Is SwitchBot difficult for families to use? How to share access and choose a hub that is easy to keep using even without a smartphone

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When you introduce SwitchBot,

• you can operate home appliances with your smartphone

• you can turn on the air conditioner while away from home

• you can turn on the lights with your voice

• you can automate appliances based on temperature and humidity

and other capabilities increase.

However, when you actually use it with your family, other problems may arise.

"It's convenient for me, but my family still uses the regular remote control."

"Only the person who set it up knows how to operate it."

"It's faster to use the remote control than to look for the app."

This is the kind of situation that happens.

A smart home may not lead to convenience for the whole family if only one person masters it.

In this article, from the perspective of using gadgets in a household with three children, I will organize ideas on how to make SwitchBot easy for the family to keep using.

🌸 Ele-Pit-chan's "Can I do that too?"

What you will learn in this article

• Reasons why SwitchBot becomes difficult for families to use

• Operating methods that don't rely solely on the app

• How to choose between Hub Mini, Hub 2, and Hub 3

• Reasons why it is okay to keep using regular remote controls

• How to prevent a situation where only the person who set it up can use it

Conclusion | You don't have to make every family member use the app

Here is the conclusion first.

To use SwitchBot as a family, not everyone needs to learn how to operate the app.

However, "being able to use it without a smartphone" does not mean that the initial setup can be done without a smartphone.

The SwitchBot app is required to register SwitchBot products and share the home with family members.

Perform the initial setup with a smartphone, and for daily operations after setup, divide them into:

• regular remote controls

• the physical buttons on the Hub 2 or Hub 3

• voice control

• automation

• separately sold remote buttons

so that it becomes easier for the whole family to use without having to open the app every time.

Leaving methods that are easy for each family member to use will result in longer-term usage.

Operating from outside the home

smartphone app

Detailed settings and remote operations are handled by the person who is accustomed to the settings.

Operating on the spot

regular remote controls

I will keep it for now as an entry point that can be used without searching for the app until everyone gets used to it.

Children performing simple operations

Device buttons

Prepare a method that can be used without handing over a parent's smartphone.

Operating when your hands are full

Voice control

This is useful in situations where it is difficult to use your hands, such as while cooking or in a dark room.

Automating home appliances

Only within a range that family members can understand the reason for

Don't add too many from the start; set them up one problem at a time.

In this way, not unifying the operation method into just one is also a trick to keep using a smart home.

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How to share SwitchBot with family

If family members also want to operate appliances from the SwitchBot app, instead of everyone using the same login information, there is a way to invite them as members to the SwitchBot home.

The person sharing should configure the settings in the following order:

1. Update the SwitchBot app to the latest version

2. Tap the home name in the top left of the app

3. Open "Manage Home"

4. Select the home to share with family

5. Tap the '+' icon for Home Members

6. Select permissions from Admin, Member, or Member (Limited)

7. Send the QR code or invitation code to your family members

The invited family member logs into the app with their own SwitchBot account and joins the home using the QR code or invitation code.

You do not need to give the same permissions to every family member

If family members only need to operate home appliances, they do not need to be set as Admins who can change all settings.

Choose between Admin, Member, and Member (Limited) based on how each family member will use the devices.

When sharing infrared remote controls registered to a hub, such as for TVs or air conditioners, be sure to include the hub where the remote is registered in the sharing settings.

Family members who do not use the app do not need to be set up for sharing

If a family member does not use the app, there is no need to force them to create an account.

• Use a standard remote control

• Use the physical buttons on the Hub 2 or Hub 3

• Place a Remote Button

• Use voice control via a smart speaker

These methods provide ways for family members to operate devices without confusion.

You can combine home sharing via the app with methods that do not require a smartphone to suit your household's needs.

Reference: How to invite family and friends to your home

Reference: How to share devices with home members

Reason 1 why it becomes difficult for family: It takes too long to open the app

It is convenient to be able to operate home appliances with a smartphone.

However, every time you have to

1. find your phone

2. unlock it

3. open the app

4. select the room or device

5. operate it

—if this process is required, it is sometimes faster to just use the remote control right in front of you.

Even if you can set up shortcuts or widgets, it doesn't mean every family member will set them up the same way.

Being able to operate via smartphone and having smartphone operation be the easiest method are two different things.

⚡ Elepit-kun's "Let's try this first!"

Reason 2 why it becomes difficult for family: Only the person who set it up knows how it works

In a smart home,

• what time it runs

• at what temperature it runs

• what triggers it to run

• which devices are linked

are all hidden in the settings on the screen.

Even if the person who set it up understands it, from the family's perspective,

"The air conditioner suddenly turned on"

"The lights turned off on their own"

are things they might feel.

Increasing the number of settings does not always make things more convenient.

When there are more actions that family members cannot understand the reason for, it leads to inconvenience and anxiety.

📖 Erei's "Check this first"

Reason 3 why it becomes difficult for family to use | Putting away regular remote controls

Once you register a remote control to SwitchBot, you might want to put away the physical remote.

However, regular remote controls are useful in the following situations:

• When the smartphone is charging

• When Wi-Fi is unstable

• When family members haven't installed the app

• When guests operate home appliances

• When children perform simple operations

• When using detailed manufacturer-specific functions

Just because you introduced SwitchBot doesn't mean you need to throw away physical remotes immediately.

Using smartphones, voice control, and remote controls appropriately makes it less confusing for the family.

Choosing a hub changes when using it with family

The way you choose a SwitchBot hub depends on how your family members will operate it.

If you mainly operate it via app or voice

If you are buying now, Hub Mini (Matter-enabled)

If your main goal is to operate infrared home appliances via smartphone or voice, you may not necessarily need a high-end model.

However, the Hub Mini unit itself does not have a screen or buttons for operating appliances.

