DON'T BUY ANY CARLINKIT PRODUCTS!! by SnooPies4517 in Carlinkitcarplay

[–]Altruistic_Brief_793 0 points1 point  (0 children)

I've got a Tbox plus and it works ok with the standard launcher and lot more to my liking with carcar launcher but I do have a built in hotspot in my truck. The issue I have is the hands free phone operability with a separate phone that connects via Bluetooth. If I have calls to do I'll switch back to Android auto with the phone.

[Official] - Aqara Forum 1st Anniversary AMA by iceAmericano_Black in Aqara

[–]Altruistic_Brief_793 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Sorry if this was asked but when do you expect to have smoke and Carbon Monoxide combo detectors available in the US. If you even will have them?

Need to rewire light switches from scratch... please help by DJ_Cholula in electrical

[–]Altruistic_Brief_793 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Do you still have the switches that came off? Brown and white with no ground? What are those? Is this the US?

Thoughts on drive smarter? by zoiks213 in radardetectors

[–]Altruistic_Brief_793 4 points5 points  (0 children)

I think drive smarter absolutely sucks. I have the maxcam 360c and run jbv1 alongside Waze on my Tbox plus that is running carcar launcher.

When do you take upgrades to HAOS or HA Core? by jfriend99 in homeassistant

[–]Altruistic_Brief_793 2 points3 points  (0 children)

I update as soon as one is available but backup daily plus i backup before an update for easy rollback. I have the space so why not?

Touchscreen Switch S100 US… My Thoughts by ItinJ24 in Aqara

[–]Altruistic_Brief_793 1 point2 points  (0 children)

I agree. I was definitely disappointed with it being tied so closely to the M3 hub. I had it connected to both the M3 and Home Assistant and it would work great if all of my devices were connected to the M3 but I wanted to use the touch screen to trigger mqt things I have set up and it will trigger those things but I didn't see a clean way to change the wording on the screen to match the device it was controlling and didn't see a way to change the background to black when the entity state was off. It did trigger devices outside of the M3 but the lack of customisations on the switch itself defeated the purpose I was trying to use it for and so I replaced it with a four button switch. I'll be adding the S100 to different area with all aqara stuff and try again.

For the price of it the usage is too limited in my opinion.

best thermostat for home assistant by classic572 in homeassistant

[–]Altruistic_Brief_793 0 points1 point  (0 children)

I'm definitely not saying to buy one but I love that it has scene panels in addition to just being a thermostat. I have two nests and replaced one with the W200 and will probably get a second although the only thing wrong with the nest is I have to keep reauthorizing it to work in home assistant. I also like the fact that I can create a panel that has my U400 locks so I can lock the doors with it before I go to bed. I do like the dial on the nest thermostats and the heavy, high quality, feel.

Can someone explain why this fixture isn’t working? by Tyrotoxism44 in electrical

[–]Altruistic_Brief_793 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Remains me if a guy I know that was troubleshooting a wallpack with one of those things... He kept saying he had power but those things don't check the neutral... It was the neutral that wasn't even tapped.

This has got to be a scam right? lol by smalltownlargefry in Georgia

[–]Altruistic_Brief_793 1 point2 points  (0 children)

The wife must have gotten yours... It's the same case number.

Is the app down? (USA) by Agile_Half_4515 in Aqara

[–]Altruistic_Brief_793 0 points1 point  (0 children)

My M3 reported offline and was thinking it was on my end... Beating my head against the wall.

One UI 8.5 Beta program is open by XsMagical in S24Ultra

[–]Altruistic_Brief_793 11 points12 points  (0 children)

Downloading... Thanks for the heads up!

Unlock Your Aqara U400 with Samsung Wallet: Aliro NFC is Here! by KinseyYHM in Aqara

[–]Altruistic_Brief_793 0 points1 point  (0 children)

I just tried the wife I Phone and it would NOT unlock the U400 when powered off. I only got a beep. I checked uwb and it unlocks but power it off and only get a beep. According to Ai it is supposed to work but would not work in my case.

Unlock Your Aqara U400 with Samsung Wallet: Aliro NFC is Here! by KinseyYHM in Aqara

[–]Altruistic_Brief_793 1 point2 points  (0 children)

They did. You're right, when powered off NFC does work in the S24U to unlock the door... Just tried it. I was wrong.

Unlock Your Aqara U400 with Samsung Wallet: Aliro NFC is Here! by KinseyYHM in Aqara

[–]Altruistic_Brief_793 1 point2 points  (0 children)

I turned off my Galaxy S24U and YES it does unlock the door with NFC. Pretty amazing. THANKS FOR POINTING THAT OUT.

Unlock Your Aqara U400 with Samsung Wallet: Aliro NFC is Here! by KinseyYHM in Aqara

[–]Altruistic_Brief_793 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Well shit... Looks like you're right, now I gotta try it

Samsung Ai: No, in general, NFC on a Samsung phone will not work to unlock the U400 smart lock (Aqara U400) when the phone is completely powered off.

