IFTTT (If This, Then That) is an online service that allows users to chain a series of commands together to perform actions in the home. These connected commands are known as ‘recipes’ or ‘mini apps’, and when used correctly, you can have more control over your smart home than ever before.
While many smart home devices have built-in apps that allow for short-term customization and control, IFTTT makes it possible for different devices to activate each other. For example, if something triggers your motion sensor, you can have an IFTTT recipe that in turn triggers your smart lights to blink.
Although “then,” you can chain more than one answer together. IFTTT recipes can be used to achieve true ‘automation’ at home, eliminating all but the minutiae of everyday life. However, with so many options and potential skills, it can be difficult to find the best options for your home. So we dug through IFTTT and found the best recipe ideas and apps for your smart home.
Formulas are divided into different sections based on their main function. Since there are so many different apps and recipes out there, it’s impossible to recommend a single best recipe for each section, so you’ll instead find links to the recipes we’ve covered. feels like the best representation of what IFTTT is capable of.
Table of Contents
Best IFTTT recipe ideas for home security
Whether you are at home or not, IFTTT can assure you that your home is safe and protected. At night you can say Alexa to equip your security system without ever getting out of bed. You can also set up an applet to automatic closing of privacy shutters on certain security cameras when you get home.
If you’re worried about whether you’ll lock the door when you leave, IFTTT can handle that too. SmartThings-compatible smart locks can sync with Android phones lock the door as soon as the phone goes out of range. Do you use iPhone instead of Android? Then there is a This version of the applet works with all phones.
The best IFTTT recipe for smart lighting
Scenes from period movies where the indoor lights come on when the owner walks through the door has inspired many people to create a similar space in their homes. IFTTT makes this even more possible with an applet to activate a specific smart life scene when you get home. If you don’t have smart lighting installed in your home yet, you can still benefit from it as long as you have a WeMo smart switch. This IFTTT recipe automatically turn on any light connected to the smart switch.
If you use Uber a lot, you know the painful fees that come with waiting for drivers. So why not? blink your Philips Hue bulbs when your Uber arrives? Or automatically turn on your lights at sunset?
On the other hand, you can also use IFTTT to create a solid nighttime routine turn your lights into soft colors before turning them off.
Best IFTTT recipe ideas for smart thermostats
With colder temperatures on the way, it will soon be time to turn up the heat. But like many people, you probably worry about keeping energy costs low. Use this IFTTT app to switch your Ecobee to the temperature you want when you get home.
On the other hand, you don’t want your house to be too cold during the day, so be safe applet sends an alert when your Nest thermostat gets too low may be useful.
Of course, the last thing you want is to lose control of the temperature in your home because the battery in the thermostat is dead. Use this IFTTT recipe to know when your Netatmo thermostat in need of an extra juice.
Best IFTTT Recipe for Smart TVs
When you come home from a long day at work, the last thing you want is to run around your room, turning off the lights to create the perfect atmosphere for the latest episode of your favorite show. This applet will allow you change the lights to the perfect atmosphere with just one quick phrase and a little help from Google Home.
Of course, if you’re like a lot of people and struggle to keep track of your TV remote, you might love this recipe turn off the TV with one word.
Both recipes above are for Google Home, but what about Alexa users? You’ll still need a Harmony Hub, but you can Turn off your TV with just one phrase. And depending on what you want to do with your TV, Alexa can do so much more.
Come up with your own IFTTT recipe ideas
You don’t need to be a computer to create your own applets. While the IFTTT site has hundreds of potential recipes for you to use, all of them are user-generated. If you don’t find one that matches exactly what you’re looking for, you can make your own.
All you need to get started is an IFTTT account.
- Once you’ve done that, visit ifttt.com/create.
- Click the “+” sign next to “This” and select the service you want to use. This is the first step.
- Next is to choose a trigger; for example, if you choose the Google Assistant, you can choose to “say a simple phrase,” “say a simple phrase with a number,” “say a phrase with a text element,” or a combination of both. father. You will be given the option to type the phrase with a few alternatives, and you can even choose a different language to type in.
- Once you’ve done this, click the “+” sign next to “That”. You will repeat the process above, but you will choose the action that the trigger above takes. It sounds a bit complicated, but it’s very intuitive once you try it.
