Skip to main content
  1. Home
  2. Smart Home
  3. Guides

How to set up HomeKit Secure Video on your devices

By
vizio airplay 2 scenes homekit
Apple

Apple has been incorporating many features into its iCloud+ service to make it more enticing to its community. For example, they introduced HomeKit Secure Video (HSV) last year. With HSV, any HomeKit-enabled security camera can be added to the Home app on your Apple devices, as well as offer extra features.

Recommended Videos

Difficulty

Easy

Duration

5 minutes

What You Need

  • Home Hub

  • iOS Device

  • Mac

Security cameras you add to your HomeKit home automatically get HSV features. Footage from the cameras is encrypted so that only you and anyone you allow can view it. Also, any video saved from the Home app does not count towards your iCloud+ storage limit. To get started, you'll need to have a Home hub set up and either an iOS device or a Mac. We will go through both options below.

iOS directions for installing HomeKit Secure Video

Step 1: On your iOS device (iPhone, iPad, iPod) go to the settings app and click on your Name at the top.

Step 2: Click iCloud.

Related

Step 3: Click and turn on the Home option.

Mac directions for installing HomeKit Secure Video

Step 1: On your Mac, click the Apple symbol at the top left of the menu bar.

Step 2: Click on System preferences.

Step 3: Click your Apple ID.

Step 4: Click iCloud.

Step 5: Select and turn on Home.

Once you add security cameras to your smart home through the Home app, they will automatically be encrypted and secure using HomeKit Secure Video. You can also now view footage from the cameras on any iOS device, Mac, or Apple TV that's signed into the same iCloud account. You can also share access to your home to allow others to see footage or control smart home accessories. Check out cameras such as the Logitech Circle View or the Eufy 2k Indoor to get started with new security devices.

Editors’ Recommendations

Topics
Keyan Riddick
Keyan Riddick
Former Digital Trends Contributor
Keyan Riddick is a freelance writer based in the mountains on North Carolina. When he isn't writing you can find him behind…
How to mount your Blink Mini 2 security camera
The Blink Mini 2 installed outside.

The Blink Mini 2 offers an affordable way to keep tabs on your home. Clocking in at just $40, you'd be hard-pressed to find a security camera that offers better value. Along with 1080p footage capture, you can set up customized motion zones, activate Person Detection, and modify a bunch of other settings via the Blink mobile app. One of the best things about the Blink Mini 2, however, is that you can mount it on a wall or ceiling for improved visibility. It also comes with a basic stand for tabletop use.

Read more
How to turn your old phone into a security camera

If you're like most people, you've probably amassed a drawer of unused electronics over the years. Many of these are probably smartphones -- after all, carriers offer great promotions nowadays, giving you a chance to upgrade your device every two years without paying hefty fees. However, instead of letting your old smartphones collect dust (or worse, throwing them away), consider turning them into a makeshift security camera.

There are plenty of great iOS and Android apps available that help turn your old smartphone into a security camera. These work by using your old smartphone's built-in cameras to provide a live stream to your new smartphone. Best of all, many of these are affordable (or free) and work with just about any phone you might have purchased over the last decade.

Read more
Nest Secure will be discontinued in April – prepare your smart home with these steps
Nest Secure Review

Google is dropping support for Nest Secure on April 8, at which time users will see a complete shutdown of its features. Whether you're using it as a bridge for your smart lock or as a home security system, the device will no longer connect to the internet, rendering it obsolete.

Google has already reached out to impacted users to let them know about the impending shutdown, but is there a replacement for Nest Secure available in 2024? And what exactly can you do to prepare for the discontinuation in April? Here's a look at everything you need to know about Nest Secure.
Check ADT for a Nest Secure replacement

Read more