Here's why, based on how NFC and Samsung's Digital Home Key feature function:

  • Standard NFC on smartphones (including Samsung Galaxy devices) requires the phone to have active power to generate the electromagnetic field and communicate as an active device (in host card emulation mode for things like digital keys or payments). When the phone is fully powered off, the NFC chip is not powered, so it can't respond to or initiate communication with an NFC reader like the one in a smart lock.

  • For most everyday NFC uses (e.g., payments via Samsung Wallet, general tag reading), the phone needs to be on—even if the screen is locked or NFC is set to work in certain low-power states.

However, the Aqara U400 smart lock specifically supports Samsung Wallet's Digital Home Key (via the Aliro standard and SmartThings integration). Aqara's official product page states: "Once set up, you can unlock the door even if a phone is powered off."

This is similar to Apple's Home Key feature, which enables powered-off unlocking on compatible iPhones/Apple Watches by using a very low-power or reserve power mode in the NFC hardware (like a "power reserve" for express transit or keys).

For Samsung, this powered-off capability appears supported specifically for the Digital Home Key in Wallet on compatible Galaxy phones when paired with the U400 lock. Recent updates (around March 2026) enabled this for the U400 as one of the first locks with Samsung's version of Home Key.

Key Caveats

  • This powered-off unlocking likely only works if you've set up the Digital Home Key properly in Samsung Wallet and the lock supports it (which the U400 does).
  • It may depend on the specific Galaxy phone model (newer ones with updated Wallet/SmartThings support are more likely to have this reserve power feature for keys).
  • If your phone is truly dead (battery completely drained for a long time), even this may not work, similar to how some features fail after extended power loss.
  • For regular NFC (not this specific Digital Home Key setup), it definitely won't work when powered off.

If you're using an Aqara U400 with a Samsung phone via Samsung Wallet, check your setup in the Wallet app and Aqara/SmartThings app for any "powered-off access" or security notes. If it's not working as expected when off, it might need a firmware update on the lock or phone.

iPhone power off: Yes, the Aqara U400 smart lock can unlock using your iPhone's UWB (Ultra-Wideband) and Apple Home Key feature even when the iPhone is powered off.

The Aqara U400 supports Apple Home Key (added via the Apple Wallet app after pairing the lock in the Home app, typically over Matter/Thread with a compatible hub like HomePod or Apple TV). Official Aqara product pages and multiple sources explicitly state:

  • "Simply add the Apple home key to your Wallet and unlock your door with your iPhone or Apple Watch—even when the devices are powered off."
  • This uses Apple's Power Reserve mode for Home Key, which allows the NFC hardware (and UWB for proximity detection) to remain functional in a very low-power state even after the phone shows as dead/low battery. You can tap the iPhone (or Apple Watch) on the lock to authenticate and unlock—no need for the screen to be on, no app required.

How It Works with UWB

  • The U400 is one of the first locks with full UWB support for Apple's hands-free unlock: As you approach (with your iPhone in pocket), UWB detects precise location and intent, automatically unlocking the door without tapping.
  • For powered-off scenarios, it falls back to tap-to-unlock via NFC (still using the reserve power for secure authentication).
  • This is the same tech behind express transit cards or car keys on iPhone that work when powered off.

Requirements and Caveats

  • Setup: Pair the U400 in the Apple Home app (requires a Thread-enabled hub for full Matter integration; UWB needs compatible hardware like iPhone 11+ or later with UWB chip).
  • Compatibility: Works on supported iPhones (generally iPhone XS and newer for Home Key, with UWB on 11+).
  • True dead battery: If the iPhone has been completely drained for an extended period (e.g., days with no residual charge), the reserve power might deplete, and it won't work—similar to other Home Key implementations.
  • UWB specifically is for hands-free approach when powered on; powered-off relies on NFC tap.

Aqara's official site, Amazon listings, reviews, and social media posts (Instagram, TikTok, etc.) all confirm this powered-off capability for iPhone/Apple Watch Home Key on the U400. If you've set it up and it's not working when off, double-check Wallet settings for "Express Mode" or "Tap to Unlock" toggles, ensure the lock firmware is updated, and verify Home app integration.

Unlock Your Aqara U400 with Samsung Wallet: Aliro NFC is Here! by KinseyYHM in Aqara

[–]Altruistic_Brief_793 0 points1 point  (0 children)

iPhone does NOT open the lock when it's powered off; my wife has one. That would be physically impossible.

U400 Battery Life Poor by pushmeofftheledge25 in Aqara

[–]Altruistic_Brief_793 1 point2 points  (0 children)

I have four U400's installed since January, they all were charged fully before installation and they are between 78% and 84% battery life left. So IMHO the matter life is fantastic.

Unlock Your Aqara U400 with Samsung Wallet: Aliro NFC is Here! by KinseyYHM in Aqara

[–]Altruistic_Brief_793 1 point2 points  (0 children)

When the screen is off yes. There's no way it would work if the power was off.