom. When combined with additional WWST sensors, insights such as CO2 levels and lighting can also be included. The report then uses that data to visualize your overnight environment, revealing whether your room got too warm, too cool, or too dry at any point.  Was the room too warm between 1 a.m. and 3 a.m.? SmartThings highlights the factors that could be disturbing your rest and even shows which devices were running during the night.  In addition, with the Samsung Health integration, you can combine this environmental data with your actual sleep measurements from Galaxy wearables to give you the full picture of both how you slept and why. Automations that Work While You Sleep Once SmartThings identifies the factors affecting your sleep, it helps you fix them automatically. By pairing the Smart Home Hub 2 with Eve Weather, you can set up routines that respond to changes in real time:   Lowering the thermostat when the room gets too warm in the middle of the night Turning on a humidifier if the air gets too dry Dimming or shutting off lights at bedtime to help you wind down Raise blinds upon waking up  Instead of waking up to discomfort, your smart home quietly adjusts to keep your environment optimized for rest.  Sleep Better, Live Better It’s not just about comfort, it’s about waking up refreshed and ready for your day. With a smarter nighttime routine powered by SmartThings, the Smart Home Hub 2, and Eve Weather, you’ll finally have the environment your body needs for deeper rest. And this solution works for the whole family. Parents can create routines that keep nurseries cozy through the night. Busy professionals can finally stop blaming stress when it’s really the air or temperature at fault. Even tech enthusiasts will love how seamlessly the system responds to real conditions in real time. To take your sleep setup a step further, pair your system with Eve Blinds, motorized, Matter-enabled blinds that automatically close at bedtime to block out streetlights or early morning sun, then open gently when it’s time to wake.  Combined with your Eve Weather data and Sleep Environment Report insights, you can create a “Good Night” routine that lowers blinds, turns off lights, adjusts the thermostat, and begins tracking your sleep conditions, automatically through SmartThings.  If you’re ready to say goodbye to restless nights and hello to mornings that feel truly refreshing, start with the Smart Home Hub 2 and Eve Weather, and consider adding Eve Blinds for the ultimate smart sleep setup. Together, they’ll help you understand your environment, improve your comfort, and create routines that support the rest you deserve. Shop Eve Weather and Aeotec Smart Home Hub 2 now on Samsung.com.