iOS 19 will not support for the older Home architecture.
The original Apple Home architecture will officially lose support with the release of iOS 19, and users are already being encouraged to update ahead of the discontinuation.
The iPhone maker’s move doesn’t come as much of a surprise, however, as references to the change were discovered back in March 2025. Specifically, the third developer beta of iOS 18.4 contained text strings that effectively urged users to upgrade to the latest Apple Home architecture.
Though it was buried within the operating system, the text would’ve informed users of the need to “update now to avoid interruptions,” as support for the older Apple Home architecture was going to “end soon.”
An announcement on Apple’s website now explains on exactly how soon this will happen — Support for the older Home architecture will end by the fall of 2025. This means that iOS 19 will not support the older Home architecture.
Much like the iOS text strings, Apple’s website tells users to update. This time, however, Apple has included additional reasons to upgrade — users of the new Home architecture will be able to enjoy “features like guest access, robot vacuum cleaners, and Activity History.”
The company has also included a set of requirements for the new Apple Home architecture. Specifically, users will need an iPhone, iPad, Mac, Apple TV, HomePod, or Apple Watch running iOS 16.2, iPadOS 16.2, macOS Ventura 13.1, tvOS 16.2, or watchOS 9.2 or later.
Devices running older software versions connected to an updated home will lose access to it until the software is updated. This is because the latest Apple Home architecture was introduced with iOS 16.2.
Back in November 2022, with the launch of iOS 16.2, Apple introduced an updated version of its HomeKit architecture, which delivered significant speed and performance upgrades for HomeKit accessories. The new and improved HomeKit architecture caused problems for some users, which is why it was withdrawn in December 2022 and reintroduced in February 2023 with the release of iOS 16.4.
The upgrade itself was entirely optional, and many users chose not to upgrade to the latest Home architecture to ensure the continued operation of their existing HomeKit accessories. With iOS 19. however, the older Home architecture (formerly HomeKit) will lose all support, and Apple is encouraging users to upgrade. The company even included instructions on how to do so.
How to update to the latest Apple Home architecture
The company’s announcement about the discontinuation of the older Home architecture contains a short guide on how to update to the newer version:
- Open the Home app on your iPhone, iPad, or Mac.
- Tap or click the More button.
- Select Home Settings. Users who own multiple homes will need to choose one and then select Home Settings.
- Select Software Update.
- Tap or click Update Now, then follow the in-app prompts.
Apple says that this will update all homes simultaneously, so you won’t have to go through the process more than once.
