Create a Siri shortcut on Domoticz and Jeedom

To control your home automation devices with Siri and Jeedom or Domoticz, there are several ways. Use a Homekit gateway, or use the new Siri shortcuts in iOS 13.

Homekit gateway

Setting up a gateway between your Jeedom or Domoticz server, and Homekit allows you to easily control your home automation devices. It works very well, but with the disadvantage of a rather complex configuration and advanced knowledge in your home automation system. In addition, all home automation devices are not compatible with Homekit.

Shortcuts and Siri actions

iOS 12 introduced a new feature that can simplify the use of Siri: Siri actions.

Unlike Homekit, using a Siri shortcut allows the user to create their own shortcuts with Siri, by using your own keywords. This has the advantage of being very simple to set up, and above all, it allows you to control any type of device, as long as it is available in your home automation server, in Pilot.

And Pilot in all this?

Since version 2.4, Pilot supports Siri shortcuts. You can create your custom actions, and enjoy integration with Siri on your iPhone and iPad.

Also, the actions performed in Pilot will automatically be offered by Siri. For example, if Siri finds that you launch the “Hello Home” scenario every morning with Pilot, then Siri could offer you to do so directly from your lock screen!

How does it work?

Creating a Siri shortcut is done in a few steps:

1. First, make sure you have iOS 13, essential for using Siri shortcuts!
2. Start by opening Pilot, and trigger the action you want: turn on a light, open a shutter, set the lighting intensity of a light, open the garage door, set the temperature of a thermostat, etc.
3. Then, on your iPhone, return to the home screen, then go to Settings> Siri and search> All shortcuts
4. On this screen, you find the shortcuts of all your applications. Scroll to find the history of Pilot actions used
   Select the desired action to create the associated shortcut. Siri will then ask you to dictate your shortcut for it to be registered!
5. There you go ! You can now trigger Siri and dictate your keyword so that it triggers the associated action.

Bear in mind

• The Siri shortcuts you create can be used on your iPhone, but will also be automatically available on all your other devices: iPhone, iPad, Apple Watch, HomePod!

Feel free to ask your questions in the comments;)