If you’ve ever wished your smart light could talk to other gadgets or certain smart home devices could talk to products from other brands, rejoice! With IFTTT, you can get all kinds of different gadgets and platforms to talk to each other and execute a series of tasks that otherwise wouldn’t be possible. It’s actually easy, and there’s no coding required! Let’s dig into how it works and Applets that you can make work for you.
What is IFTTT?
IFTTT is an acronym for If This Then That. Essentially, if you do something, then something else happens. IFTTT is a private commercial company that makes it possible for any user to program a response to almost any trigger you have in mind. IFTTT has partnerships with different service providers that supply event notifications to IFTTT and execute commands that implement the responses.
IFTTT uses Applets, which are essentially recipes you can create for yourself. Or, you can use ones others have made. An Applet connects two or more apps or gadgets together seamlessly.
How much does IFTTT cost?
When IFTTT first started, it was free, but now, like most things, you’ll be expected to pay for access if your use extends above a certain threshold. You can use five Applets for free. If you want to use more, plans go up to $2.50 per month for the Pro version, which allows the use of up to 20 Applets. It’s $5 for unlimited use with the Pro+ plan.
What are the best IFTTT Applets? How do I get them?
If you want to try out any of these Applets, the best thing to do is to go to IFTTT’s website, create an account, then surf or search for what you want. These are just a few ideas:
Weather Applets: If tomorrow’s forecast calls for snow, change my smart lights
One of the first IFTTT Applets I added to try is to have your smart lights turn blue when snow is in the forecast. This Applet is surprisingly handy, as it’s a reminder to put the car in the garage, or to find the snow shovels, or to check ice melt. Check out all the IFTTT weather Applets.
Content Applets: If WordPress posts a blog, share it to social media
Content creators will appreciate using Applets that let them connect a WordPress blog or website account to various social media platforms, including Facebook and Twitter. The automation is as follows: Each time your blog publishes a new topic, it will automatically share it on one of your social media accounts. You can add more social accounts by upgrading to the Pro version, too. Learn more about WordPress Applets.
Alert Applets: Start the day right with a morning reminder about your first meeting
If you’re a disaster before you’ve had your coffee and detest scheduling meetings before about 9 a.m. or 10 a.m., this Applet can help you get a handle on the day. Instead of getting distracted by a list of to-do’s or completely missing or arriving late for a meeting, this Applet sends you a reminder that there’s an early meeting coming up. Check out all the reminder Applets.
Social media Applets: Keep your Facebook and Twitter profiles in sync
Use an Applet to easily maintain consistency across your social media profiles. You can set this Applet up to automatically update one of your social media profile photos when another one is updated manually. Discover other social media IFTTT Applets.
Make home a silent sanctuary: When I arrive home from work, dock Roomba
Robot vacs offer a world of convenience, but they can be loud. Set up an Applet with a geolocation feature so that, if the Roomba is running while you’re out of the house, it heads back to its docking station when you are nearing home. Get clean floors and never listen to the bot running — it’s a win-win. There are plenty of other IFTTT Applets for robot vacs; see if there’s one for the model you have at home.
See into space: Get a weekly status update about the International Space Station
You don’t have to be a science nerd to be interested in what’s going on in orbit. A fun Applet emails you a weekly report about what’s happening aboard the International Space Station (ISS). A related Applet will also notify you when the ISS is passing overhead. Cool! Find other ways to use IFTTT Applets to experience space.
Never search blindly again: Get Google or Alexa to find your phone
If you’re always misplacing your phone, you can set up an Applet that will get your digital assistant or smart speaker of choice to call your phone to help you find it. Learn how to use IFTTT Applets to find all kinds of things.
Safety first: Turn on lights if Ring Video Doorbell detects motion
This is a handy Applet for home security. You can connect your Ring Video Doorbell with almost any smart lighting platform. If your doorbell detects motion or someone rings the bell, IFTTT will switch on the smart lights inside your house, then shut them off later. There are lots of IFTTT Applets to help you keep you safe.
In short, if you can think of a way you want a smart home gadget and productivity platform to connect, IFTTT has probably figured it out. If they don’t already have an Applet that will do it for you, it’s super easy to make your own in just a few seconds.
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