A Smarter Way to Tap
The latest Homey app update introduces a subtle but impactful design overhaul. In the past, users often had to figure out which device tiles would respond to a tap and which needed a longer press to access full controls. This uncertainty created a confusing experience for smart home users. Now, a new quick-action button appears on the top-right corner of every tile. It displays an icon showing exactly what action the user will trigger, removing the guesswork and making the interface feel more intuitive.
For devices that naturally require a state change, like lights or smart plugs, the quick action is assigned automatically. Users don’t have to set anything up. For devices such as motion sensors that don’t lend themselves to a default action, the quick action button can be configured manually in the device settings. This approach ensures that every device in the app behaves in a way that’s most helpful for the user’s specific needs.
Consistency Across the App
The redesign doesn’t stop with device tiles. Homey has reworked the entire app experience to follow a consistent interaction pattern. Long-pressing a tile now brings up a context menu, offering options like renaming the device, changing its visibility, or jumping directly to the device’s settings. This shift mirrors the behavior seen in iOS and Android phone interfaces, making the app easier to learn and use.
This uniformity extends to other parts of the app, including Flow, Mood, and dashboard widget tiles. All of these now follow the same logic: a quick tap activates a primary action, while a long-press reveals additional settings or management options. This consistency makes the app feel unified, not like a patchwork of different behaviors.
The update also repositions the status indicator on every tile to the bottom. This change frees up space on the tile for more context-specific information. For example, a Sonos speaker tile now shows the current track name, while a thermostat tile displays the current room temperature. Battery-powered devices can even show remaining charge levels. This means users can quickly get the information they need without diving into app menus.
Why This Matters for Smart Home Users
Nielsen Norman Group released a study in November 2025 highlighting the challenges smart home users face. Even with a capable hub, managing multiple devices from a single app can be confusing when each tile behaves differently. This inconsistency increases cognitive load, making smart homes harder to manage. The new Homey update directly tackles this issue by making the interface more intuitive and predictable.
While standards like Matter have helped devices work together, they don’t address user interface fragmentation. Matter 1.5 was released in late 2025, but many platforms are still using older versions of the specification. Some devices claim support for newer Matter specs but don’t fully implement them. Homey’s update focuses on the part of the smart home experience that users actually interact with — the app. By streamlining how every device behaves, the smart home becomes more of a cohesive system and less of a set of unrelated tools.
This update reflects Homey’s commitment to solving real-world usability issues. It’s not about supporting the latest protocol versions or adding more features. Instead, it’s about making the user experience more consistent and easier to navigate. As smart homes grow larger and more complex, having a reliable, uniform interface becomes essential. With this update, Homey takes a big step in that direction.