How to Connect Your Narwal Robot Vacuum to Apple Home

Compatible Narwal robot vacuums can connect to Apple Home through Matter, allowing owners to control cleaning, use Siri voice commands and incorporate their robots into smart home automations.

The integration also supports local control, meaning basic cleaning commands can work without an internet connection as long as the robot and Apple Home controller remain connected to a functioning home network.

Narwal introduced Matter support for the Flow and Flow 2 through firmware updates in 2026. The integration allows supported models to appear alongside lights, thermostats and other accessories in Apple's Home app.

Apple Home provides convenient cleaning controls, although advanced mapping, obstacle avoidance and dock maintenance settings remain available through the Narwal app.

How to Connect Narwal to Apple Home

Before starting, make sure your Narwal supports Matter, has the required firmware and is connected to Wi-Fi through the Narwal app.

You'll need an iPhone or iPad running iOS or iPadOS 18.4 or later. A compatible Apple Home hub, such as a HomePod or Apple TV, is needed for remote access and home automations.

[IMAGE COMING SOON - 1 OF 6: NARWAL APP SHOWING THE MATTER OPTION UNDER THIRD-PARTY CONTROL SETTINGS.]

1. Open the Narwal app and select your robot vacuum.
2. Open the robot's settings and locate Third-Party Control.
3. Select Matter to open the pairing screen.
4. Tap Add to Apple Home, if available.
5. Follow Apple's instructions to connect the robot.
6. Give the robot a name, assign it to a room and complete setup.

[IMAGE COMING SOON - 2 OF 6: NARWAL MATTER PAIRING SCREEN DISPLAYING THE ADD TO APPLE HOME BUTTON, QR CODE AND NUMERIC PAIRING CODE.]

If the automatic connection doesn't work, open Apple's Home app, select Add Accessory and enter the Matter pairing code provided by Narwal.

The exact menu labels and pairing options may vary with the Narwal app and robot firmware.

[IMAGE COMING SOON - 3 OF 6: APPLE HOME APP SHOWING A NARWAL FLOW ROBOT VACUUM SUCCESSFULLY ADDED AS A SMART HOME ACCESSORY.]

How to Control Narwal Through Apple Home

Once connected, your Narwal appears as a robot vacuum accessory in Apple's Home app.

Depending on the model and firmware, available controls can include:

• Starting and stopping cleaning
• Selecting vacuuming or mopping modes
• Choosing individual rooms
• Adjusting supported suction settings
• Returning the robot to its charging dock
• Checking cleaning and operating status

[IMAGE COMING SOON - 4 OF 6: APPLE HOME ROBOT VACUUM CONTROL SCREEN SHOWING NARWAL CLEANING MODES, SUCTION SETTINGS AND AVAILABLE ROOM SELECTIONS.]

Narwal Flow 2 owners have reported access to room selection, suction adjustments and separate vacuuming and mopping options through Matter.

However, available controls may differ between the Flow and Flow 2, and not every cleaning feature is guaranteed to be available in Apple Home.

Cleaning Individual Rooms

Apple Home supports room-specific cleaning on compatible Matter robot vacuums.

Before requesting room cleaning, create a floor map and identify the appropriate rooms in the Narwal app.

The robot must also share its room information through Matter for those destinations to appear in Apple Home.

Assigning the robot itself to a room in Apple's Home app only determines where the accessory appears. It doesn't select that room as a cleaning destination.

Using Siri to Control Narwal

Siri provides another way to operate a compatible Narwal without opening either app.

Depending on the available Matter controls, example requests may include:

• "Siri, start vacuuming."
• "Siri, stop cleaning."
• "Siri, clean the kitchen."
• "Siri, mop the living room."
• "Siri, send the vacuum back to its dock."

[IMAGE COMING SOON - 5 OF 6: SIRI RESPONDING TO A COMMAND REQUESTING THAT A NARWAL ROBOT VACUUM CLEAN THE KITCHEN.]

These are examples of possible Siri requests rather than a complete Narwal-verified command list.

Individual commands depend on the robot's Matter implementation, available cleaning modes and Apple's software.

Giving the vacuum a distinctive name may help Siri identify the correct robot, particularly in households with multiple cleaning devices.

Why Connect Narwal to Apple Home?

The biggest advantage is convenience for households already using Apple's smart home platform.

Instead of opening the Narwal app for everyday cleaning, owners can operate supported functions alongside lights, thermostats and other connected accessories.

Apple Home also supports scenes and automations that coordinate multiple devices.

For example, a departure automation could start vacuuming when everyone leaves home, while a scene could include cleaning alongside changes to lighting and temperature settings.

[IMAGE COMING SOON - 6 OF 6: APPLE HOME AUTOMATION SHOWING A NARWAL ROBOT VACUUM INCLUDED IN A DEPARTURE ROUTINE WITH OTHER SMART HOME ACCESSORIES.]

Available automation actions depend on which Matter controls the robot exposes and which actions Apple Home supports.

A compatible HomePod or Apple TV also enables remote access, allowing owners to operate supported functions while away from home.

Household members can be invited to control accessories through Apple Home without needing to operate the robot through the same Narwal account.

Can You Use Narwal Without an Internet Connection?

Yes, in certain circumstances. Matter supports local communication, allowing compatible devices to exchange commands without sending every request through the manufacturer's cloud servers.

Once paired, basic Apple Home controls may continue working during an internet outage if the Narwal, Wi-Fi network and Apple Home controller remain operational.

Here's what to expect:

• Internet outage: Local Matter commands should continue working if the home network remains operational.
• Wi-Fi outage: Apple Home cannot communicate with the robot over Wi-Fi.
• Away from home: Remote access requires internet connectivity and a compatible Apple Home hub.
• Narwal cloud outage: Local Matter commands may continue working, although cloud-dependent features could become unavailable.
• No network connection: Basic cleaning and docking functions may still be available through the robot's physical controls.

Some Narwal models also include the company's built-in voice assistant, which operates separately from Siri.

The availability of offline voice commands depends on the model and its supported functions.

Local Matter communication doesn't guarantee that every feature will remain available during an internet outage. Actual behavior depends on the robot's firmware, network configuration and Apple Home controller.

Which Narwal Models Support Apple Home?

Narwal confirmed Matter support for its Flow and Flow 2 robot vacuums in April 2026.

The supported models and minimum firmware versions announced by Narwal are:

Flow Series

• Narwal Flow 2, firmware v01.07.10.26 or later
• Narwal Flow, firmware v01.06.00.00 or later

The Flow 2 is available in black and white, but both colors belong to the same model family.

Narwal's firmware announcement confirmed Matter compatibility for both generations, although some owners reported pairing difficulties during the initial rollout.

Later firmware updates addressed connection issues for at least some users.

Matter support has not been established across the entire Freo lineup. Owners of Freo models should not assume that compatibility with Siri, Alexa or Google Assistant also provides native Apple Home integration.

Check the Narwal app for the Matter pairing option and confirm that the required firmware is installed before attempting setup.

What Features Are Missing From Apple Home?

Apple Home provides convenient everyday cleaning controls but doesn't replace the Narwal app.

The manufacturer's app remains necessary for advanced functions such as:

• Creating and editing floor maps
• Adjusting room boundaries
• Configuring no-go zones and restricted areas
• Customizing obstacle avoidance settings
• Managing advanced cleaning routines
• Adjusting specialized mopping preferences
• Configuring dock washing and drying
• Viewing detailed cleaning histories
• Installing firmware updates

Some cleaning modes and suction settings may be available through Matter, but Narwal's app generally provides more detailed customization.

Owners also shouldn't expect Apple Home to display every maintenance notification, consumable status or dock operation.

Can Older Narwal Vacuums Use Apple Home?

Narwal models without native Matter support cannot connect directly to Apple Home through the standard pairing process.

Some older Freo models offer Siri Shortcuts or other voice assistant integrations, but those connections don't automatically add the robot as an accessory in Apple Home.

Siri Shortcuts allow users to trigger predefined actions, while Matter provides native smart home integration with supported controls.

Third-party platforms such as Homebridge and Home Assistant may offer alternative integration methods for certain models, although they require additional configuration and aren't equivalent to official Matter support.

What if Your Narwal Won't Connect?

If the Matter option doesn't appear in the Narwal app, confirm that your model supports it and has received the necessary firmware update.

If the option is available but pairing fails, check that the robot is online, Bluetooth is enabled on your iPhone and the devices are connected to the home network.

Some Flow 2 owners reported problems with Matter pairing codes during the initial rollout. In certain cases, manually entering the numeric code rather than scanning it resolved the issue.

Others reported successful Apple Home pairing after installing newer firmware, including version 1.08.01.00.

Restarting the robot, router or Apple Home hub may also resolve temporary connection problems.

If the robot was previously connected to Apple Home, remove the old accessory entry and generate a fresh pairing code before trying again.

A factory reset should be a last resort because it may affect saved maps and cleaning settings.

Is Apple Home Worth Using With Narwal?

For households already using Apple's smart home ecosystem, Matter makes routine Narwal cleaning controls more accessible.

Siri commands, room selection and supported home automations can reduce the need to open the Narwal app for everyday cleaning.

Local communication also offers an advantage during internet interruptions, provided the home network remains operational.

However, owners who want detailed control over floor maps, cleaning routines, mopping settings and dock maintenance will still need Narwal's software.

Apple Home offers another way to operate compatible Narwal robots, but the depth of integration depends on the model and firmware.