If family members do not use smartphones, keep the regular remote controls or use separately sold remote buttons.

If family members check temperature and humidity to perform specific operations

Hub 2

Hub 2 is equipped with temperature/humidity and light sensors, as well as a built-in display.

Family members can check the temperature and humidity on the spot without opening the app.

Also, you can assign scenes such as turning off lights or turning on the air conditioner to the ON/OFF buttons on the unit.

It is suitable for households that want to execute specific operations with a single button rather than performing detailed operations on many appliances.

If family members operate multiple appliances from the unit itself

Hub 3

Hub 3 allows you to operate multiple devices and scenes from the unit using custom buttons, a dial, and directional keys.

It is a candidate for households where family members want to use the hub unit as an operation panel without opening a smartphone.

However, simply choosing Hub 3 does not automatically make it easy for all family members to use.

It is important to narrow down frequently used operations and set up a button layout that does not confuse family members.

If you want to keep the remote controls that family members are used to

Continue using your current hub

If you are not having any trouble with regular remote controls or voice operation, there is no need to replace your hub just for family operation.

Rather than standardizing on a new model, it is sometimes easier to continue using the methods your family is already comfortable with.

▶ Hub Mini (Matter-enabled): Check out models designed for app-centric use

▶ Automate with temperature and humidity: Check out the SwitchBot Hub 2, a model that makes it easy for the family to see temperature and humidity

▶ Family can also operate from the device: Check out the SwitchBot Hub 3, a model that can be operated directly from the unit

5 rules for keeping it going with your family

1. Start by solving just one problem

If you try to automate the whole house from the start, the settings and explanations will increase.

First, start with one problem, such as:

• Turning on the air conditioner before coming home

• Turning off the lights at bedtime

• Checking the temperature and humidity

It is easier to keep going if you add more devices after your family has experienced the convenience.

2. Keep the regular remote controls as well

Keep the physical remote controls until your family gets used to it.

It is important not to create a situation where operation is only possible via smartphone.

3. Communicate the automation details to your family

"The air conditioner turns on when the room temperature rises"

"The lights turn off when it gets dark"

Make sure everyone knows what is happening.

and other things, easily share what is happening.

This is because automations that family members are unaware of are more likely to cause anxiety than convenience.

4. Making it usable without giving children a smartphone

A system where children have to use their parents' smartphones every time they want to operate home appliances is difficult to maintain.

Keep methods that suit the household, such as regular remote controls, physical buttons on the devices, and voice control.

5. Ensuring things can be reset even when the person who set them up is away

Keep the following information accessible to family members.

• Location of regular remote controls

• How to stop automations

• How to operate when Wi-Fi is disconnected

• Where to restart the power

• How to operate frequently used appliances

It is important to avoid a situation where the smart home cannot be used if the person who set it up is not there.

You don't have to consolidate everything into one app

When you start a smart home, you might want to consolidate all your appliances into a single app.

However, some appliances are easier to use with their manufacturer's official app.

Official apps offer:

• Manufacturer-specific operation modes

• Detailed status displays

• Power consumption data

• Maintenance information

and other resources may be provided.

Rather than aiming to unify everything with SwitchBot,

by choosing the method that is easiest for each specific operation,

you can reduce the burden on your family.

Families for whom SwitchBot is a good fit

• Want to operate home appliances while away from home

• Want to check the room temperature before children get home

• Want to reduce the number of times you have to look for remote controls

• Want to check temperature and humidity as a family

• Want to make ordinary home appliances smart with add-ons

• Can keep operation methods that suit family members

Families for whom it is not necessary to introduce it

• Are not having trouble with current remote control operations

• Family members do not like automatic operations

• Do not want to increase the management of Wi-Fi or apps

• Have few infrared home appliances to operate

• Are satisfied with just the official app

• Have no one to manage the settings

Choosing not to introduce a smart home is also a perfectly valid option.

If you are not having any trouble at home, there is no need to force yourself to add more products.

Frequently Asked Questions

Q1. Does every family member need to install the SwitchBot app?

It is not necessary for every family member to use the SwitchBot app.

You only need to invite family members who will operate the devices from the app as SwitchBot home members.

Family members who do not use a smartphone can use regular remote controls, voice commands, the buttons on the Hub 2 or Hub 3, or the separately sold Remote Button.

When sharing your home with family, choose the necessary permissions from Admin, Member, or Member (Limited).

Q2. Can I throw away my regular remote controls?

There is no need to throw them away immediately.

Considering potential Wi-Fi or app issues, guests, and family usage, we recommend keeping them at least until everyone is used to the system.

Q3. Will the Hub 3 make it easier for the whole family to use?

Since it increases the number of ways to operate devices on the unit itself, it may be easier to use than relying solely on a smartphone.

However, you should first consider where to place the unit and what operations your family will actually use.

Q4. How much automation should I set up?

Start with a scope that all family members can understand.

It is easier to identify issues if you add settings one by one rather than setting up many at once.

Summary | You don't have to make everyone in the family use the app

When using SwitchBot as a family, you do not need to have everyone learn the same operation method.

• You use the app

• Family uses remote controls

• Children use the device directly

• Use voice control when your hands are full

• Only automate where it's necessary

It is perfectly fine to use it this way.

The goal of a smart home is not to force everyone in the family to use the same operation method.

It is to reduce the time spent figuring out how to operate appliances and the hassle of parents having to do it for them every time.

Before choosing the top-tier model,

think about "who in our home will use which method to operate things."

Try considering that.

Summary of the 4 points

▶ SwitchBot Hub Mini (Matter-enabled) Start your smart home easily

▶ SwitchBot Hub 2 Check temperature and humidity with the family

▶ SwitchBot Hub 3 See models that are easy to operate without a smartphone

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