SmartThings:
Set Up Right the First Time

SmartThings Today — What Changed and What Still Works

SmartThings went through a major overhaul

If you've used SmartThings before, the platform you're looking at now is meaningfully different. Samsung rebuilt it from the ground up, migrated everything from the old Groovy-based platform, and shifted the architecture toward hub-optional operation with Matter and direct cloud integrations. Some things got better. Some things changed in ways that frustrated longtime users. This guide covers where the platform stands today.

Hub or no hub — understanding the architecture

SmartThings now operates in two modes:

• Hub-connected: A SmartThings Hub (or compatible Samsung device with a hub built in, like some SmartThings Station models) connects Zigbee, Z-Wave, and Thread devices locally. Automations involving these devices can run locally, without internet.
• Hub-free (cloud-only): Wi-Fi and cloud-integrated devices work without a hub, but all processing goes through Samsung's cloud. Automations involving cloud devices require an internet connection.

If you have Zigbee or Z-Wave devices — or older smart home gear that predates Matter — you need a hub. If you're starting fresh with all Wi-Fi or Matter devices, you can skip it.

What SmartThings does better than Apple Home

Three things where SmartThings genuinely wins: device breadth (thousands of certified devices, including many that don't support HomeKit), Android-first design (the app is consistently better on Android than Apple Home), and cross-platform Matter sharing (SmartThings works well as a secondary Matter fabric alongside Apple Home). Samsung televisions and Galaxy phones have SmartThings built in, which makes home control feel more integrated if you're in the Samsung ecosystem.

What to expect from automations now that Groovy is gone

The old Groovy-based SmartApps and custom device handlers are gone. Automations are now built in the Routines interface — a rules-based system that's more limited than Groovy but more reliable and accessible to non-developers. If you depended on custom Groovy code, it's time to either migrate to the official Routines builder or use a platform like Home Assistant for the complex stuff.

Adding Devices — Zigbee, Z-Wave, Wi-Fi, and Matter

The SmartThings app is the single setup point

Everything in SmartThings starts from the app: Settings icon → + Add device. From there you choose the device category, the brand, and follow the guided setup. For Matter devices, the app handles QR code commissioning the same way Apple Home and Alexa do.

Adding a Zigbee device with a hub

1. In the SmartThings app: + Add device → By device type (or search for the brand).
2. Select "SmartThings Hub" as the connection type when prompted.
3. Put the device into pairing mode (typically hold a button for 5–10 seconds until it flashes).
4. SmartThings will discover it and prompt you to name and assign it to a room.
5. If it doesn't appear, try moving the device closer to the hub — Zigbee has limited range without repeaters in place.

Mains-powered Zigbee devices act as repeaters. The more you have, the better your Zigbee coverage. Battery-powered sensors and buttons are end devices only — they don't extend the mesh.

Adding a Z-Wave device

Z-Wave pairing works the same as Zigbee from the app side, but has a range advantage — Z-Wave signals travel farther and penetrate walls better than Zigbee at typical home distances. The tradeoff: Z-Wave devices are generally more expensive. For locks and garage controllers, Z-Wave is worth the cost premium.

Adding Wi-Fi and cloud-integrated devices

For Wi-Fi devices, SmartThings connects through the brand's cloud API rather than locally. The setup flow asks you to sign in to the device's account (Nest, Ring, Ecobee, etc.) and SmartThings pulls the device list from there. These devices control well from SmartThings but automations involving them require internet — keep that in mind for critical automations.

Adding a Matter device

SmartThings is a full Matter controller. In the app: + Add device → Matter. Scan the QR code. SmartThings commissions the device to its fabric. If the device is already on Apple Home's fabric, you can add it to SmartThings as a second fabric without removing it from Apple Home first.

Routines — Building Automations That Actually Work

Routines are SmartThings' automation system

A Routine in SmartThings is a set of conditions ("if this") and actions ("then that"). Conditions include time, device state, location, a member's presence, or a sensor reading. Actions control any device, scene, or notification. Routines replace the old SmartApps and are the only officially supported automation method now.

Building a motion-activated light routine

1. Open the SmartThings app, tap Automations → Create Routine.
2. Under "If," tap Add Condition → Device Status → select your motion sensor → "Motion detected."
3. Add a second condition if you want time constraints (e.g., "Time is between 8 PM and 11 PM").
4. Under "Then," tap Add Action → Control Devices → select the light → set to On at the brightness you want.
5. Add a second action to turn the light off after a delay: Control Devices → select light → Off → "After a delay" → 5 minutes.
6. Name the routine and save. Test it by walking past the sensor.

Preconditions vs. trigger conditions

SmartThings distinguishes between a trigger (the event that starts the routine — like motion detected) and preconditions (additional requirements that must be true — like "only if a specific member is home"). This separation is more logical than Apple Home's automation builder and makes complex rules easier to read. Get comfortable with it early.

Where routines fall short

Routines cover most common automation needs but hit limits with more complex logic: multi-step sequences with conditional branches, time delays mid-automation, and loops aren't natively supported. For those use cases, Home Assistant is the right complement — or the SharpTools third-party automation platform, which integrates with SmartThings and provides a more powerful rules engine.

What's next

The full guide covers everything beyond the basics: Scenes and how they interact with Routines, the SmartThings hub model comparison, Zigbee and Z-Wave mesh planning for large homes, using SmartThings as a Matter controller alongside Apple Home, integrating Ring and Nest, and the full breakdown of every device category I've run through SmartThings in my own